11 Celebrities Who Played LGBTQ+ Roles Before Coming Out Themselves
Representation matters. And for many viewers — getting to see characters like themselves — is nothing short of life-changing.
Before coming out to the public, these 11 actors bravely took on groundbreaking queer roles. Let's take a look at some performances that hit different in retrospect.
Kristen Stewart:The Runaways (2010)
Before famously coming out in 2017 on Saturday Night Live, Kristen played Joan Jett in The Runaways, replicating the rock star's rebellious energy and romantic tension with lead singer, Cherie Currie. This was one of Stewart's first roles that hinted at her future queer icon status. Honestly, this was an AMAZING pick for her, and an underrated film to say the least.
Elliot Page: Freeheld (2015)
Page's emotional role as a lesbian fighting for their partner's pension rights deeply inspired Elliot to first come out as gay. They later came out as trans in 2020 through a heartfelt message on social media. Elliot shared: "I can't begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I've been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community."
Kit Connor: Heartstopper (2022– )
Before he was Nick Nelson, Kit Connor played a young Elton John in the movie Rocketman (2019)! Connor has quite literally been playing iconic queer roles his whole life. He wasn't out during Heartstopper season 1, but later shared his bisexuality after feeling pressured to label himself.
Ncuti Gatwa: Sex Education (2019-2023)
Before coming out in 2023, Ncuti Gatwa lit up our screens as the bold and very fabulous Eric Effiong in Sex Education. When the time did come, he casually dropped the news in a ELLE interview. Truly iconic.
Bella Ramsey: The Last of Us (2023— )
Before coming out as nonbinary, Bella Ramsey played Ellie — a queer teen surviving a zombie apocalypse. Now that's character development! Bella even recounted how creator Craig Mazin described Ellie by stating "Ellie's gay and doesn't care what you think about it."
Aubrey Plaza: Happiest Season (2020)
Aubrey Plaza stole the show as Riley in Happiest Season, everyone's favourite queer Christmas rom-com (wow that was a mouthful). Plaza came out publicly around the same time, sharing how she falls "in love with girls and guys." Let's be honest, we've all fallen for her too.
Jonathan Bailey: Crashing (2016)
Before his smash-hit role on Bridgerton, Jonathan Bailey played a bi-curious chaotic king in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Crashing. He later came out as gay and became one of queer media's favourite actors!
Chris Colfer: Glee (2009-2015)
Colfer played the fashion-loving Kurt Hummel before coming out IRL — despite being warned not to. He did it anyway, stating how it was "more important" to be a role model.
Chloe Grace Moretz: The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)
In this 2018 drama, Moretz played a queer teen forced into conversion therapy. She later revealed her part in the queer community, and stated how she once took the role to spotlight the deep emotional harm of these practices.
Lukas Gage: Love, Victor (2018)
Before stealing scenes on The White Lotus (and pretty much every show you binge), Lukas Gage had a small role in Love, Victor as a flirty classmate. He later cheekily came out as gay — after hooking up with his neighbour, no less. Spicy! These days, he's fully in his queer role era, most recently playing Sammy in Overcompensating.
Amandla Stenberg: The Eddy (2020)
In The Eddy, Amandla Stenberg played a queer teen dealing with identity, trauma, all the while healing through music. They eventually came out, and quickly became a powerful voice in the queer community — especially for young Black women. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Stenberg shared: 'I cannot stress enough how important representation is, so the concept that I can provide for other Black girls is mind-blowing. It's a really really hard thing to be silenced, and it's deeply bruising to fight against your identity and just mold yourself into shapes that you just shouldn't be in."
And there you have it — proof that the road to embracing your sexuality often takes time, even for actors in the spotlight. Whether these stars explored their identities through their on-screen roles or found themselves along the way, they've all played a huge part in shaping queer stories we know and cherish today! 🌈🌈
Know any more celebrities that we missed? Drop their names in the comments! And ofc, be sure to check out our socials on Instagram and TikTok!
Looking for more LGBTQ+ or Pride content? Then check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2025.
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