Attitude 101 2026: Here are the 10 influential figures who made our ‘Film, TV and Music’ list

This year’s Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley, shines a light on the gifted LGBTQ+ talent driving culture across the entertainment industry.

The selection spans 10 sectors: Business; Fashion, Art & Design; Financial & Legal; Film, TV, and Music; Media & Broadcast; STEM; Sport; The Future (Under 25), supported by Clifford Chance; Third Sector & Community; and Travel, supported by Booking.com.

Below are 10 LGBTQ+ actors, singers, TV stars, writers, and directors already reshaping their industries, honoured on this year’s Film, TV and Music list.

Category leader: Fra Fee

Fra Fee rose to international prominence through a series of stage and screen roles, including his performances in The Ferryman, Marvel’s Hawkeye, and the BBC’s Lost Boys and Fairies. A trained actor with a background in musical theatre, he has been widely praised for bringing depth and nuance to both queer and straight characters, while consistently championing representation and visibility in TV, film, and music. Open about growing up queer in Northern Ireland, Fee has used his platform to speak on the importance of being out and visible for younger generations. A devoted musical theatre fan, he continues to dream of taking on the Sondheim classic Sunday in the Park with George. See here for Fra Fee’s Attitude 101 feature interview.

Cat Burns

Cat Burns is bringing Black queer female representation to the forefront of UK music. Her debut, viral 2020 single ‘Go’ rocketed up the UK charts via TikTok in 2022. In 2025, her second studio album, How To Be Human, hit number five on the UK Official Albums Chart and number one in Album Downloads, both major milestones for the 25-year-old singer. The album arrived during her high-profile run on The Celebrity Traitors UK, where Burns charmed her way to the finale, proving she’s as talented on TV as on stage. 

Talisa Garcia 

Breaking barriers for the trans community on UK TV and beyond, the 53-year-old actress, who is transgender, stole the spotlight in the hit ITV drama and hilariously camp heist Frauds (2025). Playing a 50-something trans woman and drag queen running a local bingo club, Talisa Garcia brought her signature wit and charm to the show and left an unforgettable impression. She also made history as the first publicly trans actress cast by Lucasfilm, notably playing a cisgender character in the Disney+ series Willow (2022), bringing trans representation to screens worldwide. 

Shobna Gulati  

An acclaimed actor known for their iconic role as Sunita Alahan on Coronation Street (2001-2006, 2009-2013), Shobna Gulati marked a trailblazing moment in 2025 when they publicly came out as non-binary at 58 years old. With a career spanning roles in everything from Dinner Ladies to Doctor Who, Gulati has been a familiar, celebrated face on British screens. In 2025, they brought their charisma to a new audience as a celebrity guest on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, cementing their status as a pioneering queer figure on British TV. 

Xelia Mendes-Jones  

Of half-Indian heritage, Xelia Mendes-Jones is a transmasculine, pansexual actor who has rapidly made waves across film and television. He rose to prominence with his leading role as Dane in Prime Video’s Fallout (2024), delivering a performance that brought meaningful non-binary representation to mainstream TV. Raised in London, Mendes-Jones came out as transgender and non-binary in early 2023. Since then he’s had a string of breakout roles, including Renna in series two of The Wheel of Time, and a turn as Johnny in Netflix’s Havoc (2025).  

Lee Knight 

An actor turned writer and director, Lee Knight’s work spans theatre and screen, including his award-winning short film A Friend of Dorothy, which has also been nominated for an Oscar. Featuring queer icons Miriam Margolyes and Stephen Fry, the film delicately explores an intergenerational friendship between an elderly woman and a queer teenage neighbour. Celebrated for his storytelling, Knight is also known for his onscreen performances, including starring alongside Sir Ian McKellen in Hamlet (2024) on Prime Video and taking on queer roles in The Spiritualist (2018). 

Mason Alexander Park 

Celebrated for boundary-pushing work across stage and screen, Mason Alexander Park is a non-binary actor widely recognised for portraying Desire in Netflix’s The Sandman, bringing a non-binary character to mainstream television with striking authenticity. Currently starring as Mary Todd Lincoln in the West End production of Oh, Mary!, Park has earned acclaim for landmark musical theatre roles, including the Emcee in Cabaret (2023). Through their artistry and visibility, Park has become a trailblazing figure, reshaping representation of gender-diverse performers and characters in contemporary theatre and TV. 

Noah Schnapp 

He began filming the hit series Stranger Things at just 11 years old, and has since become a familiar face in households around the world. Noah Schnapp burst onto the scene as Will Byers in 2016, a character who battled Demogorgons, faced Vecna, and struggled with his sexuality. In the fifth and final 2025 season, Will shared a tender coming out moment that mirrored Schnapp’s own real-life journey. Now 21, he has transformed from a child star into a world-renowned talent, leading the way for young queer representation in Hollywood. 

Jacob Tierney 

Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney sent shockwaves through the gay world when his on-screen adaptation of Rachel Reid’s novel landed on Crave and HBO Max in late 2025. The gay hockey romance series tackles themes of internalised homophobia and sportsmanship, while portraying authentic gay sex through several acclaimed scenes. Since its debut, the show has surged up the streaming charts, ranking at or near the top of HBO Max’s most-watched series in the US and number one on NOW in the UK. The six-part series has become Crave’s most-watched original series ever, with viewership growing rapidly week on week. 

Jin Xing 

One of China’s most prominent transgender public figures, Jin Xing is a groundbreaking force for LGBTQ+ visibility in Chinese media. A celebrated dancer, choreographer and television host, she rose from a distinguished career in modern dance to become a household name through popular TV shows such as The Jin Xing Show. After undergoing gender-affirming surgery in 1995, Xing became one of the first people in China to transition publicly. Her success as a trans woman has made her a powerful symbol of representation. 

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The full Attitude 101 list appears in issue 369 of Attitude magazine, available to buy now in print, on the Attitude app, or through Apple News+.