Welcome to the Creepy Kiki, PRIDE’s weekly dissection of all things that go bump in the (gay) night. This is the first installment in a series celebrating queer horror, so join us each week for more stories that chill, thrill, and unapologetically kill — with flair.
Director John Hughes was one of the defining voices of the 1980s. He was the architect behind some of the most enduring archetypes of the teen comedy genre. But what if you took some of his most influential work, like 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink, and Some Kind of Wonderful and tossed them in a blender with some red dye and corn syrup? What you’d end up with is Fear Street: Prom Queen, the latest entry in Netflix’s oh-so-queer horror franchise that debuted with a trilogy of movies and dominated the summer of 2021.
This new entry, set in 1988 between the events of the first two of those films, introduces us to a new cast of doomed characters just days away from their senior prom. At its (bloody) heart is Lori Granger, who in typical form for the franchise’s fictional town of Shadyside, comes from a family that seems cursed with violence. By her side is her horror-loving, pot-smoking, and very queer-coded best friend, Megan Rogers, played by out actress Suzanna Son.
Suzanna Son as Megan Rogers and India Fowler as Lori Granger in Fear Street: Prom Queen.
Alan Markfield/Netflix
Against all odds, Lori finds herself nominated for prom queen. The only thing standing between her and coronation is the “wolf pack” — her school’s group of vicious, popular girls — oh, and an axe-wielding maniac, picking off the would-be prom royalty.
It’s a perfectly ’80s setup for a slasher movie, and the film takes full advantage of finding delightfully gory ways to slice and dice through its significant body count. But what really makes this a must-see for queer fans is Megan, who is an amalgamation of classic '80s (and '00s) sidekicks Duckie, Watts, and a whisper of Janis Ian; and that Son helps infuse the character with the kind of queer-coding that would also have been period appropriate.
Suzanna Son as Megan Rogers in Fear Street: Prom Queen.
Alan Markfield/Netflix
This film marks the actress's freshman foray into the horror genre, having first broken out in her Gotham Award-nominated role in Sean Baker’s Red Rocket, followed by a scene-stealing performance as Chloe in HBO’s The Idol.
But her road to becoming a scream queen might just have been predestined. “My birthday is the day before Halloween,” she jokes to PRIDE. “The nurses at the hospital were actually dressed up like witches, and I think that's so funny. It's something that's followed me.”
It may have awakened something in her as well. Son credits starring in Fear Street for turning her into a fan of the genre — but that first came with conquering a fear of her own. “I was pretty nervous to do Fear Street,” she admits. “I had never screamed in public. I had never run on screen before. I was very self-conscious. So, in a way, it was like boot camp and it also made my love for horror so much stronger.”
The Killer, India Fowler as Lori Granger and Suzanna Son as Megan Rogers in Fear Street: Prom Queen.
Alan Markfield/Netflix
The secret to a good scream? Son, who’s also a lifelong piano player with her first album debuting soon, says it's the same as singing. “You don't know what sound is going to come out, and if you don't commit, and if you're not a little bit relaxed, it's gonna sound like crap,” she explains. “You really just have to just throw yourself away.”
She has plenty of opportunities to show off those pipes in Fear Street, as she’s stalked through the halls of Shadyside High by a masked killer. Her newly found love of horror is also something she’s been sharing with her wife, talent manager Ana Bedayo. “She was really scared,” says Son.
Son, on the other hand, has dived into the deep end of the genre and isn't looking back. “I'm good to go. I will watch Sinners on shrooms in IMAX, and my wife is freaking out and I have to console her while I'm on shrooms, which is crazy,” she says. “So if that gives you any bit of the dynamic, she's such a chicken, but I love her so much because she will watch all of the horror [movies] with me, and I'll just maybe I'll watch it first, and then I'll have to tell her there's a jump scare coming.”
Her new passion for the genre has lead to her discovering film like Nicolas Pesce’s The Eyes of My Mother, a psychological horror entry about a young woman’s emotional detachment growing into violent behavior, which Son says she connected with in a surprisingly profound way, “It's so sad, and there's something about it that reminds me of my childhood, which is so fucked up, just like the way... I don't even want to get into it, but, yeah, there's just something nostalgic about it,” she shares. “It's also a beautiful film. All the trauma aside, it's stunning... that changed my life, actually. It was like, horror can be beautiful.”
