Trailblazing gay author Felice Picano has died at age 81, per The Advocate. He was the writer behind such acclaimed novels as The Lure, Eyes, Onyx and The Book of Lies, along with nonfiction works including The Joy of Gay Sex. Picano’s death was announced on Facebook by his publisher, Rebel Satori Press.
“Felice Picano’s remarkable contribution to literature and his brave exploration of queer identities have left an indelible mark on countless readers and writers alike,” the publisher posted. Picano founded Sea Horse Press, the nation’s first gay-focused publishing house, in 1976 and remained its leader until 1995; he also co-founded the Gay Presses of New York in 1981 and was its editor-in-chief until 1995.
Barely a month after pre-sales began and with six weeks until opening night, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour is at 94% capacity across all dates, according to new stats from promoter Live Nation, per Billboard. The tour was announced on Feb. 3, with 22 shows in eight cities on either side of the Atlantic; afterward, demand resulted in additional dates in six of the eight markets, including two add-ons apiece in Atlanta and London. And the singer has added a 31st—and so far, final—date in a new location. Live Nation said that Beyoncé will bring the tour to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on July 25, returning to Sin City after playing two shows at the same venue during the Renaissance World Tour in 2023.
Queer entertainment figures Lilly Wachowski (who co-created The Matrix), Cynthia Erivo, Dan Levy and Lily Gladstone—along with former Beatle Paul McCartney, Ava DuVernay, Taika Waititi, Cate Blanchett, Natasha Lyonne, Bette Midler and many others—were among those who want the Trump administration to hold the line when it comes to artificial Intelligence and tech companies’ desire to weaken copyright rules, Deadline noted. “We firmly believe that America’s global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries,” the signees told the White House Office of Science and Technology in an open letter.
At SXSW, queer actress Sophia Bush—who has an upcoming One Tree Hill revival in the works at Netflix—emphasized the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in media as the Trump administration continues to dismantle DEI, according to Deadline. “I think 2025 sucks for everyone, to be clear, but what I think is worrisome, particularly for us, is the desire to take people’s civil rights away,” Bush told the outlet at the iHeartPodcast Awards at Austin City Limits during SXSW. “We are meant to be the land of the free, a nation of [the] free, a nation that respects its constitution and its due process and its laws, and we are in a very lawless time. It’s very unfortunate to watch that kind of disrespect be weaponized against people who are so vulnerable to discrimination.” Also at SXSW, Annapurna Sriram—whose directorial debut, Fucktoys, is her tribute to queer filmmakers like John Waters and Gregg Araki—said she “felt like a lot of the acting opportunities I had were very limiting and very racist” before writing her own dream role about a fun-loving dominatrix trying to get rid of a curse.”
A new 4K restoration of the James Bidgood cult classic Pink Narcissus will have an April 1 press screening and April 11 public debut at NYC’s Metrograph, per a press release. The movie’s plot is described thusly: “An extremely handsome, brooding, self-absorbed young man escapes the realities of his real world through a progression of exotic fantasies. Obsessed with his own perfection, he lives in a dreamworld of intense colors, magnificent music, elaborate costumes and strikingly handsome men.” The 68-minute movie (out via Strand Releasing) was restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive from a 35mm internegative, 35mm print and 35mm track negative.
GLAAD board members Peppermint and Frankie Grande have called for more LGBTQ+ representation on reality TV shows, per The Hollywood Reporter. In an open letter signed by several reality-TV stars, they said, “While we’ve made impressive strides in LGBTQ visibility over the decades, the fact remains that for far too long now, reality shows too often include just one LGBTQ storyline or depend on a single LGBTQ cast member to represent an entire community of individuals and experiences.” They cite Survivor, Big Brother, The Voice, American Idol, The Challenge and The Amazing Race as shows being held back by minimal queer representation. Some of the others signing the letter include Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Michelle Buteau, Elliot Page, Ts Madison, Xavier Prather, Christian Siriano, Bob The Drag Queen and Alan Cumming.
