Bridget McManus
It may be hard to believe in 2017, but some casting directors and producers still tell comedian Bridget McManus to tone down the gay if she wants to snag bigger and better roles. “I’ve been out my entire career,” McManus says. “There was no way I was going to pursue my career as a performer and not be out. That was never an option.” A screenwriter, producer, director and award-winning comic, McManus has created and starred in two shows, “Bridget McManus Presents: That Time of the Month” and “Brunch with Bridget” on LOGO, and also created/starred in “We Have Issues,” tello Films’ “McManusland” and the romantic drama “Maybelle,” for which she earned a Best Actor nom at London’s Raindance Web Fest. Next up, a recurring role on the Season 4 of “Transparent” and a turn in Guinevere Turner’s “Post Apocalyptic Potluck,” playing film festivals this summer after a premiere in Provincetown. And as one of the very few female warm-up comedians in TV, she gets to indulge in what she loves most: winning over a live audience. “I grew up idolizing Carol Burnett, so I’ve always known I wanted to be on stage,” McManus says, “performing live in front of large crowds and wearing as many wigs and costumes as possible.” —KL
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