News

On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.

First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.

Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.

The Pitch: A “Josie and the Pussycats”-Type Spinoff for “The L Word” Crowd

More than a decade ago, “D.E.B.S.” filmmaker Angela Robinson gifted garage band lesbians everywhere “Girltrash: All Night Long.” Too bad most of that delusional target demographic seems to have been too busy obsessing over their ex-girlfriends — and/or future Band Slam prospects — to properly champion this underrated gem from a pioneering voice in queer film. Oh, well! You know what they say: If you want a movie loved right, then you have to throw your own bra at it.

Tags: Afternoon DelightDOMAAmber HeardCat CoraSasha AlexanderIMDbThe New Black

Good afternoon!

Happy birthday to out director Nisha Ganatra, Linda Cardellini, Busy Philipps, Angela Kinsey, La La Anthony and Carly Simon!

Iron Chef Cat Cora stopped by Larry King Now to discuss nutrition and the politics of food.

Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale graces the cover of August’s Lucky magazine. That dog is Tyra Banks’ smizing protégé.

Check out the trailer for the powerful documentary film The New Black.

Sandra Bullock stopped by Chelsea Lately to promote her new comedy The Heat, in theaters this Friday, and to rehash her nude shower scene with host Chelsea Handler.

Speaking of Chelsea Lately, roundtable regular Fortune Feimster made me Lol with the below tweet.

Sometimes I worry about Kanye West's self-esteem. I just wish he thought more of himself. Oh, he called himself a god? Nevermind.

— Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) June 25, 2013

Rizzoli...

Tags: Afternoon DelightCowgirl UpTegan and SaraFreja Beha ErichsenKristen WiigOprahThe ButlerIMDbJane LynchArrested DevelopmentMadonnaOctavia SpencerMarion Cotillard

Good afternoon everyone!

Tegan and Sara will be featured in June’s Glamour magazine. Who’s excited?

If you’re obsessed with Arrested Development (like I am) consider taking a tour (albeit a short tour) of the original Bluth family’s frozen banana stand. There’s always money in the banana stand.

Here’s a sneak peek of tomorrow night’s intense Grey’s Anatomy.

If you happened to watch last night’s E:60 on Espn you might have heard Jane Lynch’s voice narrating a story about a young girl who wanted to become a cheerleader. When I think of cheerleading I always think of Lynch.

Out costume designer Mandi Line discusses dressing the Pretty Little Liars cast, what item every woman needs to have in her closet and her love of Shay Mitchell’s real-life style.

Tags: Elle FanningAlice EnglertAnnette BeningChristina HendricksJillian MichaelsThe Biggest LoserMegan GoodIMDbWendi McLendon-CoveyModern FamilyCowgirl UpMichelle Rodriguez

Let's start with some breaking news:

Breaking: Us #SupremeCourt sets dates for #MarriageEquality cases! #Prop8 case oral arguments set for 3/26; #Doma case arguments 3/27! #NOH8

— NOH8 Campaign (@NOH8Campaign) January 7, 2013

Fitness guru Jillian Michaels returned to The Biggest Loser this week. Check out a five-minute clip from the premiere episode.

Wendi McLendon-Covey will reprise her role as the lesbian mom/Cameron's nemesis on this season's Modern Family. (My money's on Wendi.)

I have no idea why Michelle "Mitchie Likes Sausage" Rodriguez and Lindsay Lohan are in this movie, but if you have the stomach for it and like offensive comedy, click this link to watch the Nsfw trailer for the film InAPPropriate Comedy.

Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Annette Bening and Christina Hendricks star in the drama Ginger & Rosa, due in theaters this fall.

A UK survey (taken...

Tags: Notes on a FandomGLEEPretty Little LiarsBuffy the Vampire SlayerXena: Warrior PrincessSouth of NowhereLost GirlBomb GirlsWAPIMDbshipping

Notes on a Fandom is a column dedicated to lesbian/bi fandom in its various incarnations. It also feature thoughts and comments from you, the fans. Follow @DanaPiccoli on Twitter and Tumblr to keep up with the latest topics and questions.

Love. Friendship. Passion. These are all things that fans look for in an Otp. For those who don’t know what an Otp is, in the world of fandom it means "One True Pairing." More often than not, its these "true pairings" or the possibility of one that really speaks to the fans. Xena and Gabrielle, Naomi and Emily, Brittany and Santana. Couples like these are the heart of a show, the characters you want to read about in the epilogue because they lived happily ever after. Long after all the lies have been told,...

