Hollywood’s love affair with non-binary: After MeToo scandals Tinseltown is desperate to appear woke

It’s a transatlantic love affair that’s been going on for years.

From making Kate Winslet’s star in Titanic to Keira Knightley launching her career in Bend It Like Beckham, Tinseltown has long had a thing for British actresses.

Now, though, Hollywood is abuzz with rumors of a new “British Invasion,” by a generation of young stars who’ve landed the best roles in TV and movie’s biggest hits — but are shunning convention by talking openly about having a “liquid.” . sex.

Leading this new non-binary Brit Pack is Bella Ramsey – who has been praised by critics for her brilliant portrayal of Ellie in Sky Atlantic’s post-apocalyptic drama The Last Of Us – and Emma Corrin, who played Princess Diana in the latest series of The Crown, identifying as “queer.”

Once a term of homophobic abuse, queer is now an umbrella term widely used by people who are not straight, or who believe their biological sex does not correspond to a male or female gender – i.e. non-binary.

And the reason these ‘non-mainstream’ British actresses are so successful?

In the end, it’s all about Hollywood’s money machine. According to a leading producer of the Walt Disney Company, the largest movie studio in the world, “It’s all about the bottom line.

‘Today it’s all about being LGBTQ, non-binary, gender fluid, pansexual. Young people who form the public today do not want to be labeled or placed in a certain box.’

The source explained that the race to cast non-binary British actors followed the outcry over the #MeToo and “#OscarsSoWhite” scandals: “When #MeToo happened, it sparked a debate that only highlighted how white, mostly men, still held power in the studios. That hasn’t changed – but those white men wanted to keep their jobs, so Hollywood suddenly, and cynically, woke up very much.”

He added: ‘Brits have always had a much better level of education, and so this new generation suddenly found themselves in leading roles in some of the biggest projects in the city.’

Here are the seven guiding lights of the non-binary Brit Pack:

Cara Delevigne, 30

‘I am pansexual’

Played in: Suicide Squad, Carnival Row, Anna Karenina

The trailblazing supermodel turned actress was one of the first big names to openly discuss her sexuality — and gender fluidity.

“The point is with me, I change a lot,” Cara told Variety magazine in 2020. “Some days I feel more feminine. Some days I feel more like a man. I will always be, I think, pansexual.

“However one defines oneself – “she” or “he” or “she” – I fall in love with the person. People said, “So you’re gay?” And I’m like, ‘No, I’m not gay.’ ‘

Cara has been romantically linked to Harry Styles, Will Smith’s son Jaden, singer St Vincent, actress Ashley Benson and singer Miley Cyrus. She is now dating musician Minke, 31, real name Leah Mason.

Bella Ramsey, 19

‘My sex has always been very changeable’

Played in: The Last of Us, Game Of Thrones

Got first major role as young noblewoman Lyanna Mormont in Game Of Thrones. But it’s as Ellie, the feisty protagonist in The Last Of Us, a girl who has immunity to a mold plague that is decimating the world, that the Nottingham-born actress has become one of Hollywood’s hottest young stars.

An agent told The Mail on Sunday that Bella is now being offered roles in TV shows for “$500,000 (£416,800) per episode”, and is “inundated with film offers”.

Bella recently revealed to The New York Times, “I think my gender has always been very fluid – I’m just a person really. Being gendered is not something I really like.’

Last week, she said after using a non-binary pronoun “they” a lot lately, I said use “she” because it’s easier.

Emma Korrin, 27

‘I’m queer and non-binary’

Played in: The Crown, Lady Chatterley’s lover

Came out as ‘queer and non-binary’ in July 2021 and later posted a selfie in a wedding dress with the caption ‘Ur fave queer bride’. Emma said, “In my mind, gender just doesn’t feel fixed and I don’t know if it ever will.

“There can always be some fluidity for me.

“I feel much more seen when I’m called ‘they’, but my closest friends will call me ‘they’ and I don’t mind because I know they know me.”

Last year, Emma posed for a publicity photo wearing a chest binder — strips of cloth that flatten the breasts, often used when a biological woman is in transition.

Emma has said, ‘Obviously if you have a platform and you can use it, that’s so important.’

Emma D’Arcy, 30

‘Non-binary’

Played in: House of the Dragon

Started acting at Oxford University and rose to stardom playing Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game Of Thrones prequel House Of The Dragon. Has described feeling pressured about sexual orientation.

“When I started, I really felt I had to present myself as a woman to be successful in this industry. It was not sustainable and I stopped pretending.

Strangely enough, I was nominated for Best Actress for the Golden Globes (2023) at the time, which is wonderfully ironic.

“Most importantly, to me, it implies that the space for transgender people and gender nonconforming people is getting bigger and bigger, so I feel very privileged. In terms of queerness, the only good reason to come out publicly and professionally as a non-binary person is that I hope it will let younger people who might feel the same way know that there is room for them in this industry. ‘

Eliot Sumner, 32

Identifies as ‘no gender’

Played in: No time to die, gentlemen, unending storm

The child of rocker Sting and Trudie Styler and born biologically female. Eliot has said, “I don’t believe in specs. I guess I was forever trying to figure out what I am.

“But I don’t think anyone should feel pressured to have some kind of label or tag on them. We should treat everyone the same. I don’t like being judged on a specific thing. We are all human.’

In a long-term relationship with Austrian model Lucie Von Alten.

Ella Hunt, 24

‘Strange and happy to be out’

Played in: Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Les Miserables (2012 film), Cold Feet, Dickinson

Began acting as a youngster and debuted in the 2011 supernatural horror film Intruders, helping Ella land a role in the big screen version of Les Miserables.

Ella then landed roles in ITV’s Cold Feet and Endeavor before Hollywood producers took notice. Announced on social media in 2021: ‘I’m queer and happy to be out.’

Dating Thomas Bartlett, an American singer and pianist who performs as Deafman.

Jameela Jamil, 37

‘Pansexual’

Played in: The Good Place, Marvel’s She-Hulk: Lawyer

Jamil, the first female solo presenter on BBC Radio 1’s Chart Show, moved to Los Angeles in 2016 and landed a starring role in NBC’s The Good Place. She publicly declared herself as “queer” after being named as a judge on Legendary, an American reality TV show.

Jamil said she had not spoken about her sexuality before because “it’s not easy to be accepted within the South Asian community.”

Since 2015, she has been in a relationship with Mercury Prize-winning musician James Blake.