Why Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer are the hottest LGBT icons in Hollywood in 2023: they star in Showtime’s new limited series Fellow Travelers – and rock Ralph Lauren, Versace, Omega and Tom Ford

Nov 2 , 2023

Actors Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer star in Showtime’s new limited series Fellow Travelers. Photo: @wussymag/Instagram

Both openly gay actors star in Showtime’s new limited series Fellow Travelers, following the story of two star-crossed lovers who meet in the 50s, based on Thomas Mallon’s book of the same name

Bailey rose to fame with Netflix’s Bridgerton, while Bomer starred in Magic Mike, White Collar and In Time – and is married to publicist Simon Halls, with three kids conceived through surrogacy

Our screens are about to get sizzling hot as two hunks have joined forces to star in one of this year’s most anticipated TV series – Fellow Travelers, released on October 27.

In case you haven’t heard already, Matt Bomer (White Collar) and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) are starring in Showtime’s limited series inspired by Thomas Mallon’s 2007 novel of the same name. The cast list also features Jelani Alladin, Noah Ricketts and Allison Williams.

The narrative follows the lives of two men who become star-crossed lovers after meeting in the early 1950s, and their challenging encounters with purges, wars, protests and plagues, as described in the series’ IMDB page.

British actor Jonathan Bailey is fashionable indeed. Photo: @jbayleaf/Instagram

As openly gay men in Hollywood, Bomer and Bailey have long been hailed as icons in the LGBTQ+ community, and uniting them for this series seemed like a match made in heaven for many fans.

Here’s a look into their astronomical rise to fame and influence.

Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey’s rise to fame

Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix series Bridgerton. Photo: Netflix

Bailey, 35, started his career from a young age doing theatre, performing in famous West End production of Les Misérables, per his IMDB profile. Although he’s had numerous stints in TV shows and films over the years, it was his role as Lord Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s Bridgerton series that catapulted him to global stardom. Bailey is also set to star in Wicked with Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater and Michelle Yeoh.

Meanwhile, Missouri-born Bomer, 46, has been in the biz for longer, having acted in films like Magic Mike, In Time and as the lead character in TV series White Collar.

Fashion fixtures

Jonathan Bailey donning a quiet luxury outfit. Photo: @jbayleaf/Instagram

Both men have been actively sought out by luxury brands to represent their collections over the years. From Ralph Lauren and Omega to Brunello Cucinelli, Bailey has shown off his polished Englishman aesthetic by nodding to quiet luxury vibes in his outfits.