The GLAAD Wrap: 'Saved by the Bell' teaser, 'Elite' renewed, 'People's Choice Award' nominations, new music by Billy Porter, Abby Huston, Logan Lynn and more!

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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) Out actor, director, singer and writer Billy Porter has come on board to direct HBO Max and Warner Bros' feature adaptation of the Lev Rosen YA novel Camp. The film follows 16-year-old Randy Kapplehoff, who spends his summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. Porter will also play the role of Mark, the camp’s theater director.

2) FilmNation Entertainment has announced the cast of out writer and actor Rightor Doyle’s directorial debut Down Low. The dark comedy will feature out film producer and actor Zachary Quinto along with stars including Judith Light, Audra McDonald and more.

3) Emmy Award-winning Hacks star Jean Smart and her producing partner, Angeliki Giannakopoulos, have acquired the rights to the real-life story of Chely Wright, a widely celebrated queer country star, author, and LGBTQ activist. According to Giannakopoulos, the project will likely feature a musical with original songs from Wright.

4) Peacock’s Saved by the Bell revival, starring out actress Josie Totah as popular trans teen Lexi, has unveiled a new teaser for their upcoming second season. The premiere on November 24, 2021, will reunite the original cast mates as they prepare to compete in the Southern California School Spirit Competition. Watch the trailer below!

5) This week, Netflix announced that the Spanish-language teen drama Elite has been renewed for Season 6. The streamer also confirmed three new holiday-themed seasons of the short-form spinoff Elite: Short Stories, titled “Holiday Edition,” out December 15 (Philipe, Caye, & Felipe), 20 (Samuel & Omar) and 23 (Patrick). The show follows a group of students at the elite Las Encinas school, and includes several queer characters, inlcuding Ander (Arón Piper), Omar Shanaa (out actor Omar Ayuso) and Rebeka (Claudia Salas).

6) Paramount+ has announced a new drag queen singing competition Queen of the Universe from World of Wonde productions. Out drag star Trixie Mattel will join the judges panel along with Vanessa Williams, Michelle Visage, and Leona Lewis. The show will premeire on December 2. In more TV news, Wattpad Webtoon Studios has announced a TV adaptation of I'm a Gay Wizard, which follows gay teen Johnny and trans teen Allison, as they uncover a new magical world. 

7) Out songwriter, producer, television personality and activist Logan Lynn has announced a new single entitled “Here’s To Us”. The song is off his LP New Money, a testament to queer power and gay joy, out January 21. Listen here and watch the animated video for “Here’s To Us” below!

8) Out producer and songwriter Abby Huston has announced their new single “Higher” ft. Benét. Listen to their album AH HA here and watch the video for “Higher” below!

9) Ultra Music’s out singer-songwriter and director Betta Lemme has announced her sophomore EP Ready For The Weekend, featuring the single “I Love The Weekend”, out on Friday, November 12. Stream the EP here and watch the music video to her recently released single “I’m Good” below! In other music news, out Grammy Award-winning singer Billy Porter has announced an upcoming remix to his single “Children”. Watch the lyric video here!

10) NBC and E! have announced the nominees for the 2021 People’s Choice Awards. Among the nominees for Show of 2021 are LGBTQ-inclusive series Loki, Grey’s Anatomy,This is Us, 9-1-1, The Walking Dead, Brooklyn 99, Never Have I Ever, and grown-ish. In the Heights, which featured queer characters Daniela (Rubin-Vega) and Carla (out actress Stephanie Beatriz) was nominated for Drama Movie of 2021. Out singer, producer and actress Queen Latifa (The Equalizer) was nominated for TV Star of 2021 out singer and rapper Lil Nas X was nominated for Male Artist of 2021; out singer Halsey were nominated for Female Artist of 2021; and out performers Jojo Siwa (Dancing with the Stars) and Gottmik (RuPaul’s Drag Race) were nominated for Competition Contestant of 2021. Vote for your favorite entertainers here until November 17 and watch this year's event on December 7 at 9pm!

11) This week marks the launch of the For the Love of Jewelle fundraising campaign to finish the new documentary about Jewelle Gomez by filmmaker and QWOCMAP founder, Madeleine Lim. Five months before the infamous “Proposition 8”, Gomez and her partner were among the litigants who successfully sued the state of California for the right to marry. Gomez has also made history as a two time Lambda Literary Award-winning author of the lesbian vampire novel The Gilda Stories, while serving as a founding board member of GLAAD. Support the campaign here and watch a teaser for the documentary here!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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