Tags: Afternoon DelightCowgirl UpRihannaJane LynchDeb MellIMDb

Good afternoon!

Happy birthday to Angela Lansbury, Kellie Martin, Suzanne Somers and Pariah's Kim Wayans!

Kim Wayans at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Take a gander at the teaser trailer for Kimberly Peirce's Carrie remake, in theaters March 15, 2013.

Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes and a slew of Lgbtq celebrities are speaking out in support of President Obama. Their tagline is “Come out and vote for President Obama!” And that's exactly what I will be doing on November 6.

Rihanna is on the cover of November's Vogue magazine.

In her interview, the award winning singer discusses dating and being surrounded by too many vaginas. (Is that really possible?) Rihanna said, "I would love to go on a date. You don't think that? I'm a woman. A young woman, vibrant, and I love to have fun.

Tags: Afternoon DelightLucy LawlessEllen DeGeneresLily TomlinAlly SheedyPsychCynthia NixonCowgirl UpMandy MusgraveIMDb

Good afternoon!

Happy birthday to Susan Sarandon, Rachael Leigh Cook, Alicia Silverstone and Sarah Warn!

Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve in the queer vampire film "The Hunger"

On October 22 (my birthday) Ellen DeGeneres will be awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. DeGeneres will be honored by celebrity speakers Kristin Chenoweth, Sean Hayes and Lily Tomlin at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The event will air on October 30th on PBS so make sure to watch!

Xena's Lucy Lawless joins the cast of Parks and Recreation. Watch the below clip as Lawless explains her love for the show and the “sexy” Ron Swanson, played by Nick Offerman.

High Art's Ally Sheedy will reprise her role as a serial killer on Psych's two-hour musical episode.

Photo by Cindy Ord...

Tags: Afternoon DelightButterOlivia WildeAmber HeardTegan and SaraWanda SykesEllen DeGeneresIMDb

Good afternoon and happy hump day!

Happy birthday to Alison Sweeney, Cheri Oteri, Twiggy, South of Nowhere's Mandy Musgrave and Tegan and Sara!

Yesterday Academy award winner (and Rnc chair actor) Clint Eastwood discussed his views on gay marriage with Ellen DeGeneres.

Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson's new film Pitch Perfect received a rave (Nsfw) review from out artist Sia Furler.

Pitch perfect is so fucking fantastic and fun. I Loved It!!! Go see it!

— sia furler (@siamusic) September 19, 2012

Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo is completely aware that her ABC show's plot lines are far-fetched and reminds viewers, “I'm just a paid employee who has to do what they say."

What do you think of Queen Latifiah, Adepero Oduye and the rest of the Steel Magnolias cast's character posters? Oduye's is my favorite!

Olivia Wilde (House, Tron: Legacy...

Tags: IMDbRizzoli & Isles

Jane is dragging Maura to bed. Wait, stop. Let me rephrase that. Jane is dragging Maura into helping her in bed. Wait, let me rephrase that again. Jane is dragging her new bed into her apartment and begging Maura to help her. Damn. No matter how I say that it just sounds so gay.

Maybe that is because it is so gay. Here is Jane, in her weekend uniform of tank top and sneakers. She’s carrying her wallet in her mouth because she’s a damn butch who of course only carries a wallet. Though, I must say, slightly bad form on not having pockets. You couldn’t get pants with at least one cargo pocket, honey? And then here is Maura, in her weekend uniform of a form-fitting designer skirt-top ensemble with matching open-toed kitten heels. She is carrying a purse because she’s a...

During the month of February, AfterEllen.com highlights the queer black women who continue to overcome obstacles in the entertainment industry and society, ultimately finding success. These women not only face discrimination for being queer in such an image-oriented profession, but for being black as well. Regardless of how you sexually or ethnically identify, let's celebrate these bad-ass individuals!

This week’s spotlight: queer black women behind the camera.

Pariah filmmakers Nekisa Cooper and Dee Rees

The official Sundance selection and award-winner for 2011 has garnered incessant buzz not only from AfterEllen.com, but across the nation as well — and rightly so. The semi-autobiographical film from writer Dee Rees has screened at more than 40 festivals all over the world and won 25 Best Short awards. The film features a glimpse into the life of a struggling Brooklyn teenager, Alike (Adepero Oduye), who desperately tries come to terms with her sexuality and identity,...

