Each week The GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBT-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend.
1) The Elton John biopic Rocketman has been picked up by Good Universe for international sales with UTA Independent Film Group holding the domestic rights. The musical retelling of John's life will be directed by Michael Gracey and John will serve as executive producer. Rocketman will follow John's life story from 5-year-old musical prodigy through his troubled rock star years to becoming a father and a global icon.
2) Uma Thurman will play anti-gay advocate Anita Bryant in the new film Anita, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (The Celluloid Closet). The movie will follow Bryant, a former Miss Oklahoma, singer, and orange juice spokesperson, who is forced to "confront her past as an anti-gay Christian crusader" when she allows a gay screenwriter into her house. Bryant's career dwindled after she successfully lobbied to overturn a gay equality law in Florida back in 1977.
3) Sean Hayes will be returning to TV this fall in the NBC comedy Sean Saves the World. Hayes will play a gay dad who struggles to balance his career and the demands of his eccentric new boss with parenting his 14-year-old daughter who has recently moved in with him. Check out the full trailer below.
4) PBS announced this week that the channel would begin airing the LGBT-inclusive critically acclaimed British drama Last Tango in Halifax. The series primary story centers on older couple Celia and Alan and also stars Sarah Lancashire as Caroline (Celia's daughter), who is dealing with coming out as she divorces her husband and romances a female co-worker. PBS will begin airing the six-episode first season on Sunday, September 8 and the BBC will begin filming the second season in June.
5) ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars doesn't return until June 11, but the first clips from the premiere have been released and two of them feature out Liar Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell). Check out Emily and Hanna discussing whether Mona is on their team or the "A" team below and watch another clip of Emily here.
6) HBO has given an eight-episode order to the still untitled Michael Lannan dramedy starring Jonathan Groff (Glee), Frankie J. Alvarez and Murray Bartlett. The series will follow the three friends in San Francisco as they "explore the fun and sometimes overwhelming options available to a new generation of gay men," and is expected to premiere in early 2014.
7) Even though ABC's LGBT-inclusive sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23 has been cancelled, you can still enjoy new episodes through ABC.com, iTunes and Hulu starting May 17. The unaired final eight episodes will be available through all three sources simultaneously.
8) Glee's Jane Lynch began her summer run in the Broadway revival of Annie last night as the villainous orphanage manager Miss Hannigan, and a first look at her in character was recently posted by Entertainment Weekly. Lynch said she got advice from her Glee co-star Darren Criss who debuted on Broadway in a three-week run in How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying last year. "He said ‘Make yourself comfortable.’ You have to really save your energy and your angst for the show,” Lynch said as she spoke of the challenges of singing, dancing and acting live.
9) Bravo has launched a new web series, Tabatha Coffey: A Day in the Life, which follows the out host of Tabatha Takes Over as she works and plays. You can catch up on the videos already posted so far and learn about new episodes of Tabatha Takes Over at Bravo. Below, check out A Day in the Life as Tabatha gets ready for the red carpet.
10) The Lavender Scare documentary film has reached its initial Kickstarter goal and has nine more days to raise funds for their stretch goals to fund an even more compelling film. The new documentary based on David Johnson's book aims to shed a light on the firing of thousands of gay and lesbian government employees by executive order of President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 through interviews and archival footage. Check out the trailer below.
11)Alto, a new "lesbian mob comedy," is looking for funding help through Kickstarter to complete their film. Francesca "Frankie" Del Vecchio is passionate about two things: her band and old fashioned Italian-American culture. When Frankie finds a body in her car, she also finds herself involved with Nicolette, the daughter of a mafia don, who is intrigued by Frankie and offers to manage her band. As Frankie finds herself growing closer to Nicolette and away from her fiancé, she will come to learn what really matters in life. To learn more, visit Alto on Kickstarter.