15 films based on real LGBTQ+ people that are required viewing

Film is a great way to start learning more about your queer history!

We've come a long way in queer cinema since the days where the bulk of our films were sent straight to DVD. We're getting more budget that allows us to create better storylines with better actors, and we're all the better for it.

Fortunately, along the way, biopics have often been an exception.

Over the years, the entertainment industry has funded and supported a number of queer films based on real people. And because of that, we've been blessed with incredible true stories and fantastic performances. So here are 15 queer biopics you need to see!

Rustin

Coleman Domingo takes on the role of Bayard Rustin in the Netflix film Rustin. This biopic highlights Rustin's activism in the 1960s and showcases the homophobia and racism he faced prior to orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.

Boys Don't Cry

Boys Don't Cry tells story of Brandon Teena, a trans man who was brutally raped and murdered in Nebraska back in 1993. His final day alive has fueled much of the trans rights movement ever since. Hilary Swank takes on the role in the film, which also highlights the love story between Brandon and Lana (Chloë Sevigny) before Brandon died.

Bessie

HBO's 2015 TV movie Bessie tells the story of the blues singer Bessie Smith, who's played by Queen Latifah. Smith is known as "The Empress of the Blues," and her sexuality in the film is explored as fluid and undefined.

Milk

In this biopic, Sean Penn stars as a Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist and the very first openly gay man to be elected to public office. Penn’s performance won him an Academy Award for Best Actor.

I Wanna Dance with Somebody

In I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Naomi Ackie takes on the role of the iconic and legendary Whitney Houston. The film highlights her often swept-under-the-rug relationship with Robyn (Nafessa Williams) and the impact it had on Houston's life.

The Inspection

The Imitation is an A24 film based on the life of writer/director Elegance Bratton, though the character in the movie is Ellis French played by Jeremy Pope. It tells the story of his brutal training in the Marine Corps and the homophobia he faced in his family.

Kinky Boots

Prior to becoming a major Broadway musical, Kinky Boots was a 2005 British comedy-drama starring Joel Edgerton as Charlie Price and Chiwetel Ejiofor as the drag queen Lola/Simon. It's based on the true story of the unlikely friendship that develops between the two as Charlie teams up with Lola to save his failing shoemaking business.

Aimée & Jaguar

Aimée & Jaguar charts the unbelievable (but true) story of Lilly Wust and Felice Schragenheim, two star-crossed lovers who meet during the height of World War II. The two couldn’t come from more different backgrounds: Lilly is a Nazi officer’s wife and Felice is a lesbian Jew. It’s a harrowing yet beautiful story of true love that spanned a lifetime.

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

Have you ever been curious about how the legend of Wonder Woman came to be? Professor Marston and the Wonder Women puts the famous comic book character into striking perspective. Based on the real story of William Moulton Marston, the film explores the birth of Wonder Woman and her basis on the loves of his life: his wife Elizabeth and their mutual lover Olive Byrne.

Frida

Frida Kahlo was a bisexual Mexican artist who defied social norms and called into question the notion of acceptable femininity. She was revered for her zest for life, her self-portraiture, and her ability to capture the unique beauty of Mexican culture in her paintings. Is it any wonder that the lovely (and lively) Salma Hayek does a fantastic job portraying Kahlo in this 2002 film? A must-see, for sure. 

The Imitation Game

With Benedict Cumberbatch leading the cast, The Imitation Game tells the story of real-life cryptanalyst Alan Turing who was instrumental in decrypting German intelligence codes for the British government during World War II. While Turing is uncovering German secrets, he’s hiding a few of his own—his homosexuality is chief among them.

Freeheld

Julianne Moore stars as New Jersey police lieutenant Laurel Hester who’s still closeted on the job and living with her domestic partner Stacie Andree (Elliot Page). When Laurel is diagnosed with terminal cancer, she and Stacie fight long and hard to secure her pension benefits before she dies.

Behind the Candelabra

Michael Douglas plays against type in Behind the Candelabra, a biopic about the life and loves of prodigious pianist Liberace. Douglas stars as Liberace with Matt Damon acting alongside him as Liberace’s lover Scott Thorson.

Bohemian Rhapsody

In an Oscar-winning performance, Rami Malek plays legendary musician and queer icon Freddie Mercury during his time as the frontman and lead singer of Queen. 

Rocketman

The 2019 biopic, starring Taron Egerton as openly-gay singer-songwriter and music icon Elton John, tells the story of John's rise to fame and some of the setbacks he's experienced, including a stint in rehab, throughout his decades-long career. The film was notable for showcasing John's relationship with his manager John Reid (played by Richard Madden).