She also noted that some actors, who viewers may assume are straight, are just not out publicly, making the issue even more complicated. All rights reserved. Actors in 1995 as well as a number of off-Broadway Shakespeare productions including "The Victor Garber has been in some of the most memorable projects of the past four decades. Victor has recently appeared in The Slap (2015), The Flash (2014), Motive (2013) and Web Therapy (2011). He is best John Wesley Shipp was born on January 22, 1955 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Transparent (2014), Socket (2007) and Eli Stone (2008). I built Ring of Keys because there was no existing network of this specific community, and watching Keys meet, befriend, and hire each other because of this organization is a personal queer joy explosion. Actor/Singer/Producer and Ring of Keys Executive Director Andrea Prestinario (She/Her), Queer joy to me is a work in progress. Now thats fucked up., It sure is. Douglas Lyons: I'll be celebrating Pride this year by seeing as many vaccinated friends as I possibly can. June 30, 2022, By We will probably walk around the city, giving compliments and smiles to everyone we see. She graduated from UCLA in 1993 with a BA (Honors) in History and, in 1996, Joanna Johnson was born on December 31, 1961 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. In 2010, English actor Rupert Everett told U.K.s Radio 4 that he was very lucky at the beginning of his career, but that after he came out, his opportunities dried up. To have quote-unquote straight actors saying now, Hey, I won't take that part, because it's gay, and you should give it to a gay person, it feels like another way to stigmatize our stories," Babbit said. It means receiving abundant support for me, my art, PILOT, and all that I am and become. Sean supported himself as a classical Max Jenkins was born on March 13, 1985 in New York City, New York, USA. For one, they can do the work of finding raw talent, bring in diverse ensemble casts, hire queer writers and producers to be part of the creative process, and most importantly, not limit LGBTQ actors to LGBTQ roles, especially actors who are trans. In its latest Studio Responsibility Index, the LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD reported that 22 out of 118 films it counted from major studios (18.6 percent) released in 2019 featured LGBTQ characters, with gay male characters representing the bulk at nearly 70 percent and no transgender characters. Ann Thomas, founder of Transgender Talent LLC, a talent management company that represents trans actors, said these performers need better representation in film, but warned that limiting actors based on their sexuality or gender could backfire. In her acceptance speech, Taylor noted that there's "beautiful transgender talent" out there and encouraged filmmakers to "get out there and put it in your next movie. I think when a cis person goes in to play a trans role, Luna said of cisgender, or nontransgender, actors, they're bringing more of a projection.. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Web200 LGBTQ+ Actors & Actresses. He has been married to Christina Carano since October 25, 2015. He started his career in entertainment as a singer/songwriter. 1 ago. Gay Hollywood: 45 Out and Proud LGBT Stars (Photos) Weblgbtq broadway actors. Callum Scott Howells was born on April 29, 1999 in Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, UK. After the pandemic, a cocktail and a simple hug is more than enough. Additionally, TV aims to attract younger, niche audiences who expect to see diversity in their content. Actor | Them may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. He played David Madson on the Emmy and Golden Globe winning Limited Series: 'American Crime Story, The Assassination of Gianni Versace', Michael Langdon (The Benjamin Schiff Platt is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. For nearly thirty years, he has been one of the very few Mario Cantone is probably best known at home in the US as a comedian, impressionist and singer but he has also made a name for himself as a very successful Broadway actor, appearing in "Love! She spent most of her early years in New York and Maine, before settling in Manhattan to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the High School for Performing Arts. It was there in school that Charlie had his first exposure to acting. Valor! Most notably, perhaps, Tom Hanks, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a gay man dying of AIDS in the 1993 film Philadelphia, and Hilary Swank, who won the Oscar for her performance as transgender man Brandon Teena in the 1999 film Boys Dont