On the red carpet for Romeo + Juliet’s opening night, pop songwriter-producer Jack Antonoff revealed that his favorite musical of all time is Fun Home—which was directed by Sam Gold (the director of Romeo + Juliet), according to Playbill. Romeo + Juliet stars Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler as the ill-fated lovers, and the cast also includes queer actor Tommy Dorfman, Nihar Duvvuri and Daniel Bravo Hernández, among others. Fun Home is an adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s 2006 graphic memoir of the same name; the original Broadway production was nominated for more than 10 Tony Awards, winning five, including Best Musical.
The Guardian gave a stellar review of Mr. Loverman, a UK series about a man (Barry, played by Lennie James) who’s a husband, businessman, father and grandfather—who has a secret male lover of five decades (Morris, played by Ariyon Bakare). Describing the show—adapted from the Booker Prize-winning British-Nigerian author Bernardine Evaristo’s novel—as “magnificent TV that will tear your heart open,” the series also shows the effect of the misspent years on Barry’s wife, Carmel (played by Sharon D. Clarke). Carmel has long suspected her husband of being unfaithful, although she thinks it has been with several women over the years. The outlet also stated, “There is closeness, vibrancy, violence and sorrow in the mix, plus an examination of many forms of love and how they can either strengthen or warp under pressure.” The show aired on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.
Magnolia Pictures’ The World According to Allee Willis will be in theaters on Nov. 15, per a press release. The release stated, “Take one look at award-winning songwriter / artist Allee Willis and you see someone unafraid to be themselves. Dressed in a cacophony of prints and colors, her signature asymmetrical haircut and famed parties at her real-life Pee-wee’s Playhouse, Allee didn’t waste any opportunity to tell you what she was about. But privately, Allee struggled with not fitting established gender and sexual norms. She buried herself in her work, until true love manifested her ultimate masterpiece—self-acceptance.” Some of the others featured in the film include Cyndi Lauper, Patti LaBelle, Mark Cuban, Lily Tomlin, Michael Patrick King, Paul Reubens and Pet Shop Boys.
Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin were among the notable industry figures who boosted Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris after comedian/podcaster Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage” at Donald Trump‘s political rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Variety noted. In response, Bad Bunny—who has more than 45 million Instagram followers—boosted Harris’ campaign video targeting voters in Puerto Rico and noting what a contentious relationship that Trump had with the island during his tenure in the White House. Lopez posted Harris campaign material targeted at Puerto Rico as well as the same video pitch Bad Bunny boosted. Martin, with 18.6 million Instagram followers, did the same thing on his Instagram Stories feed, adding the comment “I remember” on the Harris video.
Deadline ran a list of celebrities who are endorsing former President Donald Trump in this year’s election—and at least one is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Joe Exotic (aka The Tiger King) endorsed Trump in September, but said he’d like to see the candidate “get off of this name-calling and childish rhetoric” and focus on the issues. A few of the others on the list include former race-car driver Danica Patrick (who posted on X that she just voted for the first time in her life), actor Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), actor Dennis Quaid, actor Zachary Levi (Shazam!), Elon Musk, Dr. Phil McGraw, actress Taryn Manning (who has said she prefers men although she has dated women, and who has called Trump “my hero”) and SNL alumna Victoria Jackson.
The FMs will release the album 51122 (inspired by lo-fi dream pop, classic new wave and synthpunk) on Nov. 22, per a press release. The album follows PINK + BLACK, their sophomore record released earlier this year to acclaim from publications such as the New York Daily News and Metro Weekly. The new album’s name corresponds with May 11, 2022—the day that founding member Frankie Rex passed away from a fentanyl overdose. Of the new track “Future Pope” that’s currently out, the release states, “Conceptually dizzying yet socially relevant, we journey forward to a tyrant able to tap into the same rage mania of the Trump era but used with much more Machiavellian effectiveness—potentially an even darker moment, yet with still with hope brought forth by the subversive gender outlaws hacking the paradigm.”
Critically acclaimed Gen-Z act BLACKSTARKIDS released its seventh studio project, Heaven on Urf, via Dirty Hit, per a press release. The release added, “The companion piece to their recently released album, Saturn Dayz, which dreamed up a world without rules or limitations where Black children can go to find happiness and defy all stereotypes, Heaven on Urf completes their most ambitious work to date.” Some of the tracks on Heaven include the title tune, “Shoot the Messenger,” “Art of Industry Politics” and “Haunted by Memory.”
