The LGBTQ+ community has long been one of the less-represented subjects within TV and film—that is, until around the 21st century (and 2010s). Though various gay and queer roles have been portrayed in a wide range of movies, that's not to say they've been the focus of a great deal of films. However, there have certainly been some great LGTBQ+ movies, many of which are films based on real people. In short, though gay figures haven't been celebrated nearly as much as other notable figures throughout history, there are indeed some incredible and riveting LGBTQ+ biopics from over the years.Â
Primarily taking on drama and romance themes, the best LGBTQ+ biopics don't span many genres, yet they do cover an array of stories and scenarios the community often faces in society. Moreover, they document the hardships and obstacles many LGBT and queer figures have dealt with in life. For instance, Milk takes a close look at the life of gay rights activist Harvey Milk while the 2018 hit Lizzie covers the life of Lizzie Borden and her dark story that later unfolded. The two movies cover completely different people and stories, but both display the difficulties that society can place on gay, bisexual, and trans people. Of course, these are just a couple examples of the many gay biopics out there.
Check out the list of top LGBTQ+ biopics below to see what you should check out next. If you've seen any of the films listed, be sure to cast votes for your favorites so others know which biopics are best.Â
Most divisive: Infamous
Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Biopics About LGBTQ+ Figures
- 1In 1972, Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and his then-lover Scott Smith leave New York for San Francisco, with Milk determined to accomplish something meaningful in his life. Settling in the Castro District, he opens a camera shop and helps transform the area into a mecca for gays and lesbians. In 1977 he becomes the nation's first openly gay man elected to a notable public office when he wins a seat on the Board of Supervisors. The following year, Dan White (Josh Brolin) kills Milk in cold blood.
- Released: 2008
- Directed by: Gus Van Sant
- 2Young Reginald Dwight changes his name to Elton John and collaborates with singer-songwriter Bernie Taupin to become one of the most iconic figures in pop history. Set to his most beloved songs, it's the epic musical story of Elton John, his breakthrough years in the 1970s and his fantastical transformation from shy piano prodigy to international superstar.
- Released: 2019
- Directed by: Dexter Fletcher
- 3Freddie Mercury -- the lead singer of Queen -- defies stereotypes and convention to become a beloved entertainer; the band's popular songs lead to Queen's rise in the 1970s; after leaving the group to pursue a solo career, Mercury reunites with Queen for the benefit concert Live Aid -- resulting in one of the most memorable performances in rock 'n' roll.
- Released: 2018
- Directed by: Bryan Singer
- 1Brian May - Gwilym Lee2,440 Votes
- 2John Deacon - Joseph Mazzello2,319 Votes
- 3Freddie Mercury - Rami Malek2,546 Votes
- 4This is the true story of Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek) and her husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), the larger-than-life painters who became the most acclaimed artists in Mexican history, and whose tempestuous love affair, landmark journeys to America, and outrageous personalities made them legendary.
- Released: 2002
- Directed by: Julie Taymor
- 5In the heart of World War II, mathematics genius Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) finds himself at the helm of a covert team of code-breakers. Their mission? To crack Germany's Enigma Code, a feat deemed impossible by many. Keira Knightley stars as Joan Clarke, Turing's confidante and fellow code-breaker. The Imitation Game is a gripping biographical drama that delves into the complexities of war, secrecy, and identity. This acclaimed film garnered eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won for Best Adapted Screenplay. A tale of intellect against odds, it's an exploration of a hidden chapter in history.
- Released: 2014
- Directed by: Morten Tyldum
- 6In Boys Don't Cry, we follow the gripping journey of Teena Brandon (Hilary Swank), a young woman navigating life in rural Nebraska. Transgender before the term was mainstream, she transforms herself into Brandon Teena, charming and loved by many. Yet, her secret lies like a ticking time bomb, threatening to upend her newfound life. Peter Sarsgaard plays John Lotter, whose turbulent friendship with Brandon forms the crux of the narrative. Directed by Kimberly Peirce, this film won Swank an Oscar for Best Actress. It's a poignant exploration of identity, love, and the human spirit.
- Released: 1999
- Directed by: Kimberly Peirce
- 7Shortly after moving to Florida, longtime prostitute Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) meets young and reserved Selby Wall (Christina Ricci) and a romance blossoms. When a john (Lee Tergesen) attempts to brutalize Aileen, she kills him and resolves to give up prostitution. But supporting herself and her new girlfriend through legitimate means proves extremely difficult, and she soon falls back on old ways. More johns die, and Selby can't help but think her new friend is responsible.
- Released: 2003
- Directed by: Patty Jenkins
- 8Reading of the murder of a Kansas family, New York City novelist Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) decides to cover the story himself, and travels to the small town with his childhood friend, aspiring novelist Harper Lee (Catherine Keener). When Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr.) and Dick Hickock (Mark Pellegrino) are arrested and charged, Capote forms an emotional bond with Smith during his jailhouse interviews despite the young criminal's apparent guilt.
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Bennett Miller
- 9Vita and Virginia is a 2018 British biographical romance drama film directed by Chanya Button. Poet and novelist Vita (Gemma Arterton) and literary icon Virginia (Elizabeth Debicki) embark on an unconventional affiar in 1920s London.