Exciting news for fans of South of Nowhere, 3Way, Niki and Nora and lesbian entertainment in general — Nancylee Myatt and company have given us an exclusive look behind the scenes of their upcoming web series Cowgirl Up, as well as bonus featurette, A Fistful of Pretty, starring some of the cast members.

The web series will feature Mandy Musgrave, Marnie Alton, Bridget McManus, Niki Lindgren, Nicole Travolta and some other faces you may recognize from previous videos and articles on AfterEllen.com.

International viewers can watch the clip here.

Cowgirl Up is launching in January 2011 as part of the new Premium Content section of telloFilms.com. For $3.99 a month, you can view the premium content section on your computers, smart phones or iPads and 80% goes back to the producers who provide the content. In addition, there is a "tello Store" where viewers can also download projects and play in their iTunes or from their desktop.

In our first annual Top 50 Lesbian and Bi Characters poll, we asked you to vote for your favorite characters from film, television, and internet shows.

You cast your votes, and now we have the results. Before we reveal the winners, let's take a look at some of the trends that emerged.

Almost all of the characters were from films and television shows that made their debut after the year 2000. A few of the exceptions include Kerry Weaver from ER, and the ass-kicking ladies from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

While most of the characters were from Us productions, a fair amount came from international shows, including our top two characters (from the UK show Skins).

Also notable was the fact that some of your favorite characters, the leads from Xena: Warrior Princess (which ran from 1995-2001) and Idgie Threadgood from the film Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), were never officially presented as lesbian or bisexual.

Happy 2010! Did you miss us?

I have to share this awesome tidbit with you, because AfterEllen.com reader Jerry shared it with me. Slasher film actress Tucky Williams (Dead Moon Rising, Shadows Light) is writing and starring in a new lesbian web series, Girl/Girl Scene.

Tucky as Evan — the new Shane?

The actress (who says she loves Tegan and Sara) said of the series: "Once The L Word was canceled, it left this huge hole in the market. We're filling that need, and them some. Girl/Girl Scene is raunchier, grittier, and sexier. I wanted to see a show that depicted what life was like for me and my friends — queers who have thrown heteronormativity out the window and never looked back." Wait, you mean this isn't The Real L Word?

Here's a fun puzzle for L Word and Queer as Folk fans, courtesy of PuzzleHub. I don't see Papi on there,...

As 2009 comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the people and events that made this the Best. Lesbian. Decade. Ever. in pop culture.

Luckily for all of us, there was far more information to have mentioned from the last ten years than we could have included in this brief survey. That's why our lists for each year are not intended to be exhaustive, but are instead snapshots of different memorable moments that included the representation of lesbians and bisexual women in film, television, music, literature, comics, sports and the Internet since the year 2000.

2000

Chavela Vargas[/link] comes out

Mexican ranchera music legend Chavela Vargas publicly came out as a lesbian at the tender age of 81.

Angelina Jolie wins Best Supporting Actress Oscar

Angelina Jolie won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Girl, Interrupted and told Talk Magazine, "I only play women I would date.

Michael Ausiello broke the news today that 90210 plans to give lesbian character Gia (Rumer Willis) a (gasp!) relationship.

And apparently, it doesn’t involve murder, sperm stealing or terminal illness. Executive producer Rebecca Sinclair told Ausiello, “We’re coming at this [relationship] from a genuine place and not going, ‘Let’s do a titillating story that will grab some promotion.’ This is a real aspect of teenager life that’s interesting… And there’s been a real void in the 90210 universe in terms of gay and bisexual characters.”

You’re probably thinking, “Read your own site, Linster. Karman already told us that Mandy Musgrave is coming on the show as Alex, Gia’s ex.”

Well, guess what? Gia’s relationship isn’t with Alex.

(Spoiler alert!)

Turns out Gia will romance teenage mom Adrianna, played by the gorgeous Jessica Lowndes.

If Sinclair is being, um, straight with us, this won’t...

In a Tweet that no doubt lifted the spirits of dejected South of Nowhere fans everywhere, actress Mandy Musgrave announced this weekend that she's been cast as a lesbian on the CW series 90210.

Musgrave will guest star as, Alex, the ex-girlfriend of Gia (played by Rumer Willis) who wants to rekindle their old flame.

