Biopics have always been a very popular genre of film but have seemed to explode in popularity in recent years, with the current biopic boom leading to the creation of highly successful movies such as I, Tonya, Rocketman, Elvis, and the upcoming Blonde. Celebrated musicians, actors, athletes, and celebrities of all forms become immortalized through biopics, helping solidify their legacies and contributions in their respective fields as important figures of history.
That being said, there will always be people deserving of their own biopics. The real lives of LGBTQ+ individuals and the significant strides they made in art, music, politics, resistance, and equality need to be put up on the silver screen; queer excellence needs a larger spotlight in Hollywood, ASAP!
James Baldwin
Considered by many to be one of, if not the greatest, essayists and writers in American history, the legendary James Baldwin made significant contributions to the world of literature, activism, and social commentary, whose writing and life were dissected in the documentary I Am Not Your Negro, as well as producing the novel If Beale Street Could Talk, which was later adapted into a 2016 Oscar-winning film.
But James was so much more than just his writing; he lived an extraordinary life and battled against the injustices of systemic discrimination, and was an outspoken civil rights leader who spoke about the struggles of self-acceptance, homophobia, and the gay experience long before the gay liberation movement. James hung around with the likes of Nina Simone, Marlon Brando, Huey P. Newton, Maya Angelou, and Martin Luther King Jr, so a depiction of the writer's influence on the other legends of the 20th century via biopic is desperately needed.
Marsha P. Johnson
Seen by many as the foremother of the gay liberation movement, Marsha "Pay It No Mind" Johnson has only begun to receive recognition for her trailblazing activism in recent years, despite her prominent involvement in the Stonewall Riots that has since become a watershed moment in LGBTQ+ history.
There have been a few documentaries and films depicting the pioneer of gay liberation, such as Happy Birthday, Marsha! and The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, but a major-movie project that chronicles her upbringing, life, and everlasting legacy is the only sure-fire way to capture her greatness and significance to the LGBTQ+ community.
Chelsea Manning
A former United States Army soldier who disclosed almost 750,000 classified documents to WikiLeaks, Chelsea Manning is an incredibly brave whistleblower. She exposed war crimes and the murder of civilians committed by the U.S military.
She is a recipient of the US Peace Prize and EFF Pioneer Award for her courage and has been an outspoken advocate of transgender rights since her transition in 2013, and has also ventured into politics, writing, public speaking, and even DJing.
Sappho
With her name literally being synonymous with lesbian love, Sappho of Lesbos is most well-known for her lyrical poetry, which was so renowned and loved that she was known as "the tenth muse" and was regarded as one of the greatest poets of her time. She was an Ancient Greek woman whose legacy and talent was almost lost in the murky waters of history, with only one poem, "Ode to Aphrodite," being her only work to survive.
Little is known about her actual life, but her transcendent poetry about the love shared between women has lauded her as a permanent and prominent figure of lesbian history and culture and a patron saint of sorts for lesbians. Sappho needs a biopic, with the dreamy aesthetics of Ancient Greek island life and costume hopefully being more than enough persuasion to make this a reality.
Divine
Harris Glen Milstead, better known by his larger-than-life drag persona Divine, was a singer and character actor who was closely associated with legendary filmmaker John Waters and became a permanent pop culture icon of film history due to their involvement and performances in many of John Waters' films including Female Trouble, Hairspray, and, of course, Pink Flamingos.
Described as "the Goddess of Gross," Divine was a performer that helped push boundaries on queer self-expression and was one of the very first drag queens ever to reach global fame. Her iconic image of messy, bleach-blonde hair and giant eye makeup even inspired the creation of Ursula the Sea Witch from Disney's The Little Mermaid, so it's time that cinema gives Divine the proper limelight that is most deserving of one of the most influential people to ever be on film.
Sylvia Rivera
Sylvia Rivera was an American activist who was one of the first-ever leaders and advocates for gay liberation, co-founding the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) alongside Marsha P. Johnson.
Sylvia spent most of her life on the rough streets of New York City and never forgot where she came from, culminating in a life-long devotion to community causes and uplifting the voices of poor and homeless LGBTQ+ individuals for the rest of her life. Her contributions and activism have been commemorated in murals and statues (often with Marsha by her side), but a biopic displaying her immense activism needs its silver screen debut.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Before Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, or Elvis came onto the rock-and-roll scene, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, known as the godmother of rock, was responsible for inspiring and influencing some of the greatest and most successful rockstars, even though she rarely gets credited for it. She was a pioneer of the electric guitar, which is now a staple of rock music, and was not shy about her same-sex trysts that included Marie Knight, her longtime creative collaborator, lover, and friend.
The world of rock music owes a lot to Rosetta, who died without the fame or fortune that was instead awarded to her successors and was initially buried in an unmarked grave. Rosetta was not given her well-deserved recognition when she was alive, so a biopic might be a good place to start acknowledging her undeniable contributions to modern music.