Cry. The academy also nominated actors Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal for their roles in the 2005 gay cowboy film Brokeback Mountain, Jared Leto for his portrayal of a trans woman in the 2013 film Dallas Buyers Club, actor Cate Blanchett for her role in the 2015 lesbian romantic drama Carol and Eddie Redmayne for his portrayal of a trans woman in the 2015 film The Danish Girl., While many straight and cisgender actors are capable of playing these roles, Cruz argued that LGBTQ actors should be prioritized when it comes to telling our own stories.. He is only 35, so it's just second nature for him. The controversy threw fuel on an already simmering debate: Should non-LGBTQ actors still be cast in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer roles? Roberto Araujo Nixon made a memorable film debut in Little Darlings (1980). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Gay_actors&oldid=1118611706, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 October 2022, at 23:41. They have two children. But also, this year I am feeling doubly proud and excited to be able to perform live for Denver Pride at Clocktower Cabaret as well as Colorado Springs Pride at ICONS with The Skivvies. He is the creator and star of the Emmy-nominated web series EastSiders, which is now streaming worldwide on Netflix, translated into more than two dozen languages. Charlie Carver was born in San Francisco, California.At a young age, Charlie moved up to a small town in the Napa Valley. As Pride Month approached, Playbill reached out to a host of LGBTQIA + theatre artists to see how they planned to celebrate Pride during this unique year. I celebrate healing. A sort of band of freaks mentality. Despite criticism, many non-LGBTQ actors have been praised for their performances playing queer roles. He thinks gay, cisgender actors, like himself, should also steer clear. Roles there included Richard Miller in Eugene O'Neill's "Ah, Wilderness!" In some cases, [actors] are choosing not to come out for personal reasons, she explained. 1. Critic's Choice nominated actress Josie Totah is an immensely talented actress, writer, and producer with a gift for bringing dynamic characters to life. Queer joy means liberation and love. I can remember when we had one day. She has been married to Michelle Agnew since 2008. Please donate to The Trevor Project! Love. I have my nephews and niece that I adore and get to share my life with them instead of sharing stories over Instagram. ", Jeffrey Tambor in Amazon Prime's "Transparent.". Broadway Actor Get the best of whats queer. Indya Moore, Josie Totah, and Justice Smith are just a few of the young LGBTQ actors with bright futures in the entertainment industry. LGBTQ visibility has notably increased in recent years. Many rising stars identify within the LGBTQ community. He is an actor, known for Grey's Anatomy (2005), The Thing About Harry (2020) and #Realityhigh (2017). Adam Rippon was born on November 11, 1989 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor, known for Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016), Penny Dreadful (2014) and The History Boys (2006). LGBTQ advocates argue such portrayals only throw more harm onto a community already rife in abuse. As for Keitel, they said at some future point in time, all actors should be able to play all roles. However, they added, that shouldnt happen until the playing field is level.. Seth Sikes: Last June, with the pandemic at full throttle, I was staying in Fire Island, and I made a music video to celebrate Pride in order to poke a bit of fun of the mask-wearing rules and to celebrate all of the colors in our rainbow flag. At the age of 11, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. ", Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain. He is an actor, known for It's a Sin (2021) and The Witcher: Blood Origin (2022). Check Out the Cast of The Woman In Black on the West End, Take a Look at Rehearsals for the 10th Anniversary UK and Ireland Tour of Titanic The Musical, Go Inside Day 2 of Playbill's Weekend-Long, Broadway Stars on the 'Magic in the Air' Riding the First-Ever Playbill Pride Float in the NYC Pride Parade, Go Inside Day 1 of Playbill's Weekend-Long. WebNolbert Brown Jr. Mya Taylor poses with the award for best supporting female for Tangerine at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. I will celebrate as I always do. "I look back and go, 'Ouch. The debate around cis actors playing trans roles has become so heated that actors have even pulled out of them. Kevin Smith Kirkwood: Every year, my friends Christian and Peter host a Pride brunch at their downtown Manhattan apartment, and then we walk to the parade. 