- Released: 2019
- Directed by: Chanya Button
- 10Once a powerful Hollywood director best known for "Frankenstein" and "The Bride of Frankenstein," James Whale (Ian McKellen) is long since retired and in increasingly poor health. His stalwart housekeeper, Hanna (Lynn Redgrave), quietly disapproves of Whale's faceless, nameless parade of young gay lovers, but when the director takes an interest in new gardener Clayton Boone, a former Marine and Korean War veteran, it seems to be for something more than his usual casual conquest.
- Released: 1998
- Directed by: Bill Condon
- 11
Soldier's Girl
- 12Oscar Wilde (Stephen Fry) is a married writer who has occasionally indulged his weakness for male suitors. After much toil, Wilde debuts a stage comedy in London, and a chat at the theater with Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas (Jude Law) leads to a full-on romance. Wilde ends up in a legal dispute with Lord Alfred's father, the Marquess of Queensberry (Tom Wilkinson) and, given the anti-gay local laws, is sent to jail. Wilde's vast intellect helps him survive until he regains his freedom.
- Released: 1997
- Directed by: Brian Gilbert
- 13Blues singer Bessie Smith (Queen Latifah) rises to fame in the 1920s to become a musical legend.
- Released: 2015
- Directed by: Dee Rees
- 14Gia Carangi (Angelina Jolie) travels to New York City with dreams of becoming a fashion model. Within minutes of arriving, she meets Wilhelmina Cooper (Faye Dunaway), a wise and high-powered agent who takes Gia under her wing. With Cooper's help and her own natural instincts, Gia quickly shoots to the top of the modeling world. When Cooper dies of lung cancer, however, Gia turns to drugs -- and both she and her career begin to spiral out of control.
- Released: 1998
- Directed by: Michael Cristofer
- 15Christopher and His Kind is a 2011 BBC television film. It tells the story of Christopher Isherwood's life in Berlin in the early 1930s. The film, adapted by Kevin Elyot from Isherwood's autobiography Christopher and His Kind, was produced by Mammoth Screen and directed by Geoffrey Sax. Isherwood is played by Matt Smith, whilst the cast also includes Toby Jones, Douglas Booth, Imogen Poots and Iddo Goldberg.
- Released: 2011
- Directed by: Geoffrey Sax
- 16In The Hours, three women from different eras grapple with the complexities of life, linked by the novel Mrs. Dalloway. In 1923, Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) battles mental illness while writing her novel. In 1951, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore), a pregnant housewife, finds solace in Woolf's work. In 2001, Clarissa Vaughan (Meryl Streep), a modern version of Woolf's protagonist, prepares a party for her AIDS-stricken friend. This drama, rich in depth and introspection, won an Academy Award for Best Actress (Kidman). Each timeline unfolds simultaneously, creating a poignant tapestry of human struggle and connection.
- Released: 2002
- Directed by: Stephen Daldry
- 17In 1944, young Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) has a rival for the affections of his charismatic classmate Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan). When the rival is found dead, Carr, William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac are arrested for murder.
- Released: 2013
- Directed by: John Krokidas
- 18
Worried About the Boy
Richard Madden, Douglas Booth, Mark GatissWorried About the Boy is a 2010 television drama film centred on the life of Boy George. It starred Douglas Booth as Boy George and Mathew Horne as lover Jon Moss. It was shown on BBC2 in 2010 as part of 80s season. It is directed by Julian Jarrold and written by Tony Basgallop.- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Julian Jarrold
- 19With support from his loving wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander), artist Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) prepares to undergo one of the first sex-change operations.
- Released: 2015
- Directed by: Tom Hooper
- 20Biology professor Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson) has a perfectly respectable life teaching and doing research at Indiana University along with a happy home life with his wife (Laura Linney). When he realizes that his students, many of them married and with children, still come to him with personal questions about human sexuality, he fights to begin teaching sex education courses and conducts extensive interviews about the sexual history of volunteers despite high-profile opposition.
- Released: 2004
- Directed by: Bill Condon
- 21
Tom of Finland
- 22In 1892 Lizzie Borden lives a quiet life in Massachusetts under the strict rules established by her father. Lizzie finds a kindred spirit in the live-in maid, Bridget, and friendship soon blossoms into a secret romance. But tension mounts in the Borden household, leading to a violent breaking point.
- Released: 2018
- Directed by: Craig William Macneill
- 23Poet and cultural icon Allen Ginsberg (James Franco) is living in San Francisco in the mid '50s with friends and fellow writers Jack Kerouac (Todd Rotondi) and Neal Cassady (Jon Prescott) when he conceives "Howl," a poem that is credited with popularizing the Beat movement. When bookstore owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti (Andrew Rogers) publishes the poem, he is put on trial for obscenity. The film includes animated portions depicting interpretations of the poem itself.
- Released: 2010
- Directed by: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
- 24Two of the most acclaimed actresses of our time, Judi Dench and Kate Winslet, bring to the screen one of the most extraordinary women of her generation, celebrated author, Iris Murdoch. From her days as a brilliant scholar at Oxford, where she thrilled the world around her with her libertine spirit, through her career as a philosopher and novelist, Iris was truly ahead of her time.
- Released: 2001
- Directed by: Richard Eyre
- 25In Kansas, with childhood friend Harper Lee (Sandra Bullock), author Truman Capote (Toby Jones) developed an intense and complex relationship with convicted killer Perry Smith (Daniel Craig) while researching what would become one of his greatest works, "In Cold Blood."
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Douglas McGrath
