In honor of Pride Month, there are a lot of entertaining LGBTQ+ movies to stream. But, Pride Month is also an excellent time to educate yourself on real-life figures from that community who have made great strides in their fields and left an impact on society. Here are six powerful biopics that not only tell the stories of important figures of the LGBTQ+ community but celebrate them.
Rocketman (2019)
To say that Sir Elton John was a huge influence on the popular music industry would be an understatement. The only way you could truly tell the LGBTQ+ musician’s story in a movie is in jukebox musical form. In one of the best music movies of all time, Taron Edgerton belts out the majority of Elton John’s classic tunes with the same kind of energy and pizzazz you wouldn’t think it possible to replicate. But, the Kingsman actor truly embodied the celebrated musician.
We saw Sir Elton John's rough childhood and not being accepted by his parents, and him meeting lyricist Bernie Taupin. Together, they made one of the best music and lyrics duo in the industry. The movie also does a great job of showing how each song resembles John’s important stages of life and a great understanding of how his drug addiction was linked with his struggle to find love in his life outside of his fans. Rocketman comes with sad and happy emotions as you watch, as well as the urge to sing along to each and every song.
The musical biopic is available for your eyes and ears with your Paramount+ subscription.
Milk (2008)
Harvey Milk was only on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for almost 11 months before his assassination. And yet, he made a huge impact on California and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. Gus Van Sant’s Milk had Sean Penn star in a biopic that makes us proud of a democracy willing to advocate for social change. By the time you finish watching the Oscar-winning flick, you’ll be inspired to want to make a change in your own community.
It’s due to the American politician that a bill banned sexual orientation discrimination towards housing, employment, and public accommodations. We were introduced to a remarkable character who knew how to work a crowd with his outspoken and animated personality. I believe if Harvey Milk was still alive, more laws regarding the LGBTQ+ community would have been passed much sooner, including gay marriage.
You can find Gus Van Sant’s movie through your Amazon Prime subscription.
Rustin (2023)
If you’re looking for a predominantly Black movie cast to watch for Pride Month, Rustin is a must-see. Played by Colman Domingo, civil rights activist Bayard Rustin could be described as an unsung hero in the Civil Rights Movement. It’s actually through this LGBTQ+ leader that the 1963 March on Washington happened. We saw his fight for equality in two separate arrests that had to do with his race and sexuality. Rustin also faced discrimination within the NAACP when they threatened to out him.
But, despite all of the setbacks the civil rights leader went through, Bayard Rustin stood strong with his belief in non-violent approaches to organize the largest civil rights demonstration in history. The Barack and Michelle Obama-produced film introduced this generation to an LGBTQ+ individual who deserved so much more credit than he was given for his accomplishments.
The Imitation Game (2014)
The Imitation Game biopic brought forth the impactful contributions of Alan Turing. Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed the brainy, brilliant mathematician who created a machine that could decipher German messages during WWII. When watching this biopic thriller, you’ll feel enraged learning about the injustice LGBTQ+ figures faced in the U.K., when being gay was illegal during this time.
Through The Imitation Game, you are learning about a prominent figure in the LGBTQ+ community who used his exceptional brain power to do good for the world no matter how risky it was. It was through the hardships Alan Turing faced that LGBTQ+ rights were eventually enacted in the U.K., with his machine responsible for shortening the war.
Nyad (2023)
One of the best sports movies on Netflix tells the true story of a 60-year-old swimmer from the LGBTQ+ community who dared to do what everyone told her was impossible. Diane Nyad enlists the help of her best friend and former girlfriend Bonnie Stoll to help her in a non-stop swim from Florida to Cuba. Despite all of the obstacles and people telling her to stop, she kept pushing on.
What makes Nyad such a powerful film to watch during Pride Month is that the biopic may mention that Nyad is a lesbian, but that’s not the film’s focus. If anything, it speaks volumes more for emphasizing a prominent athlete persevering in her long swim who just happens to be in the LGBTQ+ community. In the world of sports where LGBTQ+ representation is still growing, Nyad is a genuine role model for aspiring athletes no matter what their sexual orientation is.
Rustin, The Imitation Game, and Nyad are available with your Netflix subscription.
Capote (2005)
If you’d like to learn about author Truman Capote during the time he wrote In Cold Blood, then Capote is a must-see biopic to add to your watchlist. Philip Seymour Hoffman completely disappears in the role of an American novelist consumed by the Clutter family murders as well as the two men who committed the crimes. This LGBTQ+ figure shaped the literary world by popularizing the true crime book genre.
Capote also shows us the complex relationship between Truman Capote and his real-life romantic partner, Jack Dunphy. Set in the late 1950s, we see that the two writers lived in separate houses. But, Jack still remained the voice of reason for Truman during their phone conversations. The role of his partner in the movie helps audiences understand the emotional costs that come from doing everything you can for your book to be a success.
See Philip Seymour Hoffman portray Truman Capote with your Peacock subscription.
In each of these powerful biopics, audiences are introduced to the real-life people of the LGBTQ+ community who made important contributions to society. They made a name for themselves not only in achieving their goals in various fields but also for having the courage to be their true authentic selves. By the end of each biopic, future generations may be inspired to do the same thing.