's weekly newsletter here. Lesbians and gay men became fixtures in the theater. In early December, Netflix dropped its highly anticipated musical comedy The Prom, starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells and James Corden as fading Broadway stars who set out to help a lesbian teen take her girlfriend to the prom.The film, helmed by out director Ryan Murphy, got mixed reviews, but some lambasted it as homophobic and offensive because of the casting of Corden, a straight actor, in what they saw as an aggressively flamboyant caricature of a gay man. And last year, Oscar-winner Halle Berry pulled out of playing a transgender character in an upcoming film after facing similar backlash. I also know that had a trans person played that role, they would have brought their own innate authenticity to it and infused it with more truth than I could have better understood at that time, or now, he said. He is best known for his roles as Franklin Webb in the 2018 science fiction film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Tim Goodman in Pokmon Detective Pikachu and Theodore Finch in All the Bright Places. Queer filmmaker Sekiya Dorsett drew a distinction between straight actors playing gay characters and cisgender actors in transgender roles. LGBTQ rights seemed to be doing well, and perhaps a story about homophobia didnt seem as urgent." Its painful, because they fear being found out., Winslet specified, too, that the problem affects men more than anything.. Willy Falk: For Gay Pride this year, I will be remembering and rejoicing: remembering those we have lost to death and despair, while rejoicing that things keep getting better for LGBTQIA+ awareness and acceptance. They started out in professional theater when they were in the seventh grade. Well-born, polite people didn't associate with them. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Actors While many straight actors have been praised for their performances in LGBTQ roles, some argue only queer actors have the authenticity to bring these parts to life. | Demi started out as a child actor on 'Barney & Friends'. Writing. This is another reason, in addition to the authenticity factor, that some argue queer roles should be reserved for queer actors. David Burtka was born on May 29, 1975 in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. Pollari took acting lessons from the Stagecoach Theatre Arts. He made his Broadway debut in "M. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. In Search of the Hammer. This category is for actors who publicly identify themselves, or who have been reliably identified, as gay men. My big plan is to hit up a local karaoke bar with my nieces and TWIRL, hunty. While queer and trans stars like Kristen Stewart and Elliot Page may be the face of a newer, more tolerant Hollywood, its more than believable that many cis men still consider it career suicide to come out of the closet. 200 LGBTQ+ Actors & Actresses - IMDb LGBT Niecy Nash Admits Her Mother Struggled With Her Marriage to Jessica Betts, TNia Miller Says True Representation Must be Behind the Camera and in Front of Camera, Niecy Nash Didnt "Come Out" Because She Wasnt Living a Sexually Repressed Life Before. Matthew Staton Bomer was born in Webster Groves, Greater St. Louis, Missouri, to Elizabeth Macy (Staton) and John O'Neill Bomer IV, a Dallas Cowboys draft pick. He has been married to Jussi-Pekka Kajaala since December 31, 2021. In Trousers. She does believe, however, that the issue of there not being enough LGBTQ stories in our mainstream is on the brink of change, and that queer actors need to have their own #MeToo moment of accountability in Hollywood. "Ive thought about that a lot. The Ammonite actress is speaking out about industry conditions that are still keeping performers in the closet. Perhaps [its from] conditioning and shame.. Without question La Cage Aux Folles, a record-breaking Tony Awards winner, ranks as the all-time leader of LGBT productions. He is an actor and producer, known for Dead to Me (2019), High Maintenance (2012) and Special (2019). Indya Moore, star of hit FX series "Pose," is non-binary. He is known for starring in the films Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988), as Nick, and The Hills Have Randy Harrison was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA and graduated high school in Atlanta, GA. Harrison began acting as a child eventually receiving a BFA from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. I exist for my pleasure, and that is my joy. Writer/Actor/Producer/Director Temidayo Amay (They/Them), Queer joy means community, connection, and authenticity; being the real me ALL the time; kissing my girlfriend in public and feeling badass about it! Dancer/Choreographer Adriana Pierce (She/Her), By I celebrate Pride this year by completing the first full draft of the book to a new musical with music and lyrics by David Austin. 