Captain America actor Anthony Mackie appeared on The Pivot podcast—and discussed, among other things, how playing gay roles during his career and how it helped him to be more empathetic toward queer people, including one of his own brothers, per Queerty. (Mackie played the role of Perry in the movie Brother to Brother and Danny in a 2019 episode of Black Mirror.) “Growing up in the south in the ‘90s and ‘80s, you grew up homophobic, sexist and racist—that’s just a fact,” said Mackie, who was born and raised in New Orleans. “So being a man, I used my art to better myself,” Mackie said. “I played Perry so that I could understand my brother better, so I could understand my friends better. Going to art school, a bunch of my friends were gay.” Mackie also talked about figures such as Big Freedia and how queerness has been a part of New Orleans culture for a long time.
Regarding Chappell Roan’s new song “The Giver, she told Apple Music’s Today’s Country that people shouldn’t be surprised that she’s releasing what is, essentially, a country song, according to ABC Audio. Chappell, who’s from Missouri, said, “I think I have a special relationship to where I’m from because of country music.” She added, “It’s like, ‘You know what? Yes, I’m gay. Yes, I am ultra-pop and yes, I am a drag queen—who can also perform a country song. And there’s a lot of drag queens who do country music all over the world!”
Talking with People, former Project Runway guru Tim Gunn revealed his most and least favorite seasons of the show. When it comes to the quality of work, Gunn said that nothing compares to season 13, which aired in 2023 and saw Sean Kelly— known for his eveningwear on the show—emerge as the winner. (Since that victory, Kelly made a swift pivot post-win to swimwear, founding his company, Hercules New York.) And Gunn’s least season was the very next one: “I thought the work was very lackluster, and I kept pounding on the workroom table, saying, ‘You have to raise the bar here. This is just so dull, so normal.’ … I mean, as Heidi’s always telling the designers, you need to cut through the noise so people listen to you.” Ashley Nell Tipton (who specialized in plus-size wear) won that season but, in an op-ed, Gunn said that her victory “reeked of tokenism.”
RuPaul’s Untitled Drag Queen Movie as well as Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Untitled Daniels/Jonathan Wang Project are among the 51 big-screen projects that are the latest recipients of California’s incentives to promote filming in the home of Hollywood, getting almost $114 million in tax credits, per Deadline. The 46 independent and five non-independent films are anticipated by the state to hire around 6,490 cast and crew members, with 37,000 background performers provided day work. “Category is: there’s no place like home!,” RuPaul said. “As someone who’s produced a TV series in Los Angeles for 17 years, I’m thrilled that our feature film, Untitled Drag Queen Movie, is receiving tax credits from the California Film Commission.”
World of Wonder announced the latest game edition of its partnership with The Op Games—the board game publisher behind iconic licensed games and best-selling party games Telestrations®, Blank Slate™ and MONOPOLY®—with CLUE®: RuPaul’s Drag Race, per a press release. Created for two to six players ages 14 and older, CLUE®: RuPaul’s Drag Race introduces six brand new characters: Madam Mustard, Pepper La Peacock, Crystal White, Sir Lady Scarlet, Marsha P. Plum and Geraldine Green. Additionally, the game features on-theme new Item Tokens in the form of Wig, Corset, Platform Heels, Tucking Tape, Makeup Case and Drag Fan. CLUE®: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MSRP $44.99) is available at www.TheOp.Games and the WorldofWonder.com store.
Mariah Carey received the Icon Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards, giving fans a classic Mariah Carey moment, per Deadline. When the “Vision of Love” singer took the stage at the Dolby Theater to accept her award and deliver her speech, she was quick to jokingly call out the lighting at the venue. “Is the lighting OK ‘cause I don’t like bad lighting,” Carey asked. During the tribute for Carey, Tori Kelly and Muni Long performed some of her career hits.
Film Forum will present the U.S. theatrical premiere of Dana Flor’s 1-800-On-Her-Own—about the life of bisexual feminist musician/activist Ani DiFranco—on Friday, April 18, per a press release. At 19, DiFranco started Righteous Babe—her own record label, and released her self-titled first album a year later in 1990—followed by 22 albums over the next 33 years and collaborations with Pete Seeger, Cyndi Lauper and Prince. The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and went on to screen at the Frameline LGBTQ+ international film festival and other events.
