85 Netflix heartthrobs that gay fans had no chill about

A timeline of Netflix hotties.

Original films and TV shows from Netflix have now given the gays a full decade of hotties, crushes, and heartthrobs. Thankfully, this decade of content has been full of actors, writers, and directors who are actually in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as queer characters, storylines, and themes across the board.

So, without further ado, cheers to a decade of Netflix and chilling with these heartthrobs.

Brian J. Smith — 'Sense8' (2015)

Brian J. Smith plays Will Gorski on Sense8, one of the earliest original TV shows produced by Netflix, created by none other than the Wachowski sisters, a.k.a. Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski.

Even though Sense8 was a very queer TV show, it is noteworthy that Smith only came out in 2019, a full year after the series had ended.

Where to watch: Sense8 is streaming on Netflix.

Miguel Ángel Silvestre — 'Sense8' (2015)

Lito Rodriguez was the main gay male character of Sense8: A closeted actor who lived in Mexico City and was best known as a very macho action star, which added even more pressure to his fears of coming out.

While it's fair to argue that Miguel Ángel Silvestre playing a gay man makes it very easy for queer fans to keep tuning in, it is uncalled-for to overlook how much heart and soul Silvestre poured into this character. Overall, this performance by a straight-identifying male actor in the role of a queer man is a great example of when it is done right. This true embodiment of Lito turned him into one of the biggest Netflix heartthrobs of all time — gay or otherwise.

Where to watch: Sense8 is streaming on Netflix.

Pedro Pascal — 'Narcos' (2015)

Pedro Pascal's role as Javier Peña on Narcos was one of the actor's earliest breakout performances.

On the one hand, Pascal had already made waves with his performance as Oberyn Martell on HBO's Game of Thrones. On the other hand, the actor starred in three entire seasons of Narcos in a very prominent role that was much more grounded to real life in comparison to the fantastical land of Westeros. Javier Peña also wore all sorts of sexy little glasses and tight, tight pants, paving the way for Pascal's heartthrob status.

Where to watch: Narcos is streaming on Netflix.

Charlie Cox — 'Daredevil' (2015)

Where to watch: Daredevil is now streaming on Disney+.

Justice Smith — 'The Get Down' (2016)

Where to watch: The Get Down is streaming on Netflix.

Jaden Smith — 'The Get Down' (2016)

Where to watch: The Get Down is streaming on Netflix.

David Harbour — 'Stranger Things' (2016)

Where to watch: Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix.

Dacre Montgomery — 'Stranger Things' (2017)

Where to watch: Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix.

Jon Bernthal — 'The Punisher' (2017)

Where to watch: The Punisher is now streaming on Disney+.

DeRon Horton — 'Dear White People' (2017)

Where to watch: Dear White People is streaming on Netflix.

​Brandon P Bell — 'Dear White People' (2017)

Where to watch: Dear White People is streaming on Netflix.

Gavin Leatherwood — 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' (2018)

Where to watch: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is streaming on Netflix.

Ross Lynch — 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' (2018)

Where to watch: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is streaming on Netflix.

Chance Perdomo — 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' (2018)

Where to watch: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is streaming on Netflix.

Jacob Elordi — 'The Kissing Booth' (2018)

Jacob Elordi makes a big splash as Noah Flynn in the first installment of The Kissing Booth trilogy of films. Notably, this performance precedes Elordi's run on HBO's Euphoria, which led him to become one of the biggest movie stars in the world.

Where to watch: The Kissing Booth is streaming on Netflix.

Noah Centineo — 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' (2018)

"You just had to be there" might be a cliché, but it is an accurate assessment of the frenzy created by actor Noah Centineo as Peter in the film adaptation of To All the Boys I've Loved Before on Netflix. Seemingly overnight, Centineo became one of Hollywood's most sought-after heartthrobs by girls, gays, and theys around the world.

Where to watch: To All the Boys I've Loved Before is streaming on Netflix.

​Josh Segarra — 'Orange Is the New Black' (2018)

Where to watch: Orange Is the New Black is streaming on Netflix.

Omar Ayuso — 'Élite' (2018)

Omar Ayuso is a central figure throughout the Élite saga, particularly considering how exciting it was for queer fans to see a 20-year-old out gay actor playing an out gay character like Omar Shanaa on the Netflix series.

Ayuso is seen in all but one season of Élite, and his character, Omar, goes through several queer relationships that range from romantic to dramatic to chaotic to heartbreaking to empowering over the years.