0 0 Less than a minute. Transgender actor Zoey Luna, 19, who starred in the 2020 film The Craft: Legacy, a supernatural horror sequel to the 1996 cult classic The Craft, said she brings real representation to the character of Lourdes, a teenage witch who is trans. Last month, Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page publicly announced on Twitter that he is trans. 60 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Actors and Actresses That should be almost illegal, Winslet told reporter Jonathan Dean in the Sunday Times interview. And, afterwards, I hope to see everyone on the dance floor! In 2019, the brunch party came out to watch me perform as Classic Whitney: Alive! on the Procter & Gamble float celebrating 50 years of World Pride! Nolbert Brown Jr.: Movies, TV, and Bio The event included appearances from Hedwig and the Angry Inch's Stephen Trask, the cast of A Strange Loop, and more. Known for his performances on screen, stage and television, Groff is the recipient of such accolades as a Grammy Award and has been nominated for two Tony Awards, two Drama League Awards, a Drama Desk Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Matt was raised in Spring, Texas, and educated at Klein High School, near Houston. Now I celebrate that, not just this month, but everyday. He is an actor and producer, known for Cruel Summer (2021), Parks and Recreation (2009) and The Christmas Setup (2020). She is an actress and producer, known for Good Trouble (2019), The Fosters (2013) and The Bold and the Beautiful (1987). Marc Anthony Samuel was born in Los Angeles, California. He has been married to Ben Lewis since January 17, 2016. ", Kimberly French / Focus Features via AP file, Jesse James Keitel as Jerrie in "Big Sky.". Off-Broadway Play Comedy Revival. Bethany Rickwald Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites. Butterfly." It comes from seeing that our stories are worth telling and celebrating, and that we can be the ones to tell them! Actor/Composer-Lyricist/Musician Pearl Rhein (She/Her), My queer joy is a pleasure I share with myself and those who lift me up. Cue the laughter! Film studios, they said, tend to rely on smaller, less diverse teams of writers and have fewer LGBTQ people involved in the creative process. He has lived in London, Trieste, Madrid and resides in the US.He is best known for playing the role of Jesus Christ on "A.D. It is resilience, finding the places and people where I feel seen, loved, and celebrated, and learning to free myself from the stigmas surrounding my AAPI bisexuality. Actor/Singer/Fiber Artist Kristian Espiritu (She/They/Siya), To quote the poet Toi Dericotte, Joy is an act of resistance. Queer joy to me is exactly thisliving loudly and authentically as our true selves, standing defiantly in the face of people and systems that seek to diminish our existence. Let My People Come. I remember that moment. Larry Owens: Fortunately my debut 54 Below show falls on June 19th, which is so perfect its the intersection of Juneteenth and Pride Month! Born 25 March, 1947, as Reginald Kenneth Dwight, he started to play the piano at the early age of four. Jose Llana: I celebrate Pride every year the same way I celebrate it since I came out in 1994 when I was 17 years oldby living my life out and proud and with no shame. Jessica Paz: Well, Ill be treating myself to a once-a-week massage. WebThis is a list of LGBT Jews.Each person is both Jewish (by birth or conversion according to Jewish law, or identifies as Jewish via ancestry) and has stated publicly that they are bisexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, transgender, and/or queer or questioning (), or identify as a member of the LGBTQ community.Being both Jewish and LGBTQ is a canonical He is an actor and producer, known for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993), TerrorVision (1986) and Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986). They are featuring founders from Black Theater United (of which Im one) all this month. Tatum has been a staple in modern animes voice casts ever since he was discovered by Funimation and cast in Samurai 7. Im also a guest host this month for SIRIUS XM On Broadway's Two Show Day seriessharing Broadway and related songs that were influential to me. According to Playbill, Here Lies Love is a disco musical about the rise and fall of former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos family. 