The Oscarwinning movie I’ve been watching on repeat
In her second column, drag queen and reality TV star Courtney Act tells us what she’ll be streaming in February
Break out the rainbow bunting! February is LGBT History Month in the UK and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival in my motherland – and while you may not be able to swap rainy Britain for the heat of the southern hemisphere, you can definitely bring some sunshine and good vibes to your living room via your TV.
First, turn up the volume on Bohemian Rhapsody. I saw this at the cinema and loved it so much that I had to stream it again as soon as it landed on NOW TV. The legend of Freddie Mercury lives on through Rami Malek’s incredible interpretation (check out some YouTube clips of Freddie to see how uncanny the resemblance is), for which he won an Oscar. With his impressive set of teeth and even more impressive voice, Freddie completely defied stereotypes, while the music of Queen changed the world. I guarantee this is one soundtrack you’ll be listening to on repeat for years to come.
Next, enjoy some hayu realityTV goodness by streaming The Bi Life on NOW TV. A supercute dating show for bisexual Brits, this series sees romance unfolding under the Spanish sun in Barcelona – and, trust me, it’ll give you all the feels. The host also happens to be Australian national treasure Courtney Act – that’s me (not that I’m biased or anything).
Finally, although it’s a bit of a tearjerker, if you’re looking to swot up on your knowledge of LGBTQ history, multi-awardwinning movie Boys Don’t Cry is well worth streaming too. Hilary Swank gives a heartbreaking performance as 21-year-old transgender man Brandon Teena in this moving true story, throwing a spotlight on the very real and often violent challenges of being young and trans.
Movies and TV shows are such important places for queer stories to be told. Growing up, I never saw anyone like me onscreen and that was really isolating. I can’t tell you how much it warms my queer little heart that there’s so much more representation these days. After all, everyone deserves to be celebrated.