Every 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 68th Cannes Film Festival has recently announced the line-up for its May program. Films by out directors Todd Haynes and Gus Van Sant are among the entries in competition this year. Gus Van Sant returns to Cannes with his mystery/drama Sea of Trees, starring Matthew McConaughey as a man contemplating suicide within Japan's "Suicide Forest." Velvet Goldmine director Haynes adapts Patricia Highsmith's novel The Price of Salt in his new feature Carol. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Carol explores the relationship of two women who develop feelings for one another after a chance encounter. Read the full list of announced films here.
2) Out actor Sir Ian McKellen joins the cast of Disney's upcoming live-action Beauty and the Beast. McKellen will play Cogsworth, the Beast's butler who is turned into a clock after a curse is placed upon the castle. Known for his roles in franchises Lord of the Rings and X-Men, McKellen will star alongside Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as the titular characters, as well as Josh Gad, Luke Evans, and Emma Thompson. Production for Beauty and the Beast begins later this year, with a March 17, 2017 release.
3) Amazon series Transparent and HBO TV movie The Normal Heart are among the recipients of the eighth annual Television Academy Honors. The Honors "recognize programs that have used the power of television to shift cultural acceptance and influence the hearts and minds of the viewer." Amazon's groundbreaking series Transparent tells the story of Maura, a trans woman who comes out late in life, and follows the ups-and-downs of Maura and her family. Acclaimed and award-winning The Normal Heart looks at the HIV/AIDs crisis in 1980s New York City and is the only TV movie honored this year. For a full list of the Television Academy honorees, read more here.
4) Out British pop star Boy George is making his move across the pond with a camera crew in tow: the Culture Club singer is developing a docu-series to capture his relocation from London to Los Angeles. Boy George and his manager are teaming up with Bumin/Murray Productions, the company behind hits Project Runway, The Real World, and Keeping Up With The Kardashians, to produce the show. Shooting will begin this summer, once George arrives in LA.
5) Ahead of its Season 3 release this summer, Netflix hit Orange Is The New Black has been renewed for a fourth season. Uzo Aduba, an Emmy winner for her role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren, made the announcement on Good Morning America on Wednesday, and also showed a preview clip from the upcoming season. The inclusive, award-winning series will feature a new inmate, played by out actress Ruby Rose, and includes a new storyline for trans inmate Sophia, played by trans actress and advocate Laverne Cox. Season 3 of Orange Is The New Black will be available on Netflix starting from June 12. Check out the preview below:
6) English professor Unoma Azuah is raising funds to publish Blessed Bodies, an anthology of LGBT stories from Nigerian authors. Faced with a discriminatory Nigerian government, Azuah hopes Blessed Bodies will provide people with "a first-hand insight into the plight of the LGBT Nigerian, and ultimately inspire calls for constitutional and policy reforms." Learn more about the literary project and donate funds on Blessed Bodies' Indiegogo page.