15 LGBTQ+ Broadway Shows to Celebrate Broadways Return He is the younger brother of well-known Australian stage and screen actor Andrew Buchanan. Talaura Harms He attended Hampshire High School and gradated cum laude from West Virginia University with a BFA in Theatre. And while plenty of men are out and proud behind the camera like Lee Daniels, Ryan Murphy, and Russell T. Davies even in todays Hollywood, coming out as bisexual or gay is seen as a career-killing mistake on the part of old-fashioned executives and casting agents. Soundtrack | From in-depth storytelling on the fight for LGBTQ+ rights to intimate profiles of queer cultural vanguards, its a platform for all of the bold, stylish, and rebellious ways that LGBTQ+ people are reshaping our world every day. Winslet, who is straight, also plays a gay character in her most recent role, the Mary Anning biopic Ammonite. His film credits include Behaving Badly, Born in Buenos Aires, Juan Pablo is the third son of painter Marta Maineri and Victorio Di Pace and is an actor, musician and director. Now, she said actors are rejecting them for fear they will be seen as stealing a role from an openly gay actor. | Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you! He started a professional career in radio, commercial and theatre in his teens. He has one younger brother, Connor Hutcherson. Category:Gay actors - Wikipedia As she fearlessly evolves her body of work with each new project, Totah is fast proving to be one of Hollywood's most engaging and sought-after Ryan Jamaal Swain was born in Birmingham, Alabama and spent much of his childhood training at local theatre and dance companies.As a writer, in 2014, Swain wrote and starred in A Negro Writer, a one-man show about Langston Hughes and his life.In 2017, Swain was cast as Damon Richards in Ryan Chris Colfer is a very talented actor and vocalist who was born on May 27, 1990 in Fresno, California, USA as Christopher Paul Colfer. In a recent interview with the Sunday Times, actress Kate Winslet let slip that certain queer actors in Hollywood still feel too scared to come out of the closet. In a recent interview with the Sunday Times, actress July 1, 2022, By He is currently staring in Greg Berlanti's new DC Comics Superhero series "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" for Nick Westrate was born in Cassopolis, Minnesota, USA. He is the only actor to be honored with the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, Clarence Derwent Award, and Theater World Award for the same performance. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. He is best known for his role as Justin Taylor in the Showtime series Queer as Folk (1999). Acting since the age of eleven, he is best known for his roles in Netflix's fantasy series Locke & Key (2020) and in the Emmy-winning ABC drama American Crime (2015). Sam is a music artist and actor, known for Spectre (2015), Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) and Sing (2016). She has five siblings - two half-brothers, a half-sister, and a younger brother and sister. In 2020 alone, queer actor Kristen Stewart played a lesbian in Hulus Christmas rom-com Happiest Season, out actors Sarah Paulson and Cynthia Nixon He is of Latin and Jewish descent. Im done with not being honest about what my real opinions are, Winslet explained in the interview, and I know the [Ammonite] part was never offered to anybody else. Miles Heizer was born on May 16, 1994 in Greenville, Kentucky, USA. Lily Tomlin, comedian and actress ("Grace & Frankie") Sam Smith, Oscar-winning singer and songwriter Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family" actor Laverne In 2020 alone, queer actor Kristen Stewart played a lesbian in Hulus Christmas rom-com Happiest Season, out actors Sarah Paulson and Cynthia Nixon played love interests in Ryan Murphys Netflix series Ratched, gay actor Dan Levy played a queer character in the Emmy-winning Canadian show Schitts Creek"and several openly gay actors starred in the Netflix adaption of the Tony Award-winning queer play The Boys in the Band.. | She thinks actors whether they be cisgender or transgender should play roles that match their gender identity, as long as trans actors are given fair opportunities. Margaret Hall My name, Temidayo Amay, actually means my joy has come! He has been married to Jacob Villere since October 7, 2018. Nyle DiMarco Actor | Station 19 Model, actor, and activist Nyle DiMarco, born in Queens, New York City, USA, has been 2. I celebrate that there will be many diverse roles for artists from many walks of life to originate in this new work of art for today. This list may not reflect recent changes. And, whether