native son

23 young, Black queer Hollywood stars to watch

By Kelsey Minor September 19, 2024 at 3:00pm
Jermelle Simon attends the 2024 Native Son Awards at IAC Building on June 12, 2024, in New York City.

In an industry where representation lags behind reality—especially for the Black community, a new wave of young Black queer actors are shaking up Hollywood, unapologetically embracing their identities while redefining what it means to be a star. 

These actors push the boundaries of storytelling and champion authenticity and visibility off-screen, creating space for diverse narratives in streaming TV, film, and television. 

As they rise, they create a legacy that will inspire generations, proving there’s no one way to shine in Hollywood.

Here, we introduce you to a few reshaping Hollywood from the inside out. 

1. Jeremy Pope

As a two-time Tony award nominee, Jeremy Pope is cementing his place in Hollywood royalty. Since taking the stage in Ain’t Too Proud and Choir Boy, Pope has starred in roles on the big and small screens ranging from Hollywood, Pose, One Night in Miami, and The Inspection. 

2. Ncuti Gatwa

The Rwandan-Scottish-born actor came of age in the Netflix hit Sex Education. Ncuti was then cast in the Academy Award-nominated Barbie. He is also the first Black queer actor to take on the role of Doctor Who in the British drama of the same name. 

3. Jelani Alladin

Actor, singer, and dancer Jelani Alladin made his Broadway debut in the musical Frozen in 2018. A year later, he played the role of Hercules in the Broadway musical. Most recently, he has garnered praise as Marcus Gaines in the Showtime acclaimed show Fellow Travelers. 

4. Noah Ricketts

Noah Ricketts shines on Broadway starring as Nick Carraway in the musical The Great Gatsby. He recently received rave reviews for his portrayal of Frankie Hines in the Showtime limited series Fellow Travelers. The Kentucky native this year made the Queerty Pride 50 list. 

5. Jerrod Carmichael

Emmy winner Jerrod Carmichael has a hand in just about every entertainment aspect. As a comedian, actor, writer, and director, his work spans from the stage to television. He publicly came out during his HBO special Rothaniel, securing him the Emmy award for writing in a variety special. His latest venture, HBO’s Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, is a docu-series detailing his dating and family life.  

6. Jemelle Simon

Jermelle Simon played Bennie in the Netflix hit The Upshaws. A Southerner, he moved to Los Angeles to follow his dream of acting. Today, he is breaking barriers in Hollywood.

7. Dewayne Perkins

Dewayne Perkins got his first taste of the spotlight while training at The Second City Theatre in Chicago, his hometown. As a standup comedian, he has played to crowds all over the country, and that led him to the writer’s room on shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine. As an actor, he had a role in The Upshaws on Netflix. He wrote and starred in his first full-length film, The Blackening, in 2022.

8. Tian Richards

Tian Richards is likely best known for playing the title role of Tom Swift in the CW’s reimagined spin-off of Nancy Drew. He made history as the first Black gay male lead on a network television show. 

9. Justen Ross

Justen Ross is the definition of a multi-hyphenate artist as he is an actor, writer, and poet. His skits can be found going viral on social media and this year he was named as one of Disney’s young rising actors. He co-starred in the Peacock original limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.

10. Justice Smith

Noted as one of the hottest young names in Hollywood Justice Smith has taken on roles in some television hits like HBO’s Generation and The Get Down. Smith has also been part of some big movies like Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom. 

11. Nicholas L. Ashe

Known for his starring role in Queen Sugar, Nicholas L. Ashe made his acting debut in 2012 on the television series Are We There Yet? He’s played in roles opposite Viola Davis in the movie Custody.  

12. Dyllón Burnside 

Dyllón Burnside is one of the breakout stars in the FX’s series Pose in which he played the role of dancer Ricky Evangelista. Burnside has also been seen on shows such as American Horror Stories and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

13. Brandon Kyle Goodman

Brandon Kyle Goodman is likely most recognized for their work as both a writer and voice actor for the Netflix smash hit animated comedy series Big Mouth. His other credits include ABC’s hit series Abbott Elementary, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and the rom-com anthology series Modern Love on Amazon Prime.

14. Jonathan Burke

Jonathan Burke got his acting start with training in high school at the Baltimore School for the Arts and after graduation, he enhanced those skills with a BFA in musical theatre from Ithaca College. Since then he has been on some of TV’s hottest shows like Harlem and Only Murders in the Building. 

15. Alex English

Alex English is one of the writers behind some of the funniest sketches on Saturday Night Live. He joined the SNL writers room during its 47th season in 2021. Since then, the television academy has taken notice as he has been nominated for multiple writing Emmys for his work.  As a comedian, he has played before crowds from New York City to London.

16. Keiynan Lonsdale 

Keiynan Lonsdale is a multi-talented music artist and actor who landed roles in Love Simon and The Divergent Series: Insurgent and The Finest Hours. Lonsdale has released several singles. 

17. Jaquel Spivey

Jaquel Spivey is making a name in Hollywood after starring in the Broadway musical A Strange Loop which earned him a Tony and Grammy nomination. Spivey made history after he was cast as Damian in the film remake adaptation of Mean Girls based on the Broadway musical.

18. J. Harrison Ghee

Tony award-winning nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee joined Alex Newell as the first to win an acting award at the Tonys. Ghee dazzled in the stage production of Some Like It Hot. Ghee also starred in the Fox anthology series Accuse and Raising Dion on Netflix. 

19. Philemon Chambers

Philemon Chambers might be best known for his role in the Netflix romantic comedy Single All the Way. On the film’s release, he told the Hollywood Reporter that it gave him the confidence to come out. He made history as the first Black gay actor to star in a Christmas-themed rom-com.

20. Brandon Black

Brandon Black is best known for his work on Dear White People or Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming. The Florida native had roles in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and 13 Reasons Why on Netflix. 

21. Johnny Sibilly

Johnny Sibilly is making a name for himself in Hollywood by landing roles in shows like Pose, The Deuce, and Hacks. He made his series regular debut in the Peacock reboot of Queer as Folk. Sibilly knew from a young age he wanted to be an actor. He also hosts a twice-weekly series for Logo TV called Logo Live. 

22. Devin Way

As a model and actor, Devin Way made a name for himself with roles in popular shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Queer as Folk reboot, and Tyler Perry’s Sista’s.

23. Jaboukie Young-White 

Comedian Jaboukie Young-White’s comedy went viral in 2016, putting him on the Hollywood radar. He’s also been featured on Rolling Stone’s 25 Under 25 list of young performers to watch with roles in Only Murders in the Building, Black Mirror, and Rap Sh!t. 

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One Comment*

  • Kangol2

    A great list, Q. It’s refreshing to see these out Black g@y/qu33r Hollywood creatives named together in a list and I hope you follow up on their various projects. Two more: Brad Gibson and Adam Hyndman, both actors, both out, and boyfriends. I would love to see a series starring all of them, especially Jelani, Ncuti, Jeremy, Brandon, Keiynan, Tian, Nicholas Ashe, Justice, Dewayne, and Dyllón. One question: I know Johnny Sibilly is Cuban and Dominican but does he consider himself Black? Just wondering.

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