'Equal' docuseries on HBO: Meet Samira Wiley, Anthony Rapp, Isis King and rest of the cast
October is LGBTQ History Month so it seems fitting that HBO Max is releasing its four-part docuseries drama, 'Equal' which will feature never-before-seen archival footage as well as retellings of the events of prominent LGBTQ+ activists from the 20th century. Each hour-long episode brings to life the high stakes and hard deadlines of historical events that have not yet been given their due.
'Equal' will introduce viewers to a wide range of LGBTQ+ visionaries portrayed by the cast, many of whom identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Each part offers a distinct and connected chapter within the historical timeline. Part 1: 'The Birth of a Movement,' explores the rise of early organizations, The Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis in Los Angeles and San Francisco, respectively. Part 2: 'Transgender Pioneers', chronicles the 20th century trans experience, bookended by the 1966 Compton Cafeteria riots in San Francisco. Part 3: 'Black is Beautiful, Gay is Good!' examines the contributions from the Black community on the growing LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. Lastly, Part 4, 'Stonewall: From Rebellion to Liberation', ties in the decades-long struggles with the culminated Stonewall uprising — the beginning of the Pride movement.
The HBO Max docudrama boasts an impressive cast, with many of Hollywood's biggest names taking on the LGBTQ+ pioneers of yesteryear. Read on to know more about the cast of the upcoming docuseries and who they will be playing.
Samira Wiley
Samira Wiley is an actress best known for her roles in 'Orange Is The New Black' and 'The Handmaid's Tale. In 'Equal', she plays Lorraine Hansberry who was the first Black female writer to have her work performed on Broadway when her best-known play, 'A Raisin in the Sun' opened in 1959 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
Anthony Rapp
Anthony Rapp is an actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of 'Rent' and for his roles in 'Star Trek: Discovery' and 'Adventures in Babysitting'. He plays the role of Harry Hay, the founder of the first gay rights organization The Mattachine Society in the 1950s.
Isis King
Isis King is an actress, model, and fashion designer best known for her work in 'America's Next Top Model', 'Strut', 'The Heart of a Woman', and 'When They See Us'. She plays the role of the fictional Alexis, a composite of the trans and queer people who participated in the Cafeteria Riot in Compton in 1966, an uprising against police brutality three years before Stonewall.
Jamie Clayton
Jamie Clayton is an actress and model best known for her roles in 'Sense8', 'Designated Survivor', and 'Roswell, New Mexico'. In 'Equal', she plays the role of Christine Jorgensen, who is considered the world's first transgender celebrity following her gender confirmation surgery in the early 1950s. Jorgensen was a nightclub entertainer, author, and lecture who spoke out for transgender rights.
'Equal' also stars Cheyenne Jackson as Dale Jennings, Sara Gilbert as JM, Alexandra Grey as Lucy Hicks Anderson, Shannon Purser as Del Martin, Heather Matarazzo as Phyllis Lyon, Theo Germaine as Jack Starr, Keiynan Lonsdale as Bayard Rustin, Jai Rodriguez as José Sarria, Hailie Sahar as Sylvia Rivera, Scott Turner Schofield as Craig Rodwell, Cole Doman as Mark Segal, Elizabeth Ludlow as Stormé DeLarverie, Gale Harold as Howard Smith, Sam Pancake as Dick Leitsch, and Anne Ramsay as an FBI agent.
Additionally, 'Equal' will be narrated by Emmy, Tony, and Grammy winner, Billy Porter.
All episodes of 'Equal' will be released on HBO Max on October 22.
