Murray Bartlett (photo by Daniel Jack Lyons) (instagram.com)
The nominees for the 2023 Emmys were released this morning, and the list is chock full of shows and stars that LGBTQ viewers can’t get enough of.
There are countless nominees who identify as part of the LGBTQ community, but a few stand out as among the most well-known and even the most nominated. In fact, a handful of LGBTQ talents earned several chances to win some gold this year, which is no easy feat.
Here are five LGBTQ nominees at the 2023 Emmys.
Bella Ramsey
Bella Ramsey garnered significant recognition for their role in The Last of Us, which served as a breakout role for both them and their scene partner Pedro Pascal.
Ramsey is up for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series award, one of the program’s 24 chances to win. At only 19 years old, Ramsey stands as one of the youngest nominees, and in a particularly competitive field, no less.
It’s particularly interesting to note that the star identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. Despite this, they find themselves up for a female-only award, a fact that highlights the complexities and nuances of award categories in the entertainment industry.
Cherry Jones
Cherry Jones is a national treasure in the entertainment world, as she has captivated audiences for decades with her remarkable talent and endearing presence. With a long list of accolades under her belt, she now adds another Emmy nomination to her illustrious run of nods.
This marks the fourth time Jones has been recognized for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series, and this time, the nomination comes for her compelling role in the critically acclaimed series Succession. Notably, Jones has previously won this prestigious award twice, including once for Succession With such a track record, she may very well be considered a frontrunner.
Jones has been open about her identity as a lesbian for around two decades, and she is currently married to filmmaker Sophie Huber.
Murray Bartlett
Murray Bartlett, renowned for his irresistible charm as one of the hunks in The White Lotus, has been honored for his exceptional talent with two Emmy nominations this year. While The White Lotus played a significant role in catapulting him to fame, it’s actually two other programs that have him in the running this time around.
Bartlett has been nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series for his compelling performance in The Last of Us. Adorably, his lover in the program, Nick Offerman, is also vying for the same award, as their remarkable on-screen chemistry was simply undeniable.
Additionally, Bartlett finds himself in contention for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie for his role in Welcome To Chippendales. The openly gay talent has proven himself as a multifaceted and accomplished actor, and he may soon add another Emmy to his trophy shelf.
Niecy Nash-Betts
Niecy Nash-Betts has garnered immense appreciation from the Television Academy over the years, and continues to make her mark as a nominee at the Emmys. In 2023, she will once again return to the prestigious event, and this time, it holds special significance as it marks her first nomination under her new name after marrying singer Jessica Betts.
Nash-Betts stands as a potential contender for the coveted Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie award for her role in Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. She is already a Daytime Emmy winner, but she has yet to collect a Primetime award, so perhaps 2023 will be the year.
RuPaul
RuPaul is a potential frontrunner for multiple Emmy awards this year. As one of the most celebrated LGBTQ nominees, RuPaul has the chance to take home as many as three trophies this year, something that’s happened to him before.
His renowned talent as a host places him as a likely winner for Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program, a category he has already triumphed in an impressive seven times, holding the record for the most wins in this field.
His groundbreaking shows, RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, are also nominees in their respective categories, and as a producer, he is up for honors in those realms as well. Although his name may not currently appear on the official list, it is expected that RuPaul will be included when the nominations are fully fleshed out.
"I'm mainly exhausted at this point," Bosco says of the political attacks that have been lobbed against members of the transgender community. "It's just never-ending. It's just this deluge of hate that keeps on happening.
"But the thing with a lot of right-wing talking points is they pick a boogeyman or some sort of scapegoat and they change it about every ten years," the trans drag performer adds. "It's been trans people for a while, it's been Mexican people, it's been Black people, it's been any sort of 'other' that they can then manipulate people into being afraid of, and then they can blame all of the problems in the country on that one group of people. And right now trans people are taking the brunt of it."
"I feel like I am at my best communicating with people through performance when I'm on stage, when I'm in the spotlight, when I have that safety of the costume and the wig and the actual performance," says Ginger Minj, the 41-year-old drag queen who is one of the main characters in Adam Shankman's nutball comedy Stop! That! Train!, pulling into theaters Friday, June 12.
Minj, a child actor with roots in the live theater world, shot to fame after her top-three finish on Season 7 of the Emmy Award-winning reality show RuPaul's Drag Race. She finds solace in completely inhabiting a character and bringing them to life. By comparison, Minj feels much more discomfort when asked to share details of her personal life or history, and doesn't easily make friends.
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), who is running for the U.S. Senate, was booed by spectators when a contingent representing his office marched in the Boston Pride Parade on June 6, according to videos posted on social media.
Moulton, 47, has mounted a primary challenge against U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, 79, a fellow Massachusetts Democrat and longtime LGBTQ ally -- a bid that, a decade ago, might have been dismissed as a fool's errand.
However, concerns about Markey's age and whether he may decline physically or mentally while in office have made the race appear more competitive than many expected, reflecting broader unease among some Democrats about older politicians serving in elected office.
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