- 2 months ago
Forget the tired queer-coded villain trope — this list celebrates complex antagonists who proudly embrace their LGBTQ identities. From a gender-fluid god of mischief to a campy cult classic scientist, these villains use their queerness not as a gimmick, but as an integral part of their personas. Get ready for a wild ride through film and TV’s most iconic and stylish queer baddies!
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00:00In media, queer characters are often portrayed as lovesick puppies or tragic figures, but what
00:05about cold-blooded villains? Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down the most iconic
00:11queer baddies from film and TV history. For this list, we're not talking about the ham-fisted trope
00:17of queer-coded villains. We're only considering antagonists who are explicitly confirmed to be
00:23queer. Gentlemen of the press, get ready, because you are about to witness the biggest news event
00:28of the year, live homicides. Number 10, Loki. The god of mischief from the Marvel Universe,
00:37Loki perfectly embodies the idea of a villain whose queer identity adds depth rather than just
00:42difference. In various iterations, particularly the Disney Plus series, Loki is explicitly depicted
00:48as gender fluid, much like the real Norse god. It's also revealed that he's bisexual, making him
00:54the first LGBTQ plus character in the MCU. You're a prince. Must have been would-be princesses.
01:02Or perhaps another prince.
01:07A bit of both.
01:09Loki's villainy often stems from feeling like an overlooked outcast, especially in relation to
01:14his manly brother, a sentiment that resonates deeply for queer people. Sound familiar?
01:27Loki's become a lovable anti-hero, which is why he doesn't rank higher. But make no mistake,
01:32he's still a villain in plenty of stories, with a knack for betrayal, manipulation, and
01:37causing absolute chaos.
01:39I never stab him in the back. That's such a boring form of betrayal.
01:43Number 9, Jobu Tupaki. In Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, this alternate version of Joy is a
01:49sparkly queer figure that's central to the emotional core of the film.
01:53Right is a tiny box invented by people who are afraid. And I know what it feels like to be
01:58trapped
01:59inside that box. Her relationship with Becky and that yearning for Evelyn's acceptance ground her
02:04terrifying multiverse powers. Jobu's actions come from an amalgamation of pain, alienation,
02:10and a desperate need to make the universe feel as broken as she does.
02:14If nothing matters, then all the pain and guilt you feel for making nothing of your life,
02:23goes away.
02:24That layered complexity gives Joy an edge, which makes her villainous side sympathetic and her
02:30true side, rootable. Plus, her glam rock styling kicks ass. Ultimately, Evelyn meets Jobu's nihilism
02:37with compassion, choosing to embrace every side of her.
02:40No matter what, I still want to be here with you.
02:45Number 8, Gus Fring. Gus's calm exterior is exactly what makes him so terrifying in Breaking Bad,
02:52and Better Call Saul, where his identity is effectively confirmed.
03:03He founded the drug ring, Los Pollos Hermanos, with Maximino Arseniega.
03:07And while ambiguous, it's clear they were once romantic partners.
03:11I established a chemistry scholarship at UNM. I named it after Maximino Arseniega,
03:18a dear friend of mine who died too young.
03:20In fact, it's Max's murder that kicked off Gus's decades-long revenge against the cartel.
03:24This is what comes for blood for blood, Hector.
03:31Sangre por sangre.
03:33Unlike our previous two entries, it's not a lack of acceptance that makes him bitter.
03:38Gus isn't evil because of his queerness. He's evil because he's vengeful. And he just happens to be gay.
03:44I'm saving it for a special occasion.
03:47Well, I would love to hear about it when you have that occasion.
03:52What really earns him a place on this list, though, is the way he weaponizes restraint.
03:56Gus need not shout when he can quietly ruin your life.
04:01Get back to work.
04:08Number seven, The Countess.
04:10Lady Gaga is a champion for the queer community, and has even come out as bisexual. So it's fitting that
04:16she plays a bi-villaness in one of her biggest acting roles.
04:20Goddesses don't speak and whispers, they scream.
04:23Vampires have long lurked in the shadows of queer-coded subtext. Just look at 1936's Dracula's Daughter.
04:30Won't I do?
04:32Yes, you'll do very well indeed.
04:34In American Horror Story Hotel, this carnal desire is brought into the light.
04:39You know a vampire is going to make an impression when she can be equal parts glamorous, seductive, and horrifying.
04:46Misses are always forgiven.
04:50The first time.
04:52The Countess's backstory is tragic.
04:54Trapped in a loveless marriage to a controlling man,
04:57and yearning for a sinful relationship with actor Rudolf Valentino and his wife Natasha Rambova.
05:01Yes, yes, I'm forever.
05:09When their ancient blood virus makes her immortal,
05:12her appetite begins to reflect an obsession with pleasure and excess.
05:16The Countess's relationships are both passionate and possessive,
05:19and her intense narcissism firmly establishes her as an eternal villain.
05:24Bite me.
05:27Number six, Vito Spadafore.
05:29In the cutthroat world of the DiMeo crime family, Vito's story stands out as particularly bleak.
05:36A high-ranking capo, Vito leads a double life, desperately trying to keep his true self hidden
05:41from the violently homophobic and hyper-masculine society he inhabits.
05:45Say hi to your wife.
05:46I'm serious.
05:48Sal, please.
05:50Don't say nothing, Sal!
05:52His struggles as a gay man who has yet to come out within the ruthless mafia hierarchy
05:56provide a stark look at the cost of oppression.
05:59I want to kill the fat f**k and myself be a f**king honor.
06:02I can't believe I stuck up for him.
06:04I feel like I've been stabbed in the high.
06:06Well, we can't have him here in our social club no more.
06:09I mean, that much I do know.
06:10While his own actions as a mob enforcer make him a clear villain,
06:14his eternal conflict and eventual fate make him a profoundly impactful, if tragic, figure.
06:19You're a f**king disgrace.
06:23This representation was especially striking, coming in an era where queer characters and
06:28these kinds of dramas were uncommon.
06:30Number 5, Villanelle.
06:32The colorful assassin from Killing Eve, Villanelle mixes childlike whimsy with lethal precision,
06:38turning murder into performance art.
06:42Her queer identity is part of what makes her dynamic with Eve so fascinating,
06:46because the attraction, obsession, and power games all blur together in unsettling ways.
07:01Like the Countess, she's as stylish as she is deadly.
07:04What makes Villanelle refreshing is that her sexuality is a part of her character from the beginning,
07:09not something tacked on several seasons in.
07:11As humorous and enjoyable as she is, villain is still in her name,
07:15and Villanelle's villainy is deliciously chaotic.
07:20The smell of cabbage.
07:22Number 4, Babs Johnson.
07:24Drag, filth, and total disregard for polite society?
07:28That's Divine's iconically campy villain in a nutshell.
07:32Could you give us some of your political beliefs?
07:34Kill everyone now! Condone first-degree murder!
07:38Advocate cannibalism! Eat s**t!
07:40Filther my politics! Filth is my life!
07:43In John Waters' Pink Flamingos, she stands as the centerpiece of one of cinema's
07:47most infamous exercises in transgressive filmmaking.
07:50And her queerness is inseparable from the movie's anti-mainstream spirit.
07:54Divine, are you a lesbian?
07:56Yes, I have done everything!
07:58She revels in her notoriety.
08:00Clashing with anyone who dares challenge her reign is the ultimate purveyor of bad taste.
08:05Connie Marble, you stand convicted of a**hole-ism.
08:09The proper punishment will now take place.
08:12Look pretty for the picture, Connie!
08:15The subtext of 1970s American culture places Babs in a particular and fabulously trashy light.
08:22The portrayal permeated the mainstream with a shocking depiction of queer rebellion.
08:27Do you believe in God?
08:28I am God!
08:30Number 3, Catherine Trammell.
08:32A modern-day femme fatale, basic instincts crime novelist weaponizes intelligence,
08:37sexuality, and mystery with intense confidence.
08:40You like playing games, don't you?
08:43I have a degree in psychology.
08:44It goes with the turf.
08:45More than just a stereotype, Catherine represents the freeing potential of a woman who controls
08:50her desires and her narratives.
08:53She leans on her razor-sharp mind and explicit bisexuality to toy with those around her.
08:58By seducing both men and women with ease, Catherine exploits society's ideas of a bombshell.
09:04You know I don't wear any underwear, don't you, Nick?
09:10Her chilling psychological games and calculated villainy establish her as an enduring icon of
09:16cinematic menace.
09:19Number 2, Harley Quinn.
09:21Depending on the era, Harley Quinn can be a villain or an anti-hero.
09:24But one thing has become increasingly clear.
09:27She's a queer icon.
09:29Had my heart broken once or twice, finding love is not easy.
09:34Across DC stories, her attraction to women and her relationship with Poison Ivy
09:38have cemented her as a beloved queer character with massive mainstream appeal.
09:43Her modern interpretations, especially in the Harley Quinn animated series,
09:48celebrate her as a bisexual agent of chaos.
09:55Yet, she still absolutely qualifies as a villain on this list,
09:58thanks to her devious escapades and long history of complicity in The Joker's Madness.
10:04Her character shows that queer representation can be loud,
10:07proud, and wildly entertaining while still having emotional depth.
10:10I'm not proud of what I did, but I had half the city after me.
10:14Even the f***ing crossbow killer.
10:16I'm not the crossbow killer!
10:18Oh.
10:19Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.
10:23Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal.
10:25The cult classic Hannibal who was confirmed pansexual by creators because of his profound
10:30fascination with Will Graham's beautiful mind.
10:33Both of us are too curious about too many things for any ideals.
10:38Rich in Swallowed.
10:39An old queen whose mean streak is buried beneath an unassuming demeanor.
10:43You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were flirting with me.
10:50L'Estat de L'Encore.
10:51An Interview with the Vampire.
10:53A messy and charismatic anti-hero who's the openly queer answer to classic Hollywood's
10:58mystique of sexually deviant vampires.
11:01He was a natural?
11:03Entirely unnatural.
11:05Using the dark gift for what?
11:07His vanity?
11:09Number 1.
11:10Frankenfurter.
11:11In the grand tradition of larger-than-life villains,
11:14few can compete with this gender-bending alien who turned camp into an art form.
11:25The Rocky Horror Picture Show's Transylvanian scientist is outrageous,
11:30seductive, and unapologetically queer in a way that made him revolutionary for his time.
11:35Swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh.
11:42He seduces both Brad and Janet, revels in hedonism, and transforms lives and bodies with reckless
11:49abandon, all while wrapped in corset and stockings.
11:52Oh, come on Brad, admit it.
11:54You liked it, didn't you?
11:56There's no crime in giving yourself over to pleasure.
11:59From his flamboyant numbers to his drop-dead fashion, Frank easily stands out.
12:04Like any good queer villain should, he challenges gender roles in a poignant way.
12:17Between the theatricality, erotic energy, and gleeful menace,
12:21Frank became more than a character.
12:23He became a cultural milestone.
12:25It's not easy having a good time.
12:28Even smiling makes my face ache.
12:32Which queer villains did we miss?
12:34Comment below.
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