Wilson Cruz

Award-winning actor, activist, and humanitarian Wilson Cruz starred as Dr. Hugh Culber on the CBS All Access series "Star Trek: Discovery." He appeared on the Netflix series "13 Reasons Why" and in Hulu’s 2020 GLAAD Award-Winning original animated kids’ series "The Bravest Knight." He was also the Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed docuseries "Visible: Out on Television," airing on Apple TV+, which investigated the importance of TV as an intimate medium that has shaped the American conscience and how the LGBTQ movement has shaped television.

Receiving the Emery S. Hetrick Award from the Hetrick- Martin Institute for Outstanding Contributions to LGBTQ Youth for his role as Rickie Vasquez on the ABC series "My So-Called Life," Cruz became the first openly gay actor to play an openly gay role on series television. Cruz also starred as Angel in the West Coast premiere of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical "RENT," which earned him both The Ovation and Drama Logue awards before his reprisal of the role on Broadway.

Cruz recently accepted GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award and the Make A Difference Award from the Matthew Shepard Foundation. He has also received the Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award from the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center, the Liberty Award from Lambda Legal, the Visibilidad Award from GLAAD, the Fusion Achievement Award from Outfest, the Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Entertainment and Advocacy from the California Latino Legislative Caucus, the Harvey Milk Equality Award, the Lincoln Aston Public Service Award, Aston-Brooks Award, and the Advocate Award from AdColor. He served as the Director of Entertainment Industry Partnerships and National Spokesperson for GLAAD, currently serves on the board of GLSEN, and devotes considerable time to supporting other LBGTQ organizations as well. A first-generation American of Puerto Rican descent, Cruz was named one of TIME magazine's Latino Leaders in 2024 for breaking barriers, on screen and off.