Nicholas Galitzine has quietly become one of film and television's most recognizable faces for LGBTQ+ storytelling. The British actor, who identifies as straight, has consistently sought out complex gay and bisexual characters, most recently joining the cast of the blockbuster Masters of the Universe reboot as He-Man.

A Pattern of Vulnerability and Power

Galitzine's breakthrough LGBTQ+ role came in 2016 when he played Conor Masters, a closeted gay rugby player, in the indie drama Handsome Devil opposite Andrew Scott. The film won three awards at the FilmOut San Diego LGBT Film Festival and set the tone for his career trajectory. Since then, he has taken on bisexual high school student Timmy Andrews in The Craft: Legacy (2020), British royal Prince Henry in Red, White and Royal Blue, and most recently King James VI's lover George Villiers in Sky Atlantic's Mary and George, a historical drama that aired in 2024.

When asked about his attraction to these roles, Galitzine has been candid. "I think with all of these characters the thing that I find really intriguing as an actor is that underbelly of vulnerability and having to hide oneself," he said. "I'm very interested in identity; George is very different in a way because his sex and his sexuality is his power." He added that the roles feel natural to him once he reads the script. "They've all just been really rich characters in of themselves," he explained. "You know, you read that in the script it just becomes a bit of a no-brainer."

Visibility and Nuance

What sets Galitzine apart is his willingness to dig into the specificity of each character's experience. In The Craft: Legacy, Timmy's coming out scene offered rare on-screen bisexual male visibility, with his character explaining the loneliness of identifying as bisexual in a world that often assumes people are either gay or straight. In Mary and George, his portrayal navigated the historical and psychological complexity of a relationship where sexuality became a source of power rather than shame. His roles collectively offer audiences nuance around LGBTQ+ identity that mainstream entertainment has long overlooked.

Source: PinkNews

Cover photo: cottonbro studio / Pexels

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From Closeted Rugby Player to He-Man: Nicholas Galitzine's LGBTQ+ Roles Defined