Best Posts in Thread: The 13 Best Male Black Gay/Bisexual Characters ...EVER!

Instead of continuing to complain about what we don’t have in the media (something we do quite a lot here on Cypher Avenue), we decided to appreciate the positives and celebrate the best black gay characters we’ve seen in film and television.

All of the characters were chosen based on their complexity, realism, creative characterization and the overall performance rendered by the talented actors who filled their shoes. We left web series characters out of contention because, quite frankly, all of them have sucked so far.

Lastly, ambiguously gay characters have been left off of this list. The characters chosen were only those who either clearly stated that they were gay on-screen or were seen engaging and enjoying same-sex intimacy.

13. “Wade Robinson” [Jensen Atwood] – Noah’s Arc (TV Series & Film)



Admittedly, Wade Robinson of Noah’s Arc wasn’t the most complex character on the show. And his instant transition from being a masculine heterosexual black man exclusively dating women to being in a full-fledged, head-over-heels-in-love gay relationship with a flamboyant fem was totally unbelievable.

However we did appreciate the consistent eye candy that was Jensen Atwood. Also, it was nice to see Wade be a regular guy, unlike his fem counterparts on the show. He struggled as a failed actor and is later seen working in the warehouse of a furniture store. You can’t get more everyday than that.

Beyond that, unfortunately, his masculine character only served as a fantasy and an object of desire for fems. Although every other character in Noah’s little “arc” of friends got their own character building storylines and obstacles, it was extremely rare to ever see Wade have any screen time that wasn’t related to his relationship with Noah.



12. “Officer Julien Lowe” [Michael Jace] – The Shield (TV Series)



We originally left this character off of the list, not just because we forgot all about him, but for the fact that (now convicted murderer) Michael Jace as Julien Lowe was extremely frustrating to watch on screen. True, he defied stereotypes by being a tough cop, not a fashion stylist. However, the character paralyzingly struggled with his sexuality for years on-screen to the point that he almost became boring to watch.

On reflective thought, what made his character so great was the complexity that came with that struggle. This was a rare character who denied his homosexuality, not for status or concern for how his friends and family would view him. His struggle evolved from his deep religious beliefs that told him being gay was a sin, not unlike what many men are still going through to this day.

His rise from a beat cop officer to a detective was overshadowed with his inner conflict and repression, leading him to live a down low lifestyle. The horrible decisions he makes all stem from him being extremely closeted and paranoid.



11. “Boo” [Oneil Cespedes] – The D.L. Chronicles (TV Series)



The D.L. Chronicles‘s most popular character has to be the down low thug, Boo. He’s by far the most fascinating and complex character in the history of the series. In 20 short minutes we see Boo struggle with his sexuality, his relationships with his girlfriend (and side-piece boyfriend) and his identity as a bisexual black man in general.

Whether we like to admit it or not, men like Boo do exist in the world. It’s a shame that actor Oneil Cespedes hasn’t done much else in film or television since this amazing performance back in 2007.



10. “Calvin Owens” [Paul James] – Greek (TV Series)



The ABC Family dramedy, “Greek” was surprising in that it featured multiple gay characters, none of which fit the usual stereotypes. On top of that, the creators of the show made a point to add a masculine black gay character named Calvin Owens who was an all-state hockey and football player. Keep in mind this was back in 2007, long before examples like Jason Collins and Michael Sam jumped into the public eye.

You have to give credit to ABC Family for showing multiple gay relationships in this series on a network that has “Family” in its name. The people that actually saw “Greek” during its six season run got to see Calvin Owens as a normal, relatable, everyday black gay man…not a flamboyant reality show stereotype.



9. “Thomas Gavin” [Gabriel Corbin] – The D.L. Chronicles (TV Series)



Gabriel’s Corbin’s powerful performance as paralyzed firefighter Thomas Gavin is still engraved into our brains ever since we saw it last year in the first new episode of The D.L. Chronicles in seven years.

Outside of the character displaying complex raw emotions, Thomas Gavin stood out from many of the other black gay characters in film and television in that he was totally believable as a flesh and blood person.

By the end of the short film, you personally feel his pain and triumph as he comes to term with both his disability and his sexuality.



8. “Sean ‘Kaldrick King’ Dugan” [Andra Fuller] – The L.A. Complex (TV)



The character may not have been perfect…he may not have been the best role model for young black gay men…But its hard to deny that The L.A. Complex’s Sean Dugan (aka Kaldrick King) was a breath of fresh air in the world of prime time network television.

