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. IFC has just released a new trailer for transgender director Silas Howard’s new film, A Kid Like Jake. The film stars out gay actor Jim Parsons alongside Claire Danes, who grapple with their son’s gender identity. Octavia Spencer also appears as the lesbian pre-school teacher who offers guidance to these parents. Parson’s was also recently awarded GLAAD’s Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Watch the trailer below, and look out for the film in select theaters on June 1.
2. A teaser trailer for the new documentary about transgender bodybuilders, Man Made, has just dropped. The documentary is directed by trans novelist and screenwriter T. Cooper, and centers on the TransFitCon, a conference in Atlanta, Georgia that allows trans people to focus on their minds and their bodies. Cooper felt like this story needed to be told in a way that was “more than two-dimensional," so he took on the project as his first feature film. Man Made will premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival on April 22! Check out the teaser trailer below.
3. The Elton John biopic Rocketman has just been picked up by Paramount. The film will star Taron Egerton as John, from his days at the Royal Academy of Music, all throughout his journey to international stardom. This film has been in the works for years but now that there's been a change in director, with Dexter Fletcher helming the project currently, the film is on its way. Egerton will also be singing all of John's tunes himself. The celebration of John's work continues, right after the release of his celebratory album Revamp which had popular artists covering his most legendary songs. Check out a sample of that album below!
4. Universal Pictures and Marc Platt have just acquired the feature rights to The Prince and the Dressmaker. The graphic novel by Jen Wang follows the friendship between a seamstress and Prince, who’s parents are adamantly looking for a bride for him. However, when night sets in, the Prince transforms. He puts on his red wig and his favorite dress and heads out into Paris as Lady Crystallia. This announcement comes just two month's after the book's release, which recieved critical acclaim.
5. Out and renowned director Pedro Almodovar has announced his next film. Teaming up with Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, the film will be called Dolor Y Gloria, and will tell the story of a series of meetings. Almodovar stated that the film, “talks about creation, cinematographic and theatrical, and of the impossibility of separating creation from one’s life.
6. Netflix has just released a trailer for season two of their show, Dear White People. The new trailer picks up right where season one ended, with the main group, including gay journalism student Lionel, dealing with the aftermath of their failed protest. Also appearing in the trailer are out actors Lena Waithe and Todrick Hall. Check out the trailer below, and look out for the new season on May 4!
7. In other Netflix news, Glow, the series about the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, has just released an announcement video for its season 2 premiere date! Season two begins on Friday, June 29. Late last year it was also announced that Shakira Barrera would be joining the cast of season two as the “out-and-proud” lesbian of the team. Check out the video below!
8.
Take My Wife, the comedy series created by lesbian couple Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher, has just been picked up by Starz. The series originally premiered on Seeso, the NBCUniversal streaming service that was shuttered last year, but now this comedy has a new home. Seasons one and two are both going to be available on the Starz app and the on-demand service starting May 1!
9. This Close, the dramedy on Sundance Now, has just been renewed for a second season! The series follows the friendship between best friends Kate and Michael, as Michael navigates his life as a deaf, gay man in Los Angeles, and Kate the sole deaf women at her PR firm. Co-created by out deaf actor and writer Josh Feldman, the first season is available to watch on Sundance Now. Check out the trailer below!
10. The spin-off of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Drag Race Thailand, is set to premiere in the United States on May 4. The first season will all be posted on the Drag Race production company World of Wonder’s streaming platform. The show follows the same format as its American counterpart, where 10 drag queens fight for the title of Thailand’s Next Drag Superstar, and is hosted by fashion stylist Art-Araya In-dra and Thai drag queen Pangina Heals. Check out the trailer for this new, international show below!
11. Zeke Thomas has just released a new song titled “Love Me Sober.” Last year, the out gay DJ released his first song featuring his vocals that discussed sexual assault. Thomas worked with GLAAD and donated all of the proceeds from that song to their efforts and to the National Sexual Violence Research Center. Now, his new song focuses on learning to love again after a trauma. Thomas says its important to, “feel the pulse, feel the heartbeat, feel what changes, what flows through you when you're going through something,” while listening. Check it out below!
12. San Diego based artist Daniella Alexa has released a music video for her song “Spin in Circles”, which features drag queens Laganja Estranja and Gia Gunn. In the video, Alexa transforms into a drag king before heading out for a night on the town. Alexa said that, “The video illustrates coming to terms with one's self in a deep haze of smoke. It is about fluidity being acceptable, and one's ability to be themselves.” Watch the video for “Spin in Circles” below!
13. The nominees for the 2018 Billboard Music Awards have just been announced! Halsey, Demi Lovato, and multiple songs written by GLAAD board member Justin Tranter are among the LGBTQ nominees this year, each of them garnering a few nominations each. The award show will air on NBC this year, on Sunday May 20 at 8pm. Check out the music video for Halsey's "Alone" ft. Big Sean and Stefflon Don below!
14. Dykes, Camera, Action! is a documentary directed by Caroline Berler, that focuses on bringing to light queer women filmmakers, how important their work has been to the industry, and how film can continually shape our perceptions of one another. The film also discusses how these filmmakers have expressed their queer identities through their work, from the 1970s to now. Currently this film is seeking funding for its post-production phase, but you can learn more about the documentary here, and check out the Seed & Spark video below!
