Day one of Hollywood House at the 2024 ESSENCE Festival of Culture kicked off with a candid chat about queer portrayals on-screen from some of the most popular LGBTQIA+ actors on television today.
Attendees explored the bravery of authentic and inclusive portrayal of life as an LGBTQ+ person of color through the lens of Black storytelling with some of today’s most talented actors and actresses. Wayne Brady, who came out as pansexual in 2023 is stepping out of a role and into his real life with his upcoming reality show “Wayne Brady: The Family Remix.” Both Rhoyle Ivy King and Bre-Z are actors in the All-American universe, with King portraying nonbinary student Nate on All-American: Homecoming (the first Black nonbinary character on the CW) and Bre-Z playing Coop on the original All-American.
In their positions on the small screen, each of these actors is leading representation across two marginalized groups, and as they shared with the audience at Hollywood House on Friday, July 5, doing all they can to represent the full breadth of the Black LGBTQIA+ experience. Each of the actors stressed that living authentically and leaning into truth informs their performances, and inspires how the approach both the industry as a whole and the individual roles they play on TV.
The rest of the day’s sessions were in service to the aspiring actors, producers, screenwriters, and other filmmakers on the grounds, including networking sessions with industry professionals like producer Loretta Wilson, casting directors Ayo Davis, Destiny Lily, and Darrien Gipson, and an Ask Me Anything session about creating effective pitch decks with writer and creator Craig T. Williams.
Attendees were also given access to informational sessions about funding and financing film projects with Michelle Singletary and Dr. Jatali Bellanton, and getting into reality TV production with producer Tracey Baker-Simmons.