A24 unveiled the first trailer for Queer, Luca Guadagnino’s romantic drama starring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey, which is coming off of a Venice Film Festival premiere, Deadline noted.Based on the semi-autobiographical 1985 novel by writer William S. Burroughs, the film is set in 1950s Mexico City, where U.S. expat William Lee (Craig) leads a solitary life; however, the arrival in town of young student Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey stirs Lee into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone. Queer is slated for a limited release in theaters on Nov. 27.
CBS has added 10 new cast members for upcoming daytime soap opera Beyond the Gates, per Variety. Actors such as Brandon Claybon (Grey’s Anatomy), Timon Durrett (Queen Sugar) and RhonniRose Mantilla (Broadway’s Harmony the Musical) will join previously announced cast members Tamara Tunie (Law & Order: SVU), Daphnee Duplaix (Passions) and Karla Mosley (who played trans character Maya on the CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful. Beyond the Gates was developed under CBS Studios’ content partnership with the NAACP; the show will begin production in November and will premiere in early 2025.
King’s Trust USA announced that trans Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated actress, singer and activist Michaela Jaé Rodriguez has been appointed as a celebrity ambassador, per a press release. Rodriguez has consistently used her platform to raise awareness about issues of equality and inclusion; her role as King’s Trust USA ambassador will further amplify these efforts, as she works alongside the organization to support young people across the country. King’s Trust USA aims to create opportunities for youth from underserved communities by offering access to resources that help them overcome systemic barriers.
Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films acquired North American rights to Bruce David Klein’s feature documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, which follows the career of and life of Liza Minnelli, according to Deadline. The Atlas Media production made its world premiere at last summer’s Tribeca Film Festival and recently played at the Hamptons Film Festival, Provincetown Film Festival and as a centerpiece at the NewFest LGBTQ+ Film Festival. The film—which focuses on the Oscar winner’s complex period during the 1970s following the tragic death of her mother, Judy Garland—also features her friends and colleagues such as Michael Feinstein, Mia Farrow, Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera and Joel Grey, along with Minnelli herself.
Musician Shawn Mendes opened up about his sexuality during a recent concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, per Instinct Magazine. “The real truth about my life and my sexuality is, man, I’m just figuring it out like everyone,” Mendes told the crowd. “I don’t really know sometimes, and I know other times.” The singer said his song “The Mountain” was a way for him to address this personal journey in his music: “Writing this song felt really important to me. It felt like a moment where I could address it in a way that felt close to my heart.” Mendes has previously been linked romantically to other pop stars like Camila Cabello and Sabrina Carpenter, but has largely kept the details of his personal life private.
Queer Oscar-nominated actor Lily Gladstone and Academy Award-nominated actor Bryan Cranston have been set to star in action-thriller Lone Wolf, per Deadline. The conspiracy thriller will follow a vet (Gladstone) struggling with addiction who is recruited by a contractor (Cranston) for a covert government plot to assassinate a high-level politician. After learning she’s set to take the fall, she must utilize all of her skills to outwit the shadow agents to protect the future of her son. Gladstone is coming off an Emmy-nominated performance in the Hulu limited series Under the Bridge, and her lead role in the Apple feature Fancy Dance.
Chappell Roan demanded an apology from a photographer on the red carpet for Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Guts World Tour” premiere, accusing the photographer of “being disrespectful to me at the Grammys” and claiming the shutterbug “yelled” at her during a Grammy party, Variety noted. In a video, she asked for an apology for the photographer; the accused person appeared silent at first, but Roan continued questioning him until someone guiding her through the red carpet tugged her arm. Roan had a similar run-in on a red carpet for the MTV Video Music Awards earlier this year; in another video, Roan responded to a photographer who yelled at her to“Shut the fuck up” by responding in kind.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor shared the video for her new single, the disco-pop anthem “Freedom of the Night,” a press notice announced. The video (which features kids dancing in a competition) was filmed at London’s Rivoli Ballroom by longtime collaborator and friend Sophie Muller, and the work nods to the video of Ellis-Bextor worldwide hit “Murder on the Dancefloor,” which was launched back into prominence last year by being featured in the film Saltburn. Ellis-Bextor has also announced her biggest-ever UK headline tour in May and June 2025, including a headline show at London’s Royal Albert Hall; she also has three November 2024 dates in the States, with stops in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Atlanta scheduled.
Yet another WNBA team announced a coaching change when the Indiana Fever “parted ways” with coach Christie Sides, per ESPN. Sides—who led Indiana to a 33-47 record—was hired after the 2022 campaign to replace Marianne Stanley and her interim successor, Carlos Knox. The Fever—who boasts 2024 rookie of the year Caitlin Clark and 2023 rookie of the year Aliyah Boston—will enter 2025 with a new head coach, general manager (the recently hired Amber Cox) and president in Kelly Krauskopf. The Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics have also let their coaches go this offseason. (There are only 12 teams in the league.)