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Arón Piper — 'Élite' (2018)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Itzan Escamilla — 'Élite' (2018)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Miguel Herrán — 'Élite' (2018)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Miguel Bernardeau — 'Élite' (2018)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Álvaro Rico — 'Élite' (2018)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Jonathan Groff — 'Mindhunter' (2019)

Where to watch: Mindhunter is streaming on Netflix.

Murray Bartlett — 'Tales of the City' (2019)

Where to watch: Tales of the City is streaming on Netflix.

Charlie Barnett — 'Tales of the City' (2019)

Where to watch: Tales of the City is streaming on Netflix.

​Ryan O'Connell — 'Special' (2019)

Where to watch: Special is streaming on Netflix.

Ncuti Gatwa — 'Sex Education' (2019)

Where to watch: Sex Education is streaming on Netflix.

Connor Swindells — 'Sex Education' (2019)

Where to watch: Sex Education is streaming on Netflix.

Luke Cook — 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' (2019)

Where to watch: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is streaming on Netflix.

Ben Platt — 'The Politician' (2019)

Where to watch: The Politician is streaming on Netflix.

Theo Germaine — 'The Politician' (2019)

Where to watch: The Politician is streaming on Netflix.

David Corenswet — 'The Politician' (2019)

Where to watch: The Politician is streaming on Netflix.

Michael Hsu Rosen — 'Tiny Pretty Things' (2020)

Where to watch: Tiny Pretty Things is streaming on Netflix.

Matt Bomer — 'The Boys in the Band' (2020)

Where to watch: The Boys in the Band is streaming on Netflix.

Jeremy Pope — 'Hollywood' (2020)

Where to watch: Hollywood is streaming on Netflix.

Jake Picking — 'Hollywood' (2020)

Where to watch: Hollywood is streaming on Netflix.

Jonathan Bailey — 'Bridgerton' (2020)

Where to watch: Bridgerton is streaming on Netflix.

Regé-Jean Page — 'Bridgerton' (2020)

Where to watch: Bridgerton is streaming on Netflix.

Connor Jessup — 'Locke & Key' (2020)

Where to watch: Locke & Key is streaming on Netflix.

Darren Barnet — 'Never Have I Ever' (2020)

Where to watch: Never Have I Ever is streaming on Netflix.

Jaren Lewison — 'Never Have I Ever' (2020)

Where to watch: Never Have I Ever is streaming on Netflix.

Taylor Zakhar Perez — 'The Kissing Booth 2' (2020)

Where to watch: The Kissing Booth 2 is streaming on Netflix.

Sami Outalbali — 'Sex Education' (2020)

Where to watch: Sex Education is streaming on Netflix.

Jermelle Simon — 'The Upshaws' (2021)

Where to watch: The Upshaws is streaming on Netflix.

Manu Ríos — 'Élite' (2021)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Omar Rudberg — 'Young Royals' (2021)

Where to watch: Young Royals is streaming on Netflix.

Edvin Ryding — 'Young Royals' (2021)

Where to watch: Young Royals is streaming on Netflix.

Lucien Laviscount — 'Emily in Paris' (2021)

Where to watch: Emily in Paris is streaming on Netflix.

Adam Demos — 'Sex/Life' (2021)

Where to watch: Sex/Life is streaming on Netflix.

Jonathan Sadowski — 'Sex/Life' (2021)

Where to watch: Sex/Life is streaming on Netflix.

Mike Vogel — 'Sex/Life' (2021)

Where to watch: Sex/Life is streaming on Netflix.

Hunter Doohan — 'Wednesday' (2022)

Where to watch: Wednesday is streaming on Netflix.

Kit Connor — 'Heartstopper' (2022)

Where to watch: Heartstopper is streaming on Netflix.

Joe Locke — 'Heartstopper' (2022)

Where to watch: Heartstopper is streaming on Netflix.

​​William Gao — 'Heartstopper' (2022)

Where to watch: Heartstopper is streaming on Netflix.

Ander Puig — 'Élite' (2022)

Ander Puig, a trans actor, plays a young trans man named Nico Fernández de Velasco Viveros on Élite. As it continues to do over the course of eight seasons, the Netflix series proves that its audience — albeit skewing younger — fully embraces a wide range of stories, including that of a trans man who is still starting to have a sex life, to feel desirable, to go out and have a drink, to flirt with girls, and to feel comfortable in his own skin when surrounded by other cis guys around his age.

Ever since his introduction and through the end of Élite, Nico makes several mistakes, changes his mind, and grows as a person in front of the audience. Like every other character on this show, he is flawed and complicated, but fans continue to root for him to grow and thrive.

