RadioTimes.com’s Pride Month Guest Editor highlights some of her favourite queer shows and movies from the past few years.
The past year has been huge when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation in TV and film, from reality shows like I Kissed a Girl and comedy like Big Boys season 2 to films like Love Lies Bleeding.
But sometimes queer TV and film goes under the radar and needs a little bit more of a shoutout. Enter RadioTimes.com‘s Pride Month Guest Editor T’Nia Miller!
Miller, star of hits like The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Fall of the House of Usher and Years and Years, has shared some of her favourite queer TV and film of the past few years.
Check out the full list below.
Blue Jean (2022)
In 1988, a new law stigmatising gays and lesbians forces Jean, a closeted gym teacher, to live a double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new student catalyses a crisis that will push Jean to the edge.
T’Nia says: “Blue Jean remains so important and has beautiful performances from its incredible cast.”
How to watch: Prime Video via BFI Player
Pariah (2011)
Teenager Alike (Adepero Oduye) lives in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighbourhood with her parents (Charles Parnell, Kim Wayans) and younger sister (Sahra Mellesse). A lesbian, Alike quietly embraces her identity and is looking for her first lover, but she wonders how much she can truly confide in her family, especially with her parents’ marriage already strained.
T’Nia says: “As heartbreaking as it is important with phenomenal performances. I imagine it will join the movie greats of our time such as Boys Don’t Cry and Moonlight which if you haven’t seen you need to!”
How to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video, YouTube or Apple
Dead Hot (2024)
Elliott and Jess are both grieving the disappearance of Peter, Jess’s twin brother and the love of Elliott’s life.
T’Nia says: “Brilliant performances! Whilst it’s a stylised piece, the performances remain relatable. It scored 10s across the board. The cinematography is stunning, as is the set design. The costumes are vibrant with each character carefully crated through texture and pattern.
“It’s fresh, new and will leave you snot-faced through tears of laughter and sorrow. But it’s the actors who really shine here – it’s incredibly well cast!”
How to watch: Prime Video
Layla (2024)
Layla is a struggling British-Palestinian drag performer whose confident façade hides their desperate desire for love.
T’Nia says: “It’s a beautiful love story between a British-Palestinian drag queen and a white British cis gay man who feels this tension between identity and desire.”
How to watch: Release details TBC
For Love (2021)
A couple battle for a future where they can find a home and freedom that is not determined by where they’re from.
T’Nia says: “It’s a stunning film. It’s a beautiful celebration of Black joy and Black love. It’s tender and heartbreaking and we want them to always win. The cinematography and the score is nothing short of stunning and I’m a huge fan of [director] Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor.”
How to watch: Currently unavailable
Sort Of (2021)
Follows the journey of Sabi Mehboob (Baig), a gender fluid millennial who straddles various identities from sexy bartender at an LGBTQ bookstore/bar, to the youngest child in a large Pakistani family, to the de facto parent of a downtown hipster family.
T’Nia says: “It’s beautiful, character-driven, touching and deals with complex emotions while having real laugh-out-loud moments.”
How to watch: Sky Comedy and NOW
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Lou is a reclusive gym manager who falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder who’s heading to Las Vegas to pursue her dream. Their love soon leads to violence as they get pulled deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.
T’Nia says: “I haven’t seen it yet but I’m so excited to watch Love Lies Bleeding.”
How to watch: Out now in cinemas
Visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.