Like many queer folks, Son has found a refuge in the horror genre, and the catharsis it offers in a world where reality can feel quite scary. “Feeling those feelings in a safe place, on my couch with my wife, there's something nice about [it], that life isn't so scary anymore,” she explains. “I can go to that place and be scared when I want to and when I'm in control of it.”
Not only has the horror genre offered a safe space to process feelings of fear, but it’s also been a place where queer audiences have seen themselves reflected, either subtextually in films like A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge or textually as in Miriam Blaylock in The Hunger — or, more recently, in a multigenerational lesbian love story central to the Fear Street trilogy.
India Fowler as Lori Granger, David Iacono as Tyler Torres and Suzanna Son as Megan Rogers in Fear Street: Prom Queen.
Alan Markfield/Netflix
Like most of the queer viewers who tuned into that three part saga of sapphic love and human sacrifice, Son was a fan. “No notes! Honestly, I just love a love story that isn't all about sadness,” she says of Prom Queen’s predecessors.
While the new film falls more into the subtextual column, queer fans will likely pick up on the loads of queer coding in the film — as unintentional as it may be. Son shares that director Matt Palmer (Calibre) intended the dynamic between Megan and Lori to be “platonic love”; we'll leave it up to the audience to decide what they see. If they end up viewing the dynamic through rainbow colored glasses, well, they’re in good company. “It was how I interpreted the page, really,” admits Son. “I saw all these words on the page and, yeah, they just felt so real. I don't know how to put it. I just felt the friendship and the kinship, and I have lost some best friends before, and it was reminding me of that feeling.”
Suzanna Son attends "Fear Street: Prom Queen Shadyside High Senior Prom '88" immersive experience hosted by Netflix at The Fonda Theatre on May 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Netflix
While Fear Street: Prom Queen might be Son’s first foray into horror, it won’t be her last. Next up, she’s starring in the upcoming season of Monsters, which will focus on famed serial killer Ed Gein, whose crimes inspired some of the most iconic queer villains in horror history, including Silence of the Lambs’ Buffalo Bill and Psycho’s Norman Bates himself. While Son can’t say much about her Monsters role, including the name of her character, it's one she admits she “mourned” when she had to say goodbye to them.
Son seems destined to be a figure in queer horror history, and we can’t wait to see what she conjures up — while safely peeking out between our fingers, of course.
To see PRIDE's interviews with the Fear Street: Prom Queen cast, check out the video at the top of the page.
'The Ultimatum: Queer Love' season one cast — where are they now?Photo by Simone Thompson/Netflix
When Netflix premiered The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On in 2022, viewers watched straight couples face a tricky question: “Will you marry me, or walk away?”
In 2023, the streamer spun off a bold new experiment in The Ultimatum: Queer Love, which featured five LGBTQ+ duos who swapped partners for “trial marriages,” then reunited to decide if they’d commit forever or call it quits.
Over ten drama‑packed episodes, one partner issued an ultimatum—marry or move on—and the candidates moved in with someone else, blurring lines of romance, identity, and self‑growth.
Now that Netflix has announced season 2, let’s catch up with the original cast—where they started on camera, what happened behind the scenes, and where their love stands today.
Yoly, haunted by her feelings for Xander, still accepted Mal’s wedding proposal. However, continued rumblings about trust and honesty unraveled their bond.
Their finale “I do” rang hollow, and both acknowledged they’d rather be friends than spouses. Eventually, even that fizzled.
Yoly dove into a “dating me” era—solo cooking videos, dog‑mom adventures, and, in November 2023, soft-launched her new partner, Domenick Flores, whom she still dates as of May 2025.
Tiff, an LGBTQ+ coach hopeful, asked Mildred, a devoted mother and Zumba instructor, for marriage, despite repeated blowups over communication and Tiff’s role in Mildred’s son’s life.
Their trial pairing with other partners only magnified tensions, and a revealing reunion unveiled an alleged domestic dispute, culminating in Tiff’s dramatic exit. No vows, no healing—just headlines.
Tiff harnessed the drama into creative ventures, including co-hosting the Fweebs Podcast, launching Cameo shout-outs, and speaking at Pride events coast to coast. They’re single, thrifting vintage looks, leveling up in web design studies, and advocating for domestic violence awareness. Their Instagram is a mix of motivational reels and cameo appearances.
Mildred retreated from the spotlight after social‑media backlash, resurfacing only for Zumba livestreams and occasional “healing through dance” posts.
