Dame Angela Lansbury, described as the 'first lady' of musical theatre, sadly passed away at the age of 96. Whilst people all over the world are mourning her loss, she has a particular place in the hearts of LGBT+ people due to her tireless work to help the community and her iconic acting roles that she has portrayed during her long career.
Throughout her career and life, she dedicated herself to raising money for the AIDS pandemic that swept the nation, raising millions for the cause. Bringing to life some of the most important and iconic roles in film, Lansbury has truly cemented herself as a gay icon and a legend in the business.
Dying just 5 days shy of her 97th birthday, the late actress began her career in the 1940s, playing countless roles in musical theatre, television and film. Here are just some of the reasons why Dame Angela Lansbury became a gay icon to so many.
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Her legendary Broadway career
The winner of 5 Tony awards, she made her Broadway debut in the play Hotel Paradiso. However, one role was the catalyst in cementing herself into international gay icon status. Obtaining the lead role in Mame, Lansbury won the Tony award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical with the role described by critics as making her a "superstar".
“I’m very proud of the fact that I am a gay icon,” Lansbury said at age 88 according to PinkNews.
“It’s because of the role I played in Mame. She was just every gay person’s idea of glamour. Everything about Mame coincided with every young man’s idea of beauty and glory and it was lovely.”
Murder, She Wrote
Based on a fictional detective, Lansbury obtained the role at the age of 60, with the series running for a massive 12 seasons to huge success. The role created more attention around the actress, attracting an even bigger gay following all over the world.
With the likes of RuPaul obsessed with the show, Lansbury became extremely fierce and protective of her character, resisting producer pressures for her character to fall into a romantic relationship. The show was popular with the older gay generations and continues to hold a massive legacy to this present day. With a huge influence towards the end of the shows running, Lansbury shelfed the role with acting and executive producer credits under her belt.
She was supportive and raised millions for AIDS charities
At the height of the AIDS pandemic that swept America and the UK, Lansbury helped millions to fund research into the disease. Ensuring money was available to ensure patent care, she featured in an Aid for AIDS Holiday Card which was sent to over 10,000 supporters of the effort. She famously said: "During this holiday season, as you gather to celebrate with family and friends, it is important to give extra thought to those who are less fortunate. As you do, please remember Aid for AIDS."
The late actress was even awarded recognition for her work as an AIDS activist in 1996. She gave a brilliant speech, where she told the audience and the world they "Must never give up on the fight until the war [on AIDS] is won."
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