Queer Primetime Emmy winner Lena Waithe is joining Ellen Burstyn, Taika Waititi, Pamela Anderson and Edgar Ramirez in Kornél Mundruczó’s next feature drama, Place to Be, Deadline revealed. The feature centers around the last passions of life and follows the unlikely friendship of kindly, but no-nonsense Brooke (Burstyn) and discombobulated divorcee Nelson (Waititi) as they travel from Chicago to New York to return a lost racing pigeon home. Waithe plays Shy, who helps Brooke on her journey to track down the owner of the bird.
Frameline—the media and arts nonprofit that hosts the annual San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival—announced the recipients of its annual Frameline Completion Fund grants, per a media release. The 2025 Frameline Completion Fund recipients in the features category are Heightened Scrutiny, by Sam Feder; Niñxs, by Kani Lapuerta; and Only Good Things (Apenas Coisas Boas), by Daniel Nolasco. Feder has received a Frameline Completion Fund grant three times, joining an elite group of fellow LGBTQ+ filmmakers including Cheryl Dunye, Barbara Hammer, Jennifer M. Kroot, Rodney Evans and Silas Howard. Four shorts projects were also selected for 2025 Frameline Completion Fund grants: Budget Paradise, by LaTajh Simmons-Weaver; Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites, by Chheangkea; Rainbow Girls, by Nana Duffuor; and The Roaming Center for Magnetic Alternatives, by Brydie O’Connor. For more than a quarter-century, Frameline has awarded $692,500 to 197 projects to help ensure that LGBTQ+ film and video projects are completed and seen by wider audiences.
Rosie O’Donnell confirmed her move to Ireland, adding on TikTok that “I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country and when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” according to People. She said that she’s “in the process” of getting Irish citizenship as her grandparents are from the country. O’Donnell said that everyone in Dublin, where she’s currently living, has been “friendly.” She also said she’s “met a bunch of people” in the nearly two months since she moved, but felt a need to share the news with her fans as she was “sorry for those of you who were worried and who missed me.”
And Ellen DeGeneres and actress wife Portia de Rossi—who have moved to England—have put their Montecito, California, home on the market for $5 million, according to Haute Residence. The couple originally bought the property in 2020 for $2.9 million, and it is now up for sale as they continue their real-estate moves. Originally built in 1954, the house measures 1,691 square feet and has undergone renovations. This sale is significant because it reportedly is DeGeneres and de Rossi’s final U.S. property; in 2024, they sold a much larger Montecito estate for $32 million.
The hottest play on Broadway is Shakespeare’s Othello, and demand to see Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal face off in the production is so strong that many center orchestra seats are selling for $921, helping the show break box-office records, per The New York Times. During its first week of previews, its average ticket price was $361.90, more than double that at the next highest-average-price show (The Outsiders, at $155.02). And, recently, Othello grossed $2.8 million, more than any non-musical has ever made in a single week on Broadway. The huge numbers come at a time when the prices for the most sought-after pop concerts and sporting events are also quite high.
WorldPride Washington, DC 2025 announced that multi-platinum singer-songwriter Khalid, country music star Brooke Eden, and recording artist/cultural influencer 2AM Ricky will take the stage at WorldPride DC 2025’s Closing Ceremony and Concert on Sunday, June 8, per a press release. Earlier this month, WorldPride DC 2025 announced that Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and Grammy-winning rapper/songwriter Doechii will headline the weekend-long Street Festival and Concert.
Dakota Johnson is a matchmaker facing a tough decision in her own love life in the A24 film Materialists, per The Hollywood Reporter. Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal also star in writer-director Celine Song‘s romantic feature that hit theaters June 13. The movie centers on Lucy (Johnson), a New York City matchmaker who is torn between a wealthy suitor (Pascal) and her flawed ex (Evans).