Although Mildred hasn’t returned to mainstream platforms, she’s reportedly attending local fitness classes and focusing on her son—proof that stepping away can be part of one’s own ultimatum to survive and thrive. She told Netflix Tudum that she’s not ready for anything serious and enjoys being single.
Vanessa, a fierce influencer, and Xander, a Hawaii‑based PT and coach, were the only couple to say no on their Ultimatum Day. Vanessa’s fear of losing herself clashed with Xander’s desire for partnership.
Even though they had a sweet moment together during the reunion that seemed as though they’d continue in friendship, the two have slowly become more estranged.
Vanessa, who was dubbed the villain on the season,decamped to L.A., embracing a “solo era” of European backpacking, luxury brand collabs, and living her best life.
Xander, meanwhile, stayed in Hawaii. She launched her physical-therapy practice, studied to be a yoga instructor, and even weighed out a move to San Diego before deciding to stay put.
Lexi, the confident content creator, laid down the law with Rae, a soft‑spoken software engineer, demanding a yes‑or‑no answer about marriage.
In their trial marriage, Rae’s chemistry with Vanessa sparked jealousy, but ultimately, Rae proposed to Lexi in a candlelit finale. Lexi tearfully accepted, vowing to build a future together. Yet fans cringed as Lexi’s micromanaging clashed with Rae’s need for emotional space, setting the stage for a rocky reunion.
By reunion day, the engagement ring had already been shelved.
Lexi shifted gears post‑show into full‑time influencing, partnering with wellness brands, sharing weight‑lifting clips, and launching a relationship with photographer Kristin Zancanelli (a.k.a. “Zanc”), whom she engaged in March 2024.
Lexi’s content now celebrates queer love with floral ring selfies and workout duets.
Why is her drink order always better than mine 😩 #fyp #funny #happyhour #drinks #couple
The former fiancée boasts a thriving career as a software engineer, globe‑trotting TikToks, and weekly therapy sessions to unlearn people‑pleasing patterns. She’s now in a relationship with talent manager Caitlin Kearney.
Sam, an optimistic social worker, confronted Aussie, a nonbinary artist wrestling with past trauma, demanding a ring or a breakup.
Their trial marriages tested Aussie’s boundaries, as well as Aussie’s journey through gender identity exploration, and anchored their bond. In a surprise finale, Aussie accepted Sam’s proposal, promising to heal and grow together.
Where are they now?
Photo by Simone Thompson/Netflix
They remain the only couple from Season 1 to still be engaged, prioritizing their personal journeys over wedding plans.
On Instagram, Sam shares Aussie’s leather‑punk lookbooks and wellness check‑ins, while Aussie chronicles nights out in Loewe boots and gender‑euphoric fashion experiments. Aussie credits Sam for allowing them to explore their identity, and in return, has coached Sam through family‑origin work and somatic therapy.
Although they haven’t set a date, they’ve locked down one detail: only Tiff and Vanessa get wedding invites.
Only one ring left—and a fresh ultimatum
Sam and Aussie’s continued engagement proved that sometimes a bold ultimatum can blossom into a true partnership. The rest have scattered into new relationships, careers, and creative projects—each writing their own happily‑ever‑after, whether single, partnered, or soulfully solo.
With season 2 on the horizon, six new queer couples will test love’s boundaries all over again. Will Netflix’s next batch finally produce a second success story? Or will more hearts be broken on the path to marriage?
One thing’s certain: we’ll be here, popcorn at the ready, to track every ring, breakup, and soft‑launch in the queer love multiverse.
While attending the grand opening for The Tryst Puerto Vallarta, All Stars 5 champion Shea Couleé congratulated Nurve on her sickening run and for securing the season 17 crown.
"I'm so proud of Onya Nurve! That charisma was off the charts. It was wonderful to watch! It is such an incredible sisterhood. I love these girls and I love welcoming new sisters into the winner's circle. Onya Nurve, welcome sis! You did the damn thing," Couleé tells PRIDE.
One classic Drag Race phrase is that the real race begins once the show has wrapped and Couleé is the perfect personification of that sentiment.
The talented queen has walked in sickening fashion shows, toured around the world, and even landed a role in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe TV show Ironheart.
"Honestly, I just always want to focus on gratitude. I'm so thankful for every opportunity [where] I can step into spaces that I've never been in before and represent the community. It really does mean a lot to me!"
The world is certainly Couleé's oyster as she continues to expand her career with her warmth, kindness, and determination to bring LGBTQ+ visibility to spaces that desperately need it.