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

​André Lamoglia — 'Élite' (2022)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Elliot Page — 'The Umbrella Academy' (2022)

Where to watch: The Umbrella Academy is streaming on Netflix.

Carlos Cuevas — 'Smiley' (2022)

Where to watch: Smiley is streaming on Netflix.

​Miki Esparbé — 'Smiley' (2022)

Where to watch: Smiley is streaming on Netflix.

Nicholas Galitzine — 'Purple Hearts' (2022)

Where to watch: Purple Hearts is streaming on Netflix.

Jay Lycurgo — 'The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself' (2022)

Where to watch: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is streaming on Netflix.

Emilien Vekemans — 'The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself' (2022)

Where to watch: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is streaming on Netflix.

Zane Phillips — 'Glamorous' (2023)

Where to watch: Glamorous is streaming on Netflix.

Graham Parkhurst — 'Glamorous' (2023)

Where to watch: Glamorous is streaming on Netflix.

Fernando Líndez — 'Élite' (2023)

Where to watch: Élite is streaming on Netflix.

Richard Armitage — 'Obsession' (2023)

Where to watch: Obsession is streaming on Netflix.

Michael Cimino — 'Never Have I Ever' (2023)

Where to watch: Never Have I Ever is streaming on Netflix.

Dan Levy — 'Good Grief' (2024)

Dan Levy wrote, directed, and starred in Good Grief as the lead character, Marc, who processed the recent passing of his longtime partner Oliver (played by Luke Evans).

Best known for writing and starring in the hilarious TV show Schitt's Creek, some fans were surprised to see the darker turn that Levy's work took with Good Grief. In any case, the project was a perfect vehicle for the actor to show his range, flex his writing muscles, and make his directorial debut in a feature film.

Where to watch: Good Grief is streaming on Netflix.

Luke Evans — 'Good Grief' (2024)

Luke Evans plays Oliver in Good Grief: An irresistibly charismatic man married to Marc (played by Levy) who suddenly dies at the start of the film and is discovered to have an affair with a foreign man.

Though Evans' presence in this gay Netflix movie is short, much of the story is centered on Oliver. Thus, his presence does loom large in the film even after the character dies.

Where to watch: Good Grief is streaming on Netflix.

​Arnaud Valois — 'Good Grief' (2024)

Arnaud Valois' introduction as Theo in Good Grief is a welcome vibe-shift not only due to the character's charisma and good looks, but also because he provides some sense of relief to the grieving and angry protagonist played by Levy.

It is also exciting to see Valois starring in a big-budget queer film six years after his brilliant performance as Nathan in BPM (Beats per Minute), chosen by the Out staff as one of the 25 best queer films of the century so far.

Where to watch: Good Grief is streaming on Netflix.

​Lukas Gage — 'Dead Boy Detectives' (2024)

The White Lotus, Euphoria, and Overcompensating star Lukas Gage played the iconic Cat King on Netflix's live-action adaptation of the DC comic book series Dead Boy Detectives.

Given that this TV show adapted another comic book by Neil Gaiman, it was praised for expanding the live-action universe of Netflix's adaptation of The Sandman.

Where to watch: Dead Boy Detectives is streaming on Netflix.

Cooper Koch — 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' (2024)

The performance delivered by Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez on Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story earned the out actor his first-ever Emmy Award nomination.

Interestingly, Koch took a different approach from his costars on the Netflix series. The actor decided to not only meet the real-life Erik Menéndez — who is still in prison for murdering his parents alongside Lyle Menendez — but also stay in touch with him as the TV show premiered and reignited a discourse surrounding the Menendez brothers' case.

Where to watch: Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is streaming on Netflix.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez — 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' (2024)

Nicholas Alexander Chavez embodies Lyle Menendez, the fictionalized version of Erik's older brother, on Ryan Murphy's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix.

In 2024 alone, Chavez worked with Murphy twice — as he also starred as Father Charlie Mayhew on FX's Grotesquerie.

Where to watch: Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is streaming on Netflix.

​Andrew Scott — 'Ripley' (2024)

Andrew Scott, a critically-acclaimed actor who's played so may fan-favorite characters in films like All of Us Strangers and Spectre, as well as on TV shows like Fleabag and Sherlock, plays the iconic grifter known as Tom Ripley on Netflix's limited series adaptation Ripley released in 2024.

Between the beloved 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley (starring Matt Damon as Tom Ripley) and the recent comparisons drawn from Saltburn (starring Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick, a similarly deceptive character), Scott's performance adds another layer to this cinematic scammer.

Where to watch: Ripley is streaming on Netflix.