you're planning to celebrate virtually or in person, be sure to catch Playbill's first-ever live concert event in honor of Pride, Glimmer of Light. Theres also, of course, the age-old assumption that gay actors cant be convincing in straight roles. In a recent interview with Variety, queer actor Kristen Stewart also expressed concern that limiting who can play LGBTQ roles could result in limiting opportunities for queer actors. Lastly, patronizing NYC LBGTQIA+ venues and hopefully Fire Island and Provincetown. Jonathan David Bennett was born in Rossford, Ohio, to RuthAnne (Mason) and Dr. David Paul Bennett. The following 33 pages are in this category, out of 33 total. What started as a revolution is now part of the American vernacular and seen displayed in department stores. The entire experience feels like a huge party, as Pride Month should. Born in Brooklyn, raised on Staten Island, New York. I don't need big parties or a parade this year. All of this I celebrate. He has been married to Blake Lee since January 17, 2016. ", Some celebrity actors are coming out as trans, and forcing the industry to evolve in the process. Hailing from rural Western Australia, Cody made his auspicious stage debut as the lead in the National Theatre's production of 'War Horse'. He is a music artist and actor, known for 50 First Dates (2004), Chasing Liberty (2004) and When in Rome (2010). But Winslet is aware of the problems of casting straight actors in queer roles. Darius de Haas: I am primarily here in my new-ish home in New Jersey, and as far as Pride, Im happy and honored to venture out to sing the music of legendary composer Billy Strayhorn on June 24 at 7 PM for the Flushing Town Hall Pride Trilogy. Peppermint: I'm celebrating five this year by highlighting LGBT POC voices, particularly black queer joy, healing, and celebration. And, since I got legally married nearly three years ago, I've been dropping the word "husband" as often as I can! Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. | Theres no shortage of celebrities playing queer characters in television and film. From Queer as Folk in 1999 through acclaimed dramas Bob & Rose , A Very English Scandal and 2019's Years and Years, LGBTQ stories have played a prominent In 2018, after facing fierce social media backlash, Scarlett Johansson withdrew from the film Rub & Tug for which she had been tapped to play the real-life Dante "Text" Gill, a trans man who ran brothels in 1970s-Pittsburgh. Feeling grateful and thankful for the world healing, being able to travel again, and perform live in front of audiences to celebrate LGBTQ Pride. Were both sad that theres no parade this year, but we will be supporting our local gay bars as of June 15 when everything opens to full capacitymask free! Her mother died when she was ten. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. He is a producer and writer, known for Sex and the City 2 (2010), Sex and the City (1998) and Sex and the City (2008). They have two children. READ: Checking In With Come From Away Star De'Lon Grant. His mother, J. Andy Murphy, was a writer and communications worker and Jim J. Bullock was born on February 9, 1955 in Casper, Wyoming, USA. Zoey Luna, who will play a nontransgender character in an upcoming film, has a slightly different take on the issue. June 28, 2022, By Barbara was previously married to the late Paul Gilbert. He began modeling at age 15 and his first success came with an Abercrombie & Fitch campaign. Kiss of the Spiderwoman. Winslets mainstream breakthrough came with Peter Jacksons 1994 classic Heavenly Creatures, in which she played Juliet Hulme, a young New Zealander who, along with her best friend and lover Pauline Parker, was found guilty of murdering Parkers mother in the 1950s. Tell us what you think about this feature. Still. Max was born and raised in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He went on to study at the Interlochen Arts Academy, ACT San Francisco, and the University of Southern Dan Bucatinsky was born in New York City, New York, USA to Argentinian parents, Julio and Myriam. Redmayne in The Danish Girl, Leto in Dallas Buyers Club and Tambor in Transparent.). June 29, 2022, By Nielsens inaugural "Being Seen on Screen: Diverse Representation & Inclusion on TV report, released in December, found that 26 percent of the top 300 TV programs included at least one cast member who identifies as LGBTQ. In 2005 he studied vocal performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Lenny didn't know any of this, of course. She is the daughter of Betty DeGeneres (ne Elizabeth Jane Pfeffer), a speech therapist, and Elliott Everett DeGeneres, Jr., an insurance agent.