True allies can act as a ray of hope to oppressed individuals who have to suffer silently, or face their traumatic experiences by themselves. This listicle will shed some light on commendable efforts in movies and television to depict characters who impart not only allyship and kinship towards shunned or conflicted characters, but who often also prove to be better than flesh and blood family members themselves. This is due to their ability to create safe spaces and lighten the burden of trauma, especially within the LGBTQIA+ community. Many have even garnered a much revered gay/bi icon status within the community. Be warned, however, this listicle is not exactly spoiler-free.
1) Mary, AKA ‘The Widow Bonnet’ from the HBO Max series ‘Our Flag Means Death’
Claudia O’Doherty as Mary Bonnet from “Our Flag Means Death.” (Photo: HBO Max).
There may be a great deal of things that widow-turned-artist Mary Bonnet loathes (such as the ocean and a spouse who hogs the sheets in bed). However, when her husband and the aforementioned sheet-hogger Stede Bonnet returns from the dead and simultaneously comes out to her, she is ultimately loving and accepting of him. She literally welcomes him with open arms, despite their past differences (such as a forced marriage that neither of them wanted to be a part of).
What makes her an even greater ally and a darling of the fandom is that she accosts ex-hubby dearest to carry out one final ‘fuckery’ to reunite him with the love of his life and fellow pirate captain Edward Teach. Although after the abrupt events of that Season 1 finale, it remains to be seen whether Ed even wants his co-captain Stede back.
2) Anamika/Anu from ‘My Brother…Nikhil’
Juhi Chawla as ‘Anu’ and Sanjay Suri as ‘Nikhil’ in “My Brother…Nikhil.” (Photo: Four Front Films).
When his own parents begin to treat him indifferently and disown him post his HIV/AIDS diagnosis, swimming champion Nikhil finds a formidable ally in his supportive sister Anamika/Anu in “My Brother…Nikhil,” based on true events. During Nikhil’s lowest point, Anu lights up his day by simply smiling at him and reminding him of happier times. She inspires him to keep his chin up despite his grim prognosis. She is even on board when he bravely decides to take legal action against the medical authorities for their negligence and mistreatment. (Read our review).
3) Guillermo’s Familia and Sean Rinaldi from the FX Series ‘What We Do in the Shadows’
Sean Rinaldi (played by Anthony Atamanuik) on “What We Do in the Shadows.” (FX Productions).
Families that slay together, stay together! And vampire hunter Guillermo De La Cruz’s family is no different. What makes them such awesome allies is that they are more so baffled by Guillermo’s secretive desire of quitting vampire hunting to become a full-time vampire, rather than feeling threatened by his sexual identity when he finally comes out of the closet.
One can view a similar allyship trait in Sean Rinaldi, the unsuspecting human who lives next door to the blood-sucking protagonists of this show. Sean is not only the best human neighbour that an openly pansexual vampire could ask for, but he also proves to be a true ally. In one episode of the show, he proudly states he has no qualms in ‘violently reaming a homophobe’ (a line that not only left me chortling, but also applauding Sean’s efforts as an ally). (Read our review).
4) Anuja from ‘Cobalt Blue’
Neelay Mehendale and Anjali Sivaraman in “Cobalt Blue.” (Photo: Netflix Studios).
Tomboy Anuja proves to be a formidable ally due to her strong affinity to rebel against fixed patriarchal and societal norms imposed upon her by conservative parents — a trait she shares in common with her closeted brother Tanay. Both siblings also share a tight knit kinship (up until the arrival of a seductive paying guest who threatens to pull them apart). They are equally encouraging of each other’s secretive hopes, dreams, and ambitions, even consoling each other during their mutual heartaches when the aforementioned paying guest leaves them both in the lurch. (Read our review).
5) Charley from ‘A Single Man’
Julianne Moore from “A Single Man.” (Photo: Fade to Black Productions).
After the untimely death of his partner of 16 years, the titular single man George finds solace in his ex lover Charlotte/Charley. Their relationship constantly teeters between Charley acting as a platonic ally towards George, but also being unable to suppress her urges to reconcile their one sided-romance. However these urges never threaten to overpower Charley’s duties as a first and foremost faithful ally towards the grieving George — which mainly comprises of drinking, dining and dancing away the sorrows with him, and them exchanging stories of love and heartbreak over cigarettes… All of which works like a charm!
6) Maggie from ‘The Skeleton Twins’
Kristen Wiig as Maggie from “The Skeleton Twins.” (Photo: Duplass Brothers Productions).
Despite her own conflicted mindset and a marriage that’s possibly on its last legs, Maggie acts as a pillar of support to her depressed and gay brother Milo, who is recuperating at her home in Newark after a suicide attempt. When Milo starts stalking his former English professor — who is married and much older than him (and who is also the root cause behind his childhood sexual trauma) — Maggie tries to talk sense into her brother, which results in him confronting his own conflicted and hazy state of mind.
The film has many bonding scenes, such as Maggie dressing Milo up in drag to pull him out of a depressive rut, harkening back to a Halloween tradition from their childhood. The film also features an upbeat dance sequence wherein the siblings lip sync to “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship. These scenes not only provide for some sublime, wholesome moments in the movie, but further demonstrate Maggie’s prowess as an ally. (Read our review).
7) The students in ‘In & Out’
The students from “In & Out.” (Photo: Paramount Pictures).
The high school kids in this movie might have initially come across as pinheads with only a vague and very stereotypical understanding of homosexuality. However, their participation in a climactic scene that’s reminiscent to the “I’m Spartacus” scene — as they stand up against a homophobic faculty member who poses a threat to their newly out and proud English professor (played by Kevin Kline) — is deserving of an A+ in itself. It proves this ’90s flick was progressive and way ahead of the curve in terms of depicting acceptance, standing in solidarity, defiance of outdated norms, and allyship. (Read our review).
8) Bill from the ‘Mamma Mia’ Franchise
Stellan Stellan Skarsgård in “Mamma Mia.” (Photo: Universal Pictures).
The laid-back Bill and the awkward but wannabe spontaneous Harry are brought together by circumstances that pit them against each other after a young woman named Sophie appears out of the blue, claiming to be their illegitimate daughter.
Even though both men are strangers up until that point (and despite their clashing personalities), Bill ends up befriending his uptight ‘competitor.’ He becomes a great confidante, lending a ear to the hesitant and closeted Harry, who is still grappling and trying to come to terms with his sexuality. And in later scenes, Harry is shown to cut loose in Bill’s presence, proving that the latter’s kinship and accepting nature has prompted him to be more open to new opportunities as well.
Their chemistry and playful antics are a treat to behold in both the first film as well as its sequel. Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård also do justice to these characters by infusing them with a youthful, endearing quality. The sequel also fans the flames of allyship and blossoming kinship by giving us more memorable and wholesome moments between the two, such as when they playfully reenact the iconic “Titanic” pose onboard a yacht.
