Billy Eichner’s ‘Bros’ Makes History as the First Hollywood Movie With an All-LGBTQ Principal Cast
Diversity has been a hot topic in the entertainment industry for several years now. Whether it’s award shows, casting, or the narratives that are chosen to be told, some folks have been working tirelessly to make the film industry better reflect the real world. Billy Eichner recently made film history for the LGBTQ community in a couple of impressive regards with his upcoming movie Bros.
Billy Eichner created and starred in Funny Or Die’s ‘Billy on the Street’
Eichner is an actor, comedian, and producer. He’s most famously known for his work creating and starring in Funny Or Die’s Billy on the Street. It’s a comedy game show where Eichner explores the streets of New York City to ask random folks pop culture-related questions. Ever since Billy on the Street left truTV, it has existed as short-form web content.
Eichner’s career extends into film and fictional television shows. He starred in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising as Oliver Studebaker and in 2019’s The Lion King voicing Timon, but Eichner has more television credits to his name. He can be seen in Parks and Recreation as Craig Middlebrooks, Bob’s Burgers voicing Mr. Ambrose, and starring in American Horror Story: Cult and Apocalypse. Finally, he’s even been a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10.
Billy Eichner’s ‘Bros’ makes the history books
The Hollywood Reporter announced that Eichner’s Bros is making history in a couple of different ways. Firstly, he’s already noted to be the first openly gay man to ever co-write and star in his own major Hollywood studio movie. He co-wrote Bros with Nicholas Stoller. Stoller will also be directing and executive producing alongside Judd Apatow, Eichner, and Josh Church. Universal Pictures is distributing the film.
Secondly, Bros is the first feature to ever have an all-LGBTQ principal cast. Openly LGBTQ actors will even be playing the heterosexual characters.
Finally, Bros makes the history books as any major studio’s first gay romantic comedy. THR describes it as, “a smart, swoony and heartfelt comedy about two gay men (Eichner, Luke Macfarlane) maybe, possibly, probably, stumbling toward love. Maybe. They’re both very busy.”
The cast includes Eichner Macfarlane, TS Madison, Miss Lawrence, RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 winner Symone, Guillermo Diaz, and Guy Branum.
‘Bros’ could revolutionize the romantic comedy genre
The Bros casting announcement is huge news. It’s a step forward in regards to the LGBTQ cast and the movie itself. However, that doesn’t mean that the fight for diversity in media stops. It’s simply a step in the right direction. However, it does deserve to be celebrated. It’s shocking that it took until 2021 for a major Hollywood studio to finally commit to a project such as this.
Hopefully, this is the first of many LGBTQ narratives that Hollywood allows through the gates. Bros could inspire more openly LGBTQ actors to get the opportunity to star in more roles across the industry. Bros has the potential to make serious waves within the romantic comedy genre and the industry as a whole. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
Bros is slated to be released exclusively in theaters August 12, 2022.