Mandy Musgrave

There's no word yet on exactly when Musgrave's episode will air or if her role might recur (or how Alex and Gia's names can best be combined ala "Spashley") but we did check in with the actress to get her thoughts on her new role.

Musgrave told AfterEllen.com:

I am a little nervous, it's always strange going on another set that isn't "yours" ― you can feel really out of place. But they have the same hairdresser who worked on South of Nowhere, so I'm happy to work with him again.

And I'm so...

Danso Gordon

You may remember that back when The N's South of Nowhere was in its prime, one of its primary cast members, Danso Gordon (who played "Clay Carlin") abruptly quit the show because it "went against my personal Faith and integrity."

The show was one of the few on television that depicted gay teens in a positive way, and, at the time, there was speculation that this was exactly what Gordon found objectionable.

As we reported in February 2007, "The N's editorial director recently (accidentally?) revealed at a youth roundtable that an unnamed actor on the show felt that the positive portrayal of coming out &#8212 and the decidedly less positive picture painted by a conservative Christian mom who tries de-gay her dykey daughter &#8212 was 'morally wrong,' and asked to leave the show."

The negative publicity surrounding his departure surely put more pressure on the producers of the show, who...

This past weekend in Los Angeles, the second part of the GLAAD Media Awards were held, and several lesbians were awarded for their influence in the mainstream entertainment and news media.

Ellen DeGeneres was the first big winner of the evening, as “Ellen and Portia’s Wedding Day” won for Outstanding Talk-Show Episode. She brought her wife to the stage with her, and dedicated the award to Carl Hoover-Walker, an 11-year-old boy who recently killed himself after being repeatedly called gay by his classmates.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus attended to accept the award for Outstanding Individual Episode for her kissing scene with guest star Megan Mullally on The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Ilene Chaiken, Jennifer Beals, Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey received a standing ovation when they took the stage for The L Word's Special Recognition Award.

Other presenters and attendees included:

Jane Lynch

Mandy Musgrave

Thea Gill

Belisa Morillo and Monica Zapata,...

Last year in our annual overview of the Year in Television, Malinda Lo wrote, “Though there is still plenty of room for improvement — particularly on broadcast TV — the low points of 2007 do not contradict the fact that lesbian/bi representation on TV this past year has increased and improved significantly.”

Clearly, a lot can change in a year.

Though 2008 comes to a close with word of possible new queer female characters on the horizon in the coming year, the prospects for lesbians and bisexual women on television over the last twelve months have been somewhat grim.

This has been particularly true for lesbians, whose numbers on scripted network television have now dwindled to zero.

While portrayals of lesbian characters on Grey’s Anatomy and Cashmere Mafia (both on ABC) showed initial promise, it wasn’t long before their storylines turned sour and came to a screeching halt, due to either...

Photo credit (far left photo): Mark Mainz/Getty Images

After three seasons of portraying Ashley Davies, South of Nowhere's resident wild child and lesbian trust fund baby, 22-year-old actor Mandy Musgrave is bidding farewell to the complicated half of Spashley with a new film (16 to Life), an internet series (Dan's Detour of Life) and with any luck, some more Girltrash!

Like her Son love interest and real-life friend, Gabrielle Christian, Musgrave is now re-entering the world of auditions and television guest spots. Unlike Christian — who called Musgrave's character, Ashley, "needy" in her recent interview — Mandy has different ideas about her character and what might have happened, had the series continued.

Musgrave talked to AfterEllen recently to defend her alter ego, dish about an as-yet-to-be-posted Girltrash sex scene with Christian, and make some wildly unsubstantiated claims about how girls kiss.

AfterEllen: So, I hear you're a little insulted that...

Actor Gabrielle Christian is best known for her lead role, Spencer Carlin, on the N Network's South of Nowhere. For the past three years, Christian has portrayed a rarity in episodic television – a thoughtful, out and proud teen lesbian with a hot girlfriend who is nobody's side-kick (or a witch).

The 24-year-old Washington DC native landed her first series in 2000 on the short-lived WB show, Young Americans (featuring a young Katherine Moennig as a character named "Jake" because some things never change), and has worked steadily ever since, most recently making guest appearances on CSI: Miami, Numb3ers (both CBS), Girltrash! and an original episode of LadyCop, the show-within-a-show on the web series, 3Way.

Since South of Nowhere's abrupt cancellation, Christian has been devoting her time and celebrity to non-profits such as Fair Fund, an organization that works globally with young women in its fight against human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault.