Once upon a heterosexual time, LGBTQIA+ content on Disney Plus was non-existent. I tried making this list when the streamer first launched back in 2020 and spectacularly failed, attempting to explain that Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a queer film because of how ‘fierce, slay mawma!’ Scarlett Johansson was as Black Widow (RIP). What a time!
No longer do I have to grasp at straws, however, as Disney has upped their game in the queer department with a library of diverse and inclusive content. Read ahead for the best LGBTQIA+ films that you can find on the streaming service, from the alien transvestite stylings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to the hilarious exploration of class and gay hierarchy in Fire Island.
All of Us Strangers (2023)
Cast: Adam Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, Claire Foy
All of Us Strangers follows Adam, a screenwriter (Adam Scott) who is pulled back into his childhood home “where he discovers that his long-dead parents are both living and look the same age as the day they died over 30 years ago”. At the same time, Adam embarks on a passionate romance with his “mysterious” neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal). Directed by Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers received universal critical acclaim, becoming one of the most praised LGBTQIA+ films in history. Despite this, it failed to garner a single nomination at the Academy Awards, which was unanimously referred to as a “snub”.
Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
Cast: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brandon Sexton III, Lecy Goranson, Jeannetta Arnette, Matt McGrath, Alison Folland, Lou Perryman
Hilary Swank won her first Academy Award for this dramatisation of the real-life story of Brandon Teena, a trans man who was tragically raped and murdered in Nebraska. While Boys Don’t Cry was met with controversy for casting a cis-het actor as Teena, the film’s exploration of transgender identity, social class, the culture of Midwestern United States and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community received critical acclaim. Additional cast members include Chloe Sevigny as Brandon’s girlfriend Lana Tisdel, Peter Sarsgaard as John Lotter, Brendan Sexton III as Marvin “Tom” Nissen and Lecy Goranson as Candace.
Crush (2022)
Cast: Rowan Blanchard, Auli’i Cravalho, Isabella Ferreira, Tyler Alvarez, Teala Dunn, Rico Paris, Aasif Mandvi, Michelle Buteau, Megam Mullally
This cutesy 2022 rom-com from Sammi Cohen is led by Snowpiercer’s Rowan Blanchard as Paige Evans, a high schooler with unrequited feelings for popular girl Gabby Campos (played by Love, Victor’s Isabella Ferreira). Paige inadvertently becomes a popular discussion point amongst her students when she’s accused of being ‘KingPun’, an anonymous artist who vandalises the school with pun-based graffiti. In her attempt to clear her name, she teams up with Gabby’s bisexual twin sister AJ (Auli’i Cravalho), where romance blossoms and all that lovey-dovey stuff. Leading up to Crush‘s release, the film made headlines for the real-life drama between Blanchard and Cravalho, which we’ll refrain from getting into. If ye seek answers, it will probably be on the TikTok.
Disobedience (2018)
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola, Anton Lesser, Bernice Stegers, Allan Corduner, Nicholas Woodeson
Sebastián Lelio’s celebrated drama is based on Naomi Alderman’s novel of the same name, and stars powerhouse duo Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams as star-crossed lovers in an Orthodox Jewish community. The former plays Ronit Krushka, a woman who returns home to the community who once shunned her after the death of her father. There, she rekindles her romance with her cousin’s wife Esti Kuperman (McAdams). A modern queer classic, Disobedience has garnered a following for Leilo’s stunning direction and Weisz and McAdams’ electric chemistry. This film is for the people who have a fetish for forbidden love and dull, muted colours.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Cherry Jones, Vincent D’Onofrio, Mark Wystrach, Sam Jaeger, Louis Cancelmi, Gabriel Olds, Fredric Lehne, Jay Huguley
Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato’s 2000 documentary The Eyes of Tammy Faye was adapted into a biographical drama in 2021, featuring Jessica Chastain as the legendary LGBTQIA+ activist. Chronicling Tammy’s humble beginnings in Minnesota to the rise (and fall) of her televangelism career, as well as her marriage to Jim Bakker (Andrew Garfield), the film was lauded for Chastain’s (Oscar-winning!) performance. Also stars Cherry Jones as Tammy’s mother Rachel Grover and Vincent D’Onofrio as conservative televangelist Jerry Falwell.
Fire Island (2022)
Cast: Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Margaret Cho, Matt Rogers, Tomás Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams, Zane Phillips
Hailed by critics and viewers as an instant queer classic, Fire Island follows two best friends (Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang) as they embark on their annual weeklong vacation to the titular gay hotspot. Written by Booster and directed by Andrew Ahn, the Pride and Prejudice-inspired rom-com puts queer Asian-American narratives at the forefront whilst celebrating and glorifying LGBTQIA+ culture like no other film before it. Although Fire Island explores issues such as body image, wealth, race and how the queer community can, at times, tear each other apart, it’s saturated with moments that capture the unequivocal joy that comes with being queer – instead of the constant strife that’s historically been depicted in mainstream media. No death! No despair! No desolation! Here, queers have sex, attend underwear parties and scold one another for their lack of knowledge on Marisa Tomei’s Oscar-winning role in My Cousin Vinny. Sequel slash spin-off, when?
Handsome Devil (2017)
Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Fionn O’Shea, Andrew Scott, Moe Dunford, Michael McElhatton, Ruairi O’Connor, Ardal O’Hanlon, Amy Huberman
Before he embraced his inner monarch as Prince Henry in Prime Video’s queer smasher Red, White & Royal Blue, Nicholas Galitzine played another struggling gay in Handsome Devil. The Irish comedy-drama follows Ned (Finn O’Shea), an ostracised teenager at a rugby-obsessed, all-boys boarding school where homophobia is encouraged. Lovely! Ned soon forms a close bond with Conor (Galitzine), the school’s star player who is slowly coming to terms with his sexuality. Handsome Devil features the typical teen angst and confusion, albeit with plenty of humour and a much-needed examination of how toxic masculinity at school – particularly within sports – can negatively impact queer men in their formative years.
Jennifer’s Body (2008)
Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, Johnny Simmons, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Kyle Gallner, Cynthia Stevenson, Chris Pratt, Carrie Genzel
Despite its dismal performance at the box office, Jennifer’s Body has become a cult favourite – particularly amongst queer women. The horror-comedy stars Megan Fox as a cheerleader who becomes possessed by a succubus – a demon who seduces men, kills them and devours their flesh etc. Slay! The Diablo Cody-directed film isn’t overflowing with queer narratives, although Jennifer shares a kiss with her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) and their sexual tension is alluded to throughout the film. In a 2009 interview, Fox confirmed her character’s sexuality as she described Jennifer as a “cannibalistic lesbian cheerleader”.
Love, Simon (2018)
Cast: Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Keiynan Lonsdale, Miles Heizer, Logan Miller, Tony Hale, Talitha Bateman, Natasha Rothwell, Drew Starkey
Marketed as the first major studio romantic comedy featuring two gay lead characters and a same-sex love storyline, Love, Simon was a momentous achievement for queer cinema. Not only did it mark the first time LGBTQIA+ people saw themselves represented properly in the mainstream, it also proved that yes, queer stories can make a profit too, putting to bed any myths that had previously suggested otherwise. Based on Becky Albertalli’s brilliant novel Simon vs. The Homo Sapien Agenda, the film is brimming with warm humour, emotion, and the inner turmoil we’ve all faced when coming out to our loved ones. Paired with incredible performances from the diverse and talented cast (that scene with Jennifer Garner’s speech gets us every time!), it felt like a real moment not only for the community, but pop culture in general.
Pride (2014)
Cast: Ben Schnetzer, Joseph Gilgun, George Mackay, Faye Marsay, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Freddie Fox, Chris Overton, Imelda Staunton, Jessica Gunning, Lisa Palfrey, Liz White, Bill Nighy, Paddy Considine
This feel-good story of community – based on true events and featuring an all-star cast – will leave you weeping with pride. A group of lesbian and gay activists come together to raise money for families affected by the 1984 British miners’ strike, which ultimately formed the highly successful Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign. It was instrumental in the progression of LGBTQIA+ issues in the United Kingdom. Featuring an incredible cast of British heavyweights including Imelda Staunton, Bill Nighy and Andrew Scott, the film is a must-watch for anyone LGBTQIA+ or simply interested in queer British history. Also, it gave us this iconic scene.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Cast: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell, Jonathan Adams, Peter Hinwood, Meat Loaf, Charles Gray, Hilary Farr
The longest-running theatrical release in film history, spanning four decades, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a progressive, camp classic that will endure time, space and the multiverse as one of the best musicals of all time. For those who are somehow out of the loop, premise incoming: a young couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) stranded in the rain find themselves at a castle habited by strangers in fierce, androgynous costumes. Their leader, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry) – a self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania” – has created a muscle hunk called Rocky in his laboratory. With Rocky Horror normalising the queer experience via sexual liberation, androgyny and Frank’s pansexuality, it’s remained an LGBTQIA+ favourite – and always will be.
Theater Camp (2023)
Cast: Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, Noah Galvin, Jimmy Tatro, Caroline Aaron, Ayo Edebiri, Nathan Lee Graham, Owen Thiele, Amy Sedaris, Patti Harrison
Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman, Theater Camp is a feature-length adaptation of the 2020 short of the same name and follows a New York theatre camp and its eccentric staffers who unite when its founder falls into a coma. The mockumentary is awash with queerness as a result of its cast, which includes Ben Platt (The Politician), Noah Galvin (Booksmart), Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms), Nathan Lee Graham (Katy Keene) and Patti Harrison (Shrill).
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