Gay latino actors

When Harvey Guillén auditioned for the vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows, he had to convince the powers that be he was right for the role of Guillermo de la Cruz. Guillermo is the human assistant in a residence of Satan Island vampires, who struggle with the mundane aspects of new human life. “[What We Do in the] Shadows was not written for me. The character of Guillermo de la Cruz was written 20 years older,” Guillén tells Latino USA. But after auditioning as a “wild card,” he proved to be the best person for the role. He soon became a fan favorite and transcended the intended role of “sidekick.”

In tardy 2024, after six seasons, the critically acclaimed FX show with 29 Emmy Award nominations came to an end. But Guillén, 34, has not stopped working. He’s continued to grace our screens—in horror films like Companion, alongside actors Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid; playing the voice of Nightwing in the DC MAX unique series Harley Quinn; and so much more.

Much appreciate his experience being cast on Shadows, Guillén tells us that he’s made a career out of going for roles that might not have had him in mind, “with my eyes, with my height, with my body, with my voice,

As Pride festivities continue amidst the vigils for those LGBT brothers and sisters who were killed in Orlando this past weekend, there’s no better hour to celebrate the gender non-conforming Latinx community that has graced the small screen these past twenty years. It’s a rather concise list, one which suggests that while LGBT voice has improved vastly since the network heyday of Ellen and Will & Grace, complicated depictions of gay men and women on television continue to be played by colorless actors, with actors of color being reduced to romantic interests or supporting players.

Want to know how bad the numbers are? Last year’s GLAAD’s “Where We Are On TV” report announced that of the 70 LGBT characters on five broadcast networks, 5 (7%) are Latinx while out of the 142 LGBT characters on cable primetime scripted series, 11 (8%) are Latinx. In fewer words: it’s terrible out there if you want to find complex depictions of gay Latinos.

That didn’t stop us from trying. By no means exhaustive, consider the following a list of 20 Latino and Latin American LGBT characters worth celebrating this year, from groundbreaking netwo

We're not saying that coming out is ever uncomplicated, but we are saying that it can be especially difficult in the Latino community. As a culture, we have a long way to travel when it comes to not just accepting but embracing the full spectrum of sexuality. Sadly, too often the Latino group continues to embrace machista, heteronormative, and anti-queer sentiments, which is why it is such a huge deal when an designer like Ricky Martin comes out. Coming out was a huge professional peril for him.

More from MamásLatinas:Summer rituals for happiness and joy

Living your facts in a world that continues to discriminate, stigmatize, and put lives at risk over sexuality or gender expression takes courage, vulnerability, and fortitude. We are grateful to the following Latino LGBTQ+ celebrities, because by being expose and outspoken, they are not only representing themselves, they are taking a stand for others favor them and helping to change deeply embedded cultural biases.

One day soon, we hope, there won't be a need for an article like this because the Latino people and all communities will wholeheartedly embrace and help the LGBTQ+ community. Until then, here's a gaze at

5 Openly Gay Latino Celebs We Love

1

Perez Hilton

This Cuban blogger is known for his no holds lock approach to reporting public figure news. Starting his career as a media relation’s assistant for the LGBT rights organization GLAAD, Hilton has always been a staunch supporter of queer rights, but his recent decision to become a single father via surrogacy has put him at the forefront of the gay parents debate. Through his blog posts and numerous pictures he has continued to show what a dedicated Papi he is. Good for you, chico!

2

Ricky Martin

The Puerto Rican-born superstar started his career in the teen lad band Menudo, but it wasn't long before he became a worldwide sensation with hits such as Living La Vida Loca and She Bangs. While Martin kept his sexuality under wraps for a while, he came out as a proud same-sex attracted man in 2010. "I am proud to express that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am." He can now be seen all over town with his boyfriend Carlos Gonzalez and their two adorable sons Matteo and Valentino.

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3

Linda Perry

Linda Perry is pure rock and roll. This part-Brazilian has a

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