Agustín Della Corte — 'Olympo' (2025)

Uruguayan actor Agustín Della Corte plays a gay rugby player named Roque Pérez on the Spanish TV series Olympo. No spoilers, but be warned that the gay sex scenes between Roque and other guys start pretty early on Olympo season 1. So go into watching this very queer Netflix TV show having that in mind.

It's worth noting that Olympo is a coproduction between Netflix and Zeta Studios — the same production company based in Spain that created another gay Netflix show with lots of steamy scenes: Élite.

Where to watch: Olympo is streaming on Netflix.

Juan Perales — 'Olympo' (2025)

Olympo heartthrob Juan Perales plays another rugby player, named Sebas Sendón, in the Netflix series.

While it doesn't take long for viewers to understand that Sebas is a wealthy guy who isn't scared of a fight, there is another side to him: Sebas isn't comfortable with being out about his sexuality yet, which makes very things interesting as the storylines and showmances develop between certain characters.

Where to watch: Olympo is streaming on Netflix.

Nuno Gallego — 'Olympo' (2025)

Nuno Gallego plays the character Cristian Delallave on Olympo, who's also on the rugby team alongside teammates such as Roque (Pérez) and Sebas (Perales).

Netflix viewers might already be familiar with Gallego from when he played Héctor Krawietz — a queer character who had a relationship with Joel (played by Fernando Líndez) — in the eighth and final season of Élite.

Where to watch: Olympo is streaming on Netflix.

Gleb Abrosimov — 'Olympo' (2025)

Gleb Abrosimov's character on Olympo, Diego Sorokov, is a swimmer — not a rugby player like Roque, Sebas, and Cristian. But don't get it twisted: The show makes it very clear, early on, that this swimmer is pretty good at tackling a big guy if he wants to.

Abrosimov is another familiar face for Netflix viewers who kept up with Élite all the way through, as the actor played Eric de Velasco Viveros in seasons 7 and 8 (the last two seasons) of the series.

Where to watch: Olympo is streaming on Netflix.

Colman Domingo — 'The Four Seasons' (2025)

Nominated for Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Tony Awards, and Golden Globes, Colman Domingo is one of the busiest out actors in Hollywood. Domingo plays Danny on The Four Seasons, a comedy/drama TV show created by and starring Tina Fey as Kate.

Besides being Kate's BFF, Danny is married to Claude (played by Marco Calvani).

Where to watch: The Four Seasons is streaming on Netflix.

​Marco Calvani — 'The Four Seasons' (2025)

Playwright, director, and actor Marco Calvani is a breakout star on The Four Seasons in the role of Claude — a gay architect married to Danny (played by Colman Domingo).

Even though queer fans might be biased to fall in love with Claude and Danny a little bit more than the other characters, it's not really just about them being gay. Both Calvani and Domingo go all-out in their comedic and dramatic performances as these characters… And we love to see it.

Where to watch: The Four Seasons is streaming on Netflix.

Rafael L. Silva — 'The Waterfront'

On The Waterfront, Rafael L. Silva plays Shawn West, a bartender at the Buckleys family's restaurant who ends up being directly involved in one of the biggest plot twists of the series. But, hey, we'll spilling too much tea (read: major spoiler) for such a recent show.

Silva, an out actor, is best known for playing the gay character Carlos Reyes on 9-1-1: Lone Star, who is one half of the fan-favorite "Tarlos" showmance with TK Strand (played by Ronen Rubinstein).

Where to watch: The Waterfront is streaming on Netflix.

​Miles Heizer — 'Boots' (2025)

Netflix's gay teen Marines show Boots centers on Miles Heizer's character, Cameron Cope — an 18-year-old closeted teen who joins the U.S. Marine Corps and has to navigate that rough and tough world despite hiding this secret regarding his sexuality.

Boots, the TV series, is based on the memoir The Pink Marine, which means that Heizer's character is directly inspired by the life story of author Greg Cope White.

Where to watch: Boots is streaming on Netflix.

Max Parker — 'Boots' (2025)

Max Parker plays Sgt. Sullivan on Boots. As the name of the character suggests, Sullivan isn't one of teenagers who have just enlisted in the Marine Corps. He is on the other side of things, training these young guys and making their lives a bit of a nightmare while they're at boot camp.

Prior to Netflix's Boots, Parker made a name for himself as Luke Posner on Emmerdale Farm. The British actor was otherwise featured on TV shows such as Doctor Who, Vampire Academy, Casualty, and Blood, Sex & Royalty.

Where to watch: Boots is streaming on Netflix.