I Was Born This Way

Overview

Surviving childhood abuse during his upbringing in Baltimore, Archbishop Carl Bean forged a path to New York and Hollywood to do the one thing he knew he was put on earth to do: sing. Making his mark first as a gospel singer, Bean got the break of his life when Motown tapped him in 1977 to record the disco song “I Was Born This Way,” which quickly became the first gay anthem at a time when it was uncommon to be out and proud. When the AIDS crisis hit, however, Bean soon found himself drawn to a different calling: compassionate activism. Instead of pursuing the momentum of his promising music career, he founded the Minority AIDS Project and the Unity Fellowship Church — the first LGBTQ+ church for people of color.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

June 5, 2025

Original language

English

Spoken languages

English

Production

w/Love Productions,JungeFilm

Cast

Billy Porter,Maxine Waters,Dionne Warwick,Questlove,Lady Gaga,Carl Bean

Director

Sam Pollard,Daniel Junge

Producer

Joshua A. Green,Billy Porter,Jamie Lee Curtis,Wellington Love,Jed Alan,Questlove,Daniel Junge

Cinematography

Jerry Henry,Jed Alan

Music

John Jennings Boyd,DeAndre James Allen-Toole

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

IMDb

tt18764730