Producer Sonia Friedman and actor Hugh Jackman have started a new company, Together, dedicated to creating “intimate and accessible” live theater, Deadline noted. Together “will be driven by a commitment to offering audiences a chance to experience theater in a fresh and engaging way,” its founders have stated. Working alongside director Ian Rickson, Together will stage short runs of fully rehearsed, full-length plays, along with readings, panel discussions and other events globally.
The Disney film Snow White is debuting in theaters but it has been under fire for years on social media due to a combination of the film’s progressive creative decisions and star Rachel Zegler‘s controversial comments, while also suffering from culture-war attacks, The Hollywood Reporter noted. That resulted in a red-carpet event that didn’t allow regular press to attend. Zegler has gotten social-media blowback for comments including criticism of the original film, support of Palestine and negative comments about President Donald Trump. Co-star Gal Gadot, meanwhile, is a divisive figure on social media due to the Israeli actress speaking out in support of her native country since the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas.
And speaking of Gal Gadot, her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony \was disrupted by sign-carrying demonstrators on both the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel sides, Variety noted. The ceremony finally got underway, starting 15 minutes late. The protesters could still be heard chanting throughout, and police responded after a pro-Palestinian protester stole an Israeli flag.
The WNBA is getting its first-ever scripted TV series, as Peacock is developing a series titled The W, Deadline noted. The series comes from two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike as well as GLOW creators Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive. The half-hour project follows a hotshot rookie WNBA player and her inexperienced agent navigating the wild ups and downs of the world of women’s professional basketball.
Sharon Stone claimed she was cast and then dropped from the Blake Lively/Anna Kendrick movie Another Simple Favor without warning, according to Page Six. The Basic Instinct star revealed that she was supposed to star in the Paul Feig-directed thriller—the sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favor—but was abruptly let go. It was never reported that Stone had joined the movie, which added Allison Janney and Michele Morrone to the cast after the success of the first film. Another Simple Favor which comes out May 1 on Amazon Prime Video.
And speaking of Blake Lively, well, it was bound to happen: Investigation Discovery and 5 (formerly Channel 5) have released an ITN Productions documentary about the Lively/Justin Baldoni saga, per Deadline. He Said, She Said: Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni aired on 5 before a shorter version titled In Dispute will premiere on ID and Max at the end of March. The trial involving the feuding celebrities is slated to take place in March 2026.
Actor Jason Isaacs admitted to Variety that he regrets his remarks about the “double standard” for male actors after being questioned about his full-frontal scene on The White Lotus, per Page Six. On the show CBS Mornings, he claimed that no one would ask actresses Margaret Qualley and Mikey Madison about their body parts in nude scenes and argued that “there’s a double standard” for men. He also told Variety, “There is a [different] double standard—women have been monstrously exploited and men haven’t.”
The death of adult film star Roman Mercury, 45, was confirmed through new details shared with Out by close friend and industry peer Greg Dixxon. Dixxon first shared the news Feb. 27 on X (formerly Twitter). Mercury, born in São Paulo, Brazil, had been living and working in the United States for many years; he had 89 performance credits with brands such as Raging Stallion, RawFuckClub, TopFanVids, TheBroNetwork, Pantheon Productions and MenAtPlay, among others, according to the Internet Adult Film Database. “I was informed by the family that his passing was due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease, meaning he suffered from a heart attack,” Dixxon told Out.
Kanye West got into a heated argument with ex-wife Kim Kardashian over a song seemingly featuring their eldest daughter, North West, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Combs’ son Christian “King” Combs, per Page Six. West shared the new track, “Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine,” on X (formerly Twitter)—but Kardashian tried to get a judge to stop it from being released. In a since-deleted tweet, West shared a screenshot showing what appeared to be a recent text message exchange with his ex-wife; the rapper seemed furious about the Skims founder trademarking their daughter’s name, as he told Kardashian, “I’m never speaking with you again,” per TMZ. Kardashian responded, “I asked you at the time if I can trademark her name. You said yes. When she’s 18, it goes to her. So stop.”