Billy Eichner's Bros rom-com will have all-LGBTQ main cast — even the straight roles

Billy Eichner's queer rom-com continues to make major strides in the industry.

Bros already made a splash when it was first announced at Universal Pictures as one of the rare gay-centric rom-coms produced by a major Hollywood studio. Now, the film has set an entirely LGBTQ main cast, including for the straight characters — another rarity.

"This is the best thing EVER!" Eichner, who co-writes and stars in the film, announced on Twitter Thursday. "I could not possibly be more excited to tell you the ENTIRE main cast for my rom com BROS will be ALL openly LGBTQ+ actors!!! Yes, even in all the straight roles! This is a first for a major studio film. LET'S MAKE HISTORY!!!"

In addition to Eichner and Luke Macfarlane in starring roles, Bros will also feature transgender Zola actress and Light Through the Shade author TS Madison, gender non-conforming Star and The United States vs. Billie Holiday performer Miss Lawrence, RuPaul's Drag Race season 13 winner Symone, Scandal and Weeds veteran Guillermo Diaz, and former Billy on the Street writer and TruTV's The Game Show creator Guy Branum.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.

Bros has been pegged as the first major studio film with an entirely LGBTQ main cast, as well as Eichner being the first openly gay man to co-write and produce his own studio film. By some parameters, this is true. However, Fire Island, the LGBTQ-centric riff on Jane Austen with Saturday Night Live's Bowen Yang and comedian Joel Kim Booster, also touts all LGBTQ principals, on top of Booster's co-writing and starring roles.

George Pimentel/Getty Images Billy Eichner

Splitting hairs, Fire Island hails from Searchlight Pictures, which is the specialty division of the Disney-owned 20th Century Studios, and will be released on Hulu. Bros, meanwhile, will be released by Universal in theaters on Aug. 12, 2022.

Directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow, Bros focuses on two gay men — played by Eichner and Macfarlane — who are "maybe, possibly, probably, stumbling towards love. Maybe. They're both very busy," according to a description.

"I could not be more proud or excited about the historic nature of the all openly LGBTQ+ cast of Bros," Eichner said in an additional statement. "After queer actors have spent decades watching straight actors capitalize both artistically and professionally by playing LGBTQ+ characters, it is a long overdue dream come true to be able to assemble this remarkable, hilarious cast. And while Bros may be the first of its kind in several ways, my real hope is that it is only the first of many opportunities for openly LGBTQ+ ensembles to shine and show the world all we are capable of as actors, beyond just being the wacky sidekick, token queer or a straight movie star's 'gay best friend.' And beyond all of that, this cast is f*cking hysterical and you're going to love them."

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