Also, actor Andra Fuller playing the troubled, complicated character was irresistible to watch. Watching Kaldrick’s transition from angry down-low black man to a person coming to terms with his sexuality and relationship with his abusive father was addictive.



7. “Carter Heywood” [Michael Boatman] – Spin City (TV Series)



From 1996 to 2002, Michael Boatman convincingly played black gay character Carter Heywood, Head of Minority Affairs at City Hall in New York City.

Way back then we had an Out and Open professional black gay character that wasn’t a hair stylist or an In Living Color snap queen. By the end of the series, Carter Heywood even becomes a father, adopting a baby boy named Sam.



See the NEXT PAGE to view the remaining 6 Best Black Gay Characters…EVER!



6. “Kyle” [Isaiah Washington] – Get On The Bus (Film)



Are we supposed to still be upset with Isaiah Washington? I’m not sure. He used the gay slur, “Faggot” in outbursts on the set of his former show, Grey’s Anatomy, as well as backstage of the Golden Globes. Many people gave him a pass but I was one who felt that he was very much in the wrong. Either way, he definitely “served his time” for the crime given that his career took a major nosedive afterward.

Regardless, we did enjoy his performance as Kyle, one half of the black gay relationship in the Spike Lee film, Get on the Bus. What made the character so captivating was that he was comfortable to be Out about his sexuality, yet he was still reluctant to be open about his relationship as his lover Randall.



5. “William Boyals” [Kent Faulcon] – Strange Fruit (Film)



The 2004 independent film Strange Fruit won’t be winning any film festival awards any time soon for quality or execution, however Kent Faulcon’s character William Boyals definitely was a stand out in this otherwise forgettable film.

In William Boyals we saw a professional, cocky, arrogant, attractive, self-made black gay man embroiled into an old fashioned southern murder mystery.

Let me repeat that: This film featured a black gay lead character not “looking for love” or in the middle of a “down low love triangle with unknowing black woman.” Instead he was detective solving a crime. How rare is that?



4. “Captain Ray Holt” [Andre Braugher] – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV Series)



Talk about being the 180° opposite of the flamboyant caricatures of black gay men we have to see on reality shows and comedies like Key & Peele. Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s black gay character Captain Ray Holt is awesome in that he walks the fine line of being both extremely reserved/serious and also extremely funny, in a witty subtle way.

Who would have thought that masculine openly gay black film/TV characters could be believable and hilarious without loudly emulating women or acting like 15 year old ratchet Black/Latino girls?



3. “Paul Poitier” [Will Smith] – Six Degrees of Separation (Film)



Will Smith as the fake son of Sydney Poitier in Six Degrees of Separation remains one of the most complex black gay characters to be captured on film. Many people are unaware that this character is based on a real life black gay con artist named David Hampton who conned celebrities like Melanie Griffith, Gary Sinise and Calvin Klein out of thousands of dollars back in the 1980’s.

Here’s a black man who’s not defined by his sexuality, instead defines himself with the countless lies he tells others. Another thing that makes the character so fascinating is how charming he is, a common trait of gay sociopaths. They make you gravitate towards them like moths to a flame and they will burn you just the same.



2. Omar Little [Michael K. Williams] – The Wire (TV Series)



Say what you will about The Wire’s tough black gay character Omar Little being a negative stereotype of black gay men, he was far from a one-note caricature. Michael K. William’s portrayal of the feared outlaw that robbed drug dealers for a living became an iconic character known around the world

The most riveting thing about his Omar Little was that his sexuality was engraved into his character yet that never defined who he was or how he was portrayed. As a matter of fact, we never had a single scene where the character is conflicted about his sexuality or shows any indifference whatsoever. He’s refreshingly depicted as a man that loves his boyfriends and loves his job, as illegal and violent as it may be.



1. Keith Charles [Mathew St. Patrick] – Six Feet Under (TV Series)



Hands down, openly gay Los Angeles Police Officer and Bodyguard Keith Charles on Six Feet Under is the best black gay character ever depicted on film or television. The genuine charm, love and devotion portrayed by Mathew St. Patrick made all of us wish that we had an equally strong and confident “Keith” in our lives.

Keith and his partner David Fisher may not have been married, but they were probably the first realistic domestic couple many of us ever ever saw. They even were proud parents, adopting two boys from foster care.

It was refreshing to see glimpses inside of Keith’s complicated life as he dealt with anger issues and multiple changes of employment. Many of these revelations were seen not through the prism of his relationship with his lover, but in his own scenes depicting his own struggles.

Do yourself a favor and catch up on all 5 seasons of this amazing show, if you haven’t already.









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