Queer New Yorkers joined thousands on Oct. 24 for a ticker-tape parade to celebrate the New York Liberty’s first-ever WNBA championship victory and the city’s first professional basketball championship since 1973 (via the New York Knicks), Gay City News noted. The Liberty basked in the spotlight along the Canyon of Heroes on Broadway in front of thousands of fans just days after edging the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA finals. LGBTQ+ players Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot and Jonquel Jones led the way for the Liberty during the regular season and playoffs.
Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) and Billy Magnussen (Roadhouse) are slated to star in Steve Pink’s horse-racing comedy Chariot, according to Deadline. The synopsis reads: “Paul Rovia, an oversized jockey, seeks redemption after causing a major racing accident that gets him suspended from the sport for two years. Desperate to compete in the Grand National again, Paul teams up with Kate O’Leary and her wild Centaur named Chariot. Paul and Chariot clash at first but eventually form an unstoppable duo, taking the racing world by storm.” Pink is known for writing Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity; also, he directed Hot Tub Time Machine and, most recently, The Wheel.
The Weeknd debuted the song and music video for “São Paulo,” featuring queer Brazilian superstar Anitta, according to a press release. The release added, “Directed by the visionary FREEKA, the video takes a dark, jarring turn as Anitta, who is pregnant in the storyline, reveals an ever-emerging face within her belly.” The Weekend recently surpassed his own record as the artist with the highest monthly listeners on Spotify, with more than 120 million monthly listeners.
Pussycat Dolls alum and The Masked Singer judge Nicole Scherzinger was allegedly in contact with Liam Payne on the day he died, per Page Six. According to the British musician, Scherzinger learned about Payne’s death shortly before she took the stage to perform in her starring role in the Broadway musical Sunset Blvd. Payne and Scherzinger’s friendship dates back to 2010, when she was a judge on The X Factor UK. At the time, Scherzinger teamed with fellow judges Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh to connect Payne with his then-future One Direction bandmates, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan.
Also regarding Liam Payne, producer Sam Pounds said he will delay plans to release a posthumous single from the late singer, leaving the decision “to all family members,” per The Hollywood Reporter. Pounds initially announced the release of “Do No Wrong” on Oct. 26, scheduled for Nov. 1, which would have been less than three weeks after Payne died when he fell from a hotel balcony in Argentina. However, Pounds returned to social media to announce the delay, adding that he hoped the song would be “a blessing to Ruth, Bear and the entire family,” referencing Payne’s sister, Ruth, and his son, Bear.
Cindy Brady actor Susan Olsen recently claimed on the “Walk Away Campaign” podcast (via Vanity Fair) that CBS killed a revival of The Brady Bunch due to her support of Donald Trump and her controversial stances on hot button issues like COVID vaccines and the LGBTQ+ community—but that’s not the entire story, according to Variety. For example, the show was set up at CBS Studios and hadn’t even been pitched to networks or streamers yet. More importantly, sources said it was scrapped due to hate speech by Olsen, including homophobic slurs that had previously gotten her fired from a radio gig.
Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name)—who hasn’t acted in more than three years following 2021 sexual-assault allegations—is set to return to a film set with the western Frontier Crucible, according to Deadline. The film also stars Thomas Jane (The Predator, Troppo and Hung) and Zane Holtz, among others; filming is due to start on the independently-financed film next month in Monument Valley and Prescott, Arizona. Hammer launched The Armie HammerTime Podcast recently in a video post on Instagram, and the first episode includes an interview with actor Tom Arnold.
Jamie Foxx recently addressed if Sean “Diddy” Combs was “responsible” for his mysterious hospitalization last year, according to Page Six. Three eyewitnesses who attended tapings of Foxx’s forthcoming Netflix special, What Had Happened Was, said he discussed allegations that Combs caused his hospitalization; however, the audience members had different recollections of what the comedian said. One of them—videographer, producer and director Choke No Joke—said Foxx stated during the tapings that “Diddy was responsible for what happened to him, and [Foxx] is the one who called the FBI on [Combs].” However, it’s not known if the alleged comments will be included in the final cut of the special.
Two former execs on Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune—Black woman Shelley Ballance Ellis and Latina colleague Monique Diaz—have accused Sony Pictures of engaging in unlawful race, gender, and age discrimination and retaliation against them, Deadline noted. They have filed complaints with California’s Civil Rights Department and the National Labor Relations Board , alleging that Sony’s management terminated them and other workers in retaliation for collectively opposing harmful discrimination and toxic working conditions on the game shows. The pair have spent almost 50 years combined working on the shows.