On This Gay Day: Actor and advocate Wilson Cruz was born

On This Gay Day: Actor and activist Wilson Cruz was born 

Actor Wilson Cruz was born on this day in 1973. He first came to prominence playing queer teenager Rickie Vasquez on the 90s television series My So Called Life. 

Cruz has gone on to play Angel in the Broadway touring production of Rent, and appeared in the TV series Noah’s Arc, Party of Five, The West Wing and 13 Reasons Why.

He currently appears in Star Trek Discovery playing gay character Doctor Hugh Culber. The show’s fifth season is expected in 2023, and previous seasons can be streamed on Paramount Plus.

Along the way Cruz has also made appearances in Shameless, Eastsiders, Mistresses, Grey’s Anatomy, Pushing Daisies, NCIS, The Closer, Ally McBeal, Monk and many other television programs.

On stage he appeared in rent and Tick, Tick…BOOM! He made memorable film appearance opposite McCauley Culkin in the indie film Party Monster where he played Andre ‘Angel’ Melendez the murder victim of club promoter Michael Alig.

In 1997 Cruz joined the board of directors of US organisation GLAAD, in 2012 he became a staff member filling the role of National Spokesperson and Strategic Giving Officer. Throughout his career Wilson Cruz has been a voice for LGBTIQA+ youth.

OIP Staff, this post was first published in 2021 and has been updated.

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