Every week, The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.
1) The documentary 5B, which tells the story of the nurses and caretakers of the first U.S. HIV/AIDS unit, Ward 5B, was released on-demand today. Watch the trailer below and visit the film’s website for more information about where to stream it. In more film news, the new Marvel movie The Eternals will have an openly gay character, as confirmed at the D23 Expo last weekend in California. The film, about a group of immortals who are charged by the Celestials with protecting earth from the Deviants, will mark the 25th entry of the MCU, and will be the first time a Marvel film will openly acknowledge one of its superheroes as LGBTQ. The Eternals is set for a Nov. 6, 2020 release.
2) In other film news, Transparent creator Jill Soloway is set to direct and adapt a film version of Amy Butcher’s memoir Mothertrucker. Starring Julianne Moore as the titular character, the film will tell the story of Butcher and Joy Mothertrucker, an Instagram celebrity and female ice road trucker. In more film news, Laura Madalinski’s film Two in the Bush: A Love Story has been picked up by Comedy Dynamics for a Fall 2019 release. The film tells the story of Emily, who while going through a break-up, falls for her dominatrix boss and her boss’ boyfriend. Two in the Bush is a wise and witty look into a world of bisexuality, polyamory, and dungeons. Watch the trailer below.
3) The official trailer for out creator Ryan Murphy’s AHS 1984 has been released. The new season of the long-running series takes place at a summer camp and is inspired by classic 1980s horror slasher films. Watch the trailer below and catch the new season on FX when it premieres September 18. Also, the trailer for the new Apple TV+ comedy series Dickinson has been released. The new series follows the queer teenage poet Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) as she navigates society, gender and family in the 19th century. The show premieres this fall on Apple’s new streaming service. Watch the trailer here.
4) In more TV news, the trailer for the Disney+ original High School Musical: The Musical: The Series was released this week. The new mockumentary series takes place at the school where High School Musical was shot, and follows the lives of the students as they put on a production of High School Musical: The Musical. Watch the trailer below; the series debuts on Disney’s new streaming service Nov. 12. Additionally, out actress and signer Keke Palmer made her debut as the co-host of the third hour of Good Morning America, entitled GMA3: Strahan, Sara & Keke. HBO has renewed A Black Lady Sketch Show for a second season. Be sure to check out the season one finale on Friday, Sept. 6.
5) Out comedian Wanda Sykes will produce and star in a new Netflix family comedy called The Upshaws, alongside Mike Epps. The show is about a working-class African-American family in Indiana struggling to make it work and make it right without the blueprints to do it. In the meantime, watch the trailer for Wanda’s latest Netflix special Not Normal below. In other Netflix news, the streaming site won the rights to a new series called The Girls On the Bus, which was inspired by a chapter of Amy Chozick’s best-selling book Chasing Hillary. The show will be produced by out creator Greg Berlanti’s production company, Julie Plec, and Warner Bros. Television. The series chronicles four female journalists who follow the every move of a parade of flawed fictional presidential candidates, finding friendship, love, and a scandal that could take down not just the presidency, but our entire democracy.
6) Out musicians Tegan and Sara have released a new video for their single “I’ll Be Back Someday.” The duo’s new album Hey, I’m Just Like You is out Sept. 27 and the music video is below. In more music news, Black Belt Eagle Scout, the recording project of queer and indigenous woman Katherine Paul, released a new album today called At the Party with Brown Friends. Watch the video for single “Run It to Ya” here, buy the album here, or stream it on your favorite streaming service.
7) Out actor and singer Keiynan Lonsdale has released a new video for his song “Rainbow Dragon,” which you can watch below. The video features the artist in a number of different outfits and hairstyles, with lyrics that focus on freeing oneself from expectations and restrictions.Additionally, out Mexican singer Georgel and out Colombian singer Esteman have teamed up to cover Juan Gabriel’s song “Noa Noa.” Catch the new version of the song here.
8) The nominations for the 53rd annual Country Music Association Awards were announced this week. Out singer Lil Nas X is nominated for Musical Event of the Year along with Billy Ray Cyrus for their remix of “Old Town Road.” The nod makes Lil Nas X the first out gay Black man to be recognized by the Nashville awards body. Watch a performance of the hit song from CMA Fest 2019 below. See the full list of nominees here and be sure to watch the broadcast of the CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 13 at 8/7c on ABC.
9) The 2019 MTV Video Music Awards were held this past Monday in Newark, New Jersey, and a number of LGBTQ artists and LGBTQ-inclusive media took home awards. Winners included: Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus for Song of the Year and Best Direction with “Old Town Road (Remix)”; Best K-Pop Video for BTS and Halsey’s “Boy With Luv”; Best Rock Video for Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes”; and Best Visual Effects for Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie’s “ME!” Taylor Swift’s video for the song “You Need to Calm Down,” which was co-executive produced by out artist Todrick Hall and featured many LGBTQ artists with a pro-LGBTQ acceptance message, won for Video of the Year and Video for Good. See the full list of winners here and watch a recap of the winners’ acceptance speeches below.
10) BOOM! Studios 
have announced their schedule of events for New York Comic Con 2019. One of the panels, “Entertainment is LGBTQ,” is presented in partnership with GLAAD, and features GLAAD’s very own Megan Townsend, Director of Entertainment Research & Analysis. The panel is an in-depth roundtable discussion about LGBTQ representation in pop culture and the path forward to a brighter, more inclusive future, with special guests from all corners of the entertainment world: Gaby Dunn, Sina Grace, Royal Dunlap, James Tynion IV, Vita Ayala, and Mathew Rodriguez moderating. NYCC 2019 takes place October 3-6 at the Javits Center in New York, NY.
11) Out Youtubers Tyler Oakley and Kalen Allen have teamed up with AT&T and the Trevor Project to create a new digital series called Anytime, Anywhere. The series encourages LGBTQ+ youth to use the Trevor Project’s text and chat services, powered by AT&T, for suicide prevention and crisis intervention. Watch Oakley announce the partnership below, and listen to Allen discuss a time in his life he could have used the Trevor Project’s services here. Click here to watch the full Anytime, Anywhere series, and find out more about AT&T and The Trevor Project's life-saving partnership at TurnUpTheLove.com.
12) River Coello is a queer and trans multidisciplinary artist from Guayaquil, Ecuador living in Chicago, Illinois who recently created a book of poetry titled self/ser. Written in both English and Spanish, the book is a poetic-photographic, ancestral-spiritual exploration of queer and trans existence and love. Visit Coello’s Kickstarter page for more information, and consider purchasing a copy through the site.