"My parents always told me that the best thing that I could ever do would be to have a positive impact on the world. Literally today, I was just like, 'It's so fun being gay!' I feel like I live one of the most fulfilling lives and it's incredible."
When it comes to a long line of fabulous guest stars, Sesame Street has really led the charge. Over the course of the 50+ years it's been on air, the show has repeatedly pulled some of the most exciting names to come swing by and entertain and educate kids with the help of the residents of Sesame Street.
Even though the show took its time bringing actual queer representation to the block, it's never shied away from having LGBTQ+ celebrity guests. Everyone from Ellen DeGeneres to Elton John to every famous queer Billy/Billie you can imagine has made a stop on Sesame Street. So to celebrate its recent salvation via Netflix, here are just a few of our faves over the years.
1. Billie Eilish
Pop stars performing on Sesame Street is a time-honored tradition, and Billie Eilish clearly didn't mind revisiting her lyrics to make way for The Count.
2. Ian McKellen
If only Patrick Stewart had joined them!
3. Tracy Chapman
Those are some lucky muppets to get a personal Tracy Chapman concert like that.
4. Kate McKinnon
Kate McKinnon's energy is practically made for Sesame Street.
5. Kal Penn
Kal Penn has made several appearances on Sesame Street— you know, in between his busy acting schedule and that time he went to go work at the White House for awhile, nbd.
6. Rosie O'Donnell
A native New Yorker, Rosie O'Donnell just fits right in on Sesame Street.
7. Billy Porter
The mere idea of Billy Porter appearing on Sesame Street caused quite a stir, but Sesame Street is for everyone.
8. Reneé Rapp
Reneé Rapp appeared on Sesame Street for the first time in 2025, but we hope she'll be back!
9. Keke Palmer
Only Keke Palmer could make "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" sound so fun.
10. Harvey Fierstein
Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein visited Sesame Street on several occasions, but his song about noses parodying "Everything's Coming Up Roses" is one to remember.
11. Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho kept the laughs coming when she worked through some emotions with Big Bird.
12. Billy Eichner
Forget Billy on the Street — Billy on the Sesame Street is totally where it's at.
13. Janelle Monáe
Sesame Street has never been quite as stylish as when Janelle Monáe stopped by.
14. Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming on Sesame Street somehow just makes perfect sense.
15. Jodie Foster
Is there anything more weirdly adorable than Jodie Foster trying to befriend Oscar the Grouch?
16. Dan Levy
It's too bad we couldn't have had his Schitt's Creek alter ego show up and try to adjust to life on Sesame Street, but everyone was just as thrilled to see Dan Levy leading a dinosaur hunting expedition on the show as himself.
Josh O'Connor and Paul Mescal in The History of Sound
Courtesy of Mubi
Rumors have been swirling about the gay historical romance The History of Sound for years, and now we’re finally getting some tea about the film and the potential steamy sex scenes out of the Cannes Film Festival.
Details about the film have been shrouded in mystery since it was first announced back in 2021, and it was revealed that Challengers actor Josh O’Connor and All of Us Strangers lead Paul Mescal are starring in the period piece.
For years, it was unclear when the film would come out, but now it has finally had its world premiere at Cannes, and people can't stop talking about it. Mescal is already standing up to reviewers who are comparing the film to Brokeback Mountain in unfavorable terms, and director Oliver Hermanus has finally opened up about the touching romance at the heart of the film and how the sex scenes compare to his recent spicy series, Mary & George.
So here’s everything we know about the sexy historical drama taking Cannes by storm.
What is the History of Sound about?
Paul Mescal and director Oliver Hermanus pose during a photocall for the film "The History of Sound" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 22, 2025.
MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images
The film, conceived in 2020 and adapted from a collection of short stories by American author Ben Shattuck, is set during WWI, and follows Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor) as they embark on a cross-country trip to record the lives, voices, and music of their countrymen. "In this snatched, short-lived moment in their young lives, and while discovering the epic sweep of the U.S., both men are deeply changed,” the official description reads.
Mescal plays a talented singer from rural Kentucky who left his family farm to attend the Boston Music Conservatory, while O’Connor stars as a charming music composing student who is drafted into the end of the war, and then spends the winter of 1920 walking through Maine collecting folk songs to preserve them for future generations.
"I instantly fell in love with Ben Shattuck's flawlessly beautiful short story and knew I had to be involved in its journey to the screen," Hermanus said in 2021. "Paul and Josh are two of the most promising actors of their generation who will share with us deeply soulful performances. This is an unexpected love story that needs to be told -- it is a journey through the life of America, across the 20th century and the traditions of American folk music, all seen through the bond between two men immersed in the history of sound. This undeniably powerful story will certainly resonate with audiences the world over."
Those sex scenes
Paul Mescal during "The History of Sound" photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 22, 2025 in Cannes, France.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
The film had been teased for so many years that people had high expectations for the love scenes between Mescal and O'Connor, and while the Cannes audience gave the film a six-minute standing ovation, reviewers were less thrilled with the pace of the film and the lack of steamy sex scenes. World of Reel called it “Brokeback Lite,” and Variety compared it to the gay cowboy film as well, writing that it is “Brokeback Mountain on Sedatives.” But Mescal takes offense at this comparison.
“I personally don’t see the parallels at all with Brokeback Mountain, other than we spent a little time in a tent,” Mescal said at Cannes after his film premiered, The Guardian reports. Mescal admitted that he loves Brokeback Mountain, but likes that The History of Sound is different. "I find those comparisons relatively lazy and frustrating, but for the most part I think the relationship I have to the film is born out of the fact that it’s a celebration between these men’s love and not the repression of their sexuality," he said.
Despite what fans were hoping for, there aren't many points in the film when Mescal and O'Connor's characters even kiss, but for Hermanus, that wasn't the point of the film. In an interview with Varietyfrom Cannes, Hermanus called the film “a very romantic story.” The characters in The History of Sound fall for each other quickly, a decision the director made because, “It’s 2025, and queer audiences want more.” He continued, “We confuse yearning for obsession and unrequited love. You can long for someone, and not just because they aren’t there.”
Hermanus isn’t going for shocking sex scenes like he has in other projects he’s helmed. This time, he’s more focused on romance. “There are moments, but I was very determined to not have the assumptions of sex scenes be pivotal, or gear changes in their relationship,” Hermanus revealed. “That’s not the film. They stick together from the first day they meet. What I love is the moments that bring sex about, and then the moments after. Josh’s character has this amazing thing where he keeps collecting all the feathers that are falling out of Paul’s pillow and stuffing them back in. That’s romance.”
But how gay is it?
Paul Mescal arrives for the screening of the film "The History of Sound" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 21, 2025.
SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images
Very. While the sex scenes might not be as…diverse as Hermanus’ previous project Mary & George, you’ll be treated to tender romance, yearning, and, if we’re lucky, there will be a couple of scenes to scratch the itch of fans dying to see Mescal and O’Connor's chemistry on screen.
Hermanus also said that he has an affinity for queer films that focus on sex. “I love films that have raw sexuality, it’ll take a lot for me to be shocked or feel endangered by queer sex,” he said.
Meet the leads: Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor
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Mescal and O’Connor are two of the hottest names in Hollywood, so the internet is very excited to see them share the screen as gay lovers. Mescal rose to fame for his role in Normal People, for playing Andrew Scott’s neighbor-turned-lover in All of Us Strangers, and then for starring in Rodney Scott’s blockbuster Gladiator II.
O’Connor has also made a name for himself playing queer characters is the past. He played opposite Zendaya in Challengers, where he shared a kiss with Mike Faist, and starred as a gay man in God’s Own Country in 2017.
Oliver Hermanus on his spiciest project
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This isn’t the only queer project Hermanus has helmed, in fact he’s made a career out of it, from Beauty to The History of Sound. But it’s his series Mary & George that is probably his horniest creation to date. In the Variety interview, Hermanus said, “I made a TV show in 2023 called Mary and George, and we would stand on set trying to think of new sex positions. I would turn to Nicholas Galitzine and say, 'What have you not done?' He would go, 'I got fucked that way yesterday. I already did an orgy with that guy the other day. I topped that guy and bottomed for the other.’ The intimacy coordinator would come over with an iPad and flip through new positions. It was the point where I was just trying to differentiate a French orgy from a British one, like Legos.”
Mubi stepped up to the plate
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While Mubi used to be an unknown entity in the industry, the distributor has been making a name for itself as of late, picking up The Substance and Queer. Back in February the indie distributor picked up The History of Sound and is planning a theatrical release for sometime in 2025. The release date will be announced in the coming months after its premiere at Cannes.
Hermanus won the Queer Palm at Cannes in 2011 for his film Beauty, will he do it again for The History of Sound?
'The Ultimatum: Queer Love' season one cast — where are they now?Photo by Simone Thompson/Netflix
