'These People Took A Leap Of Faith For An Entire Community': Wilson Cruz On AppleTV+'s 'Visible: Out On Television'

(CBS Local)-- Apple TV+'s new docu-series "Visible: Out On Television" provides a fascinating look at the history of LGBTQ actors on television.

The series is executive produced by actor Wilson Cruz and features interviews with several big names including Ellen DeGeneres, Billy Porter, Caitlyn Jenner, and Neil Patrick Harris.

Cruz himself is an openly gay actor and he says the experience in hearing the stories of the ground-breakers in the entertainment industry was enlightening.

"What I loved about the experience was that we gave these people, who risked everything, an opportunity to tell us what that experience was and why they were willing to go there," said Cruz in an interview with CBS Local's DJ Sixsmith. "For me, I knew on a personal level the cost and demands of being first and what responsibility comes with that. I knew that there were other people who shared those responsibilities within their own communities. I think of Candis Cayne, who played the first trans regular character on TV or Lavrerne Cox on Orange Is The New Black or Janet Mock, Billy Porter, Ellen DeGeneres. These people took a leap of faith, not for themselves, but for an entire community.

FULL INTERVIEW:

The series goes back to the 1960s when LGBTQ characters were first being introduced on television and then goes forward to the present day where transgender and non-binary actors are breaking through in Hollywood. Cruz has had many great moments as an actor in shows like "My So Called Life" where he played Rickie and "Star Trek: Discovery" and these roles have helped him in his personal life as well.

"In many ways, it paralleled my experience. Ricky helped me identify myself and helped me through a really difficult time with my father," said Cruz. "It's about being your own champion and about not taking no for an answer. When you are part of marginalized communities, especially if you're part of more than one marginalized community, if you want to get anything done for yourself in this town, you're going to have to make it happen for yourself."

"Visible: Out On Television" is streaming now.