10 sapphic actors on the rise
Written by Daphne Bryant
As far as entertainment goes, it’s been a pretty great couple of years for the gays. We are showing up and showing out in all forms of media, including the screen! i’ve compiled a list of my favorite up and coming sapphic actors, so that you can hop on the hype train too <3
Note: Sapphics are people who are attracted to women or in a relationship with another woman, and the term is an umbrella term that is inclusive of many sexual orientations and identities! Not all of the actors on this list are currently in relationships with women, lesbians or female-identifying. They’re still sapphic!
Up first...
1. Katy O’Brian (she/her)
Movies and muscles and magic, oh my! Katy O’Brian, 35, is one of the most promising new lesbian actresses of the year. She has been known to do genre projects such as The Mandalorian and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quatamania, but her most riveting role is undoubtedly that of Jackie, a rising bodybuilder who falls in love with none other than Kristen Stewart! BTW, if you haven’t seen Love Lies Bleeding yet, I highly recommend it. The A24 film is a romantic crime thriller set in the late 80s, with twists and turns around every corner. O’Brian has been nominated (and won awards) multiple times for her role, and we can’t wait to see what she does next. Speaking of…
What would I love to see her in? O’Brian is mixed, black and white. I would love to see her play a role more closely tied to her racial identity, something that calls attention to a multicultural character’s experience!
2. Bella Ramsey (they/them)
Genderfluid actor Bella is part of what everyone seems to be calling“ Young Hollywood”, the new generation of actors and actresses who are absolutely killing it on screen. At just 21 years old, Ramsey is reprising their role as one of the most talked about characters of 2023, Ellie from The Last of Us.
What would I love to see them in? Ramsey has been praised for their performance in period pieces, and I have to agree that there’s something about their face that just screams renaissance painting! However, just to be different, I think I’d like to see Ramsey in a sitcom. We all know that they’re good at dramatic moments and making us feel very, very sad things, but they also have a great sense of humor. Something not exactly like but similar to Netflix’s Atypical would be really cool to see from them.
3. Amandla Stenberg (she/they)
LA native Amandla Stenberg is one of those actors I just so happened to grow up with. I remember the first time I saw them was in The Hunger Games, where they played Rue, but they’ve also had a lot of success in booking other YA adaptations. They have such a memorable face, voice, and aura, one that I know will continue to take them far in their career. Additionally Stenberg is a staunch activist, model and musician who you might have seen on Pinterest due to their former relationship with singer King Princess.
What would I love to see her in? I wholeheartedly believe that Stenberg deserves a lighter role. So many of hers have been so heavy. Let’s get this icon into a real romcom STAT!
4. Emma Corrin (they/them)
Emma Corrin, most famed for their portrayal of Princess Diana in Netflix’s historical drama The Crown, made their first on screen debuts in 2019, only five years ago. Since then they have won a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Television Award! In 2021 Corrin came out as queer, and has since graced Vogue as the magazine’s first nonbinary cover star, as well as modeled at Paris Fashion Week.
What would I love to see them in? Honestly, I think Corrin would absolutely murder a limited TV series set in college. Despite being 28, they have such a baby face and I think it would be cool to see their acting chops in a role catered to a YA audience. If I had to pair them alongside a romantic love interest, these would be my picks: Auli'i Cravalho, Mia Healey, and Sasha Lane (all queer actors themselves).
5. Hunter Schafer (she/her)
Pretty much every queer person knows who Hunter Schafer is, but here’s a brief overview: American actress and stunning model most known for playing Jules in the hit drama series Euphoria. Since then she’s scored a role as Tigris Snow in The Hunger Games prequel and a starring role in Cuckoo, a 2024 horror film where she gets to play a badass, queer big sister.
What would I love to see her in? Similarly to Amandla Stenberg, I think Schafer deserves a light role in a light movie! Something easygoing and comforting, that you can watch during the holiday season or watch while lounging on a summer day. I also don’t think this role would need to draw attention to her trans identity; what I mean is, the movie shouldn’t be about her transness, or about some kind of coming out, but simply a romance or fun movie about friendship (sapphic in nature, of course). Think To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, but lesbian!
6. Madison Bailey (she/her)
Madison Bailey, 25, is a multi-hyphenate icon who you’ll probably recognize from Outer Banks, Netflix’s adventure-heavy teen drama that was released in 2020, right after many of us went into quarantine. She is insanely stylish, a great singer, and openly pansexual.
What would I love to see her in? Bailey has such a badass attitude in the characters she plays and IRL. It’s no surprise that she’s played a metahuman before (shoutout Black Lightning), but I would love to see her in a starring superhero role. I do think Marvel and DC (don’t even get me started on the CW) have been struggling a bit in getting people to care about their projects post Avengers: Endgame, so perhaps some sort of indie project with a lesser known studio could be cool for Bailey. Think Gen V but even more rad.
7. Jessica Madsen (she/her)
English actress Jessica Madsen first came onto my radar when she played Cressida Cowper in the Regency drama Bridgerton, but that wasn’t her first rodeo. The bisexual superstar has been in everything from medical soap operas to horror films, and her infectious energy shines through in all of her interviews.
What would I love to see her in? Just more gay roles! Her Bridgerton character has been mercilessly queered online, but there’s still no outright confirmation there. I want her to PLAY GAY! Like, for real. Do you all remember those early 2000s rom coms where the uptight main character works in an NYC office with her best friend? That’s the kind of fun role I want for Madsen; I can totally see her as a no-nonsense office siren who ends up falling for the new manic pixie dream girl in town.
8. Maya Hawke (she/her)
Introducing one of my biggest screen crushes all of time, Maya Hawke! A certified nepo baby, Hawke is the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke; however, she’s proven herself and her talent, having captured audiences’ hearts as Robin Buckley from the iconic science fiction series Stranger Things. She also recently voiced Anxiety in Inside Out 2, which was an even better film than the first one. Additionally you might enjoy her music; so far the singer-songwriter Hawke has two studio albums!
What would I love to see her in? I feel similarly about Jessica Madsen as I do about Hawke; I am simply craving more gay from her. Maybe it’s because I don’t know if Hawke’s Stranger Things character and Natalia Dyer’s Stranger Things character will ever get together (real ones know), but now more than ever I am desperate for Hawke to star in a queer drama. I could totally see her in something The L Word-esque! Oh yeah: I’m talking about a longform series.
9. Jasmin Savoy Brown (she/they)
My first introduction to actor Jasmin Savoy Brown was Yellowjackets, where they play a teenage Taissa who is madly in love with their teammate and also...experiencing intense psychogenic fugue?! Doesn’t get much more queer than that! Brown has also had leading roles in multiple slasher films and even starred in one of Lucy Dacus’ music videos.
What would I love to see them in? It’s no wonder Brown has had luck with thrillers and horror films, because she has all the characteristics of a final girl. However, she’s also a versatile actress, so while I could see her in a horror movie, I could just as easily see her in a romcom or sci-fi thriller. Whatever Brown ends up doing next, I’m sure it will shock and surprise!
10. Ruby Cruz (she/her)
The last actor on our list, 24-year old Ruby Cruz, is another huge screen crush of mine. She’s already played a handful of queer characters, including Princess Kit from Disney+’s Willow and Hazel from the iconic 2023 film Bottoms. We also know that Cruz will have a recurring role in HBO Max’s The Sex Life of College Girls, presumably a queer one as well (this girl is just so gay)! As an actress Cruz has great comedic timing, a great face, and a great grasp of human emotions.
What would I love to see her in? I honestly would love to see Cruz in a modern-day, queer romantic drama. So far most of her roles, even her high fantasy ones, have been tinged with a sense of silly. While she does that well, I’d be interested to watch her in something like Challengers or Anora. And okay, maybe I also just want to see her kiss more girls, but that’s besides the point!
