Get in the ring with these 10 gay wrestling stories told on screen–from the heroic to the homoerotic

Is it hot in here, or is it just the singlet?

With images of wrestling found in prehistoric cave paintings and Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, it’s often considered to be the oldest sport in the world.

But as long as there have been (at least) two sweating bodies, grunting and heaving as they try to dominate one another, there have been homoerotic undertones to this highly physical combat.

Whether its the skin-on-skin intimacy of the more traditional sport, or the high-drama flamboyance of athletic theater, wrestling has long been loaded with suggestions of queerness and sexual expression, which has frequently been explored in media over the years.

2023 alone saw the debut of flashy biopic Cassandro, featuring the magnetic Gael García Bernal as one the most famous gay wrestlers in the world, in addition to the upcoming TV premiere of Out In The Ring, an excellent documentary diving deep into the history LGBTQ+ representation hitting the mat.

And that’s to say nothing of this winter’s buzzy award-season hopeful The Iron Claw. Though it’s based on a very real, very tragic story of a wrestling dynasty and is decidedly not gay, it’s hard not to see actors like Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White hulking in tiny spandex and not feel…. something.

With that in mind, let’s take a look back through film and television history at 10 projects—from provocative biopics to goofy comedies to soul-searching documentaries—that highlight wrestling’s queer appeal (whether intentionally or not).

Cassandro (2023)

Gael García Bernal stars as Saúl Armendáriz—a.k.a. Cassandro, a.k.a “The Liberace Of Lucha Libre”—in this fun and flamboyant biopic, tracing the Mexican-American wrestler’s rise from exótico (campy femme luchadors, typically the “heel” in the ring) to international superstar. Come for the colorful costuming and stunt work, and stay for Bad Bunny‘s scene-stealing role as a flirty love interest.

Now streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

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Out In The Ring (2022)

Cassandro is one of many icons of the ring name-checked in this award-winning documentary which chronicles the surprisingly robust history of LGBTQ+ representation in the sport. Spanning over 80 years, Ry Levey’s film pays tribute to legends like “Gorgeous George” Wagner while also highlighting the challenges contemporary queer wrestlers face on and off the mat to this day.

After touring film festivals around the globe, Out In The Ring will make its network premiere on Fuse on November 15, and will simultaneously be available through the Fuse+ streaming app,

The Schoolmaster Games (2022)

This surreal Swedish import takes place at the St. Sebastian Academy, an all-male boarding school where homosexuality is the norm and nobody bats an eye when a wrestling match turns into a full-blown makeout session. But that’s just one facet of what goes down in this unconventional art film, which uses provocative eroticism to explore age gap discourse within the gay community.

Streaming on Here TV. Available for rental via AppleTV, Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube TV.

Euphoria, “Ruminations: Big And Little Bullys” (2022)

Even if you’ve never seen the HBO drama, this episode—largely told through flashbacks—is worth watching as a standalone piece (and not just because of the nude scenes). Before he was a strict father with some dark hobbies, Cal was a teen (Elias Kacavas) who harbored feelings for his best friend Derek (Henry Eikenberry), making their wrestling matches and locker room chats charged with desire.

Streaming on Max.

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Signature Move (2017)

In this charming indie rom-com, the mask of a luchador isn’t so much a disguise as it is a symbol of empowerment. In Chicago, Zaynab (Fawzia Mirza) is lesbian Pakistani Muslim taking care of her sweet but overbearing mother. When she meets and falls for the flirty Alma (Sari Sanchez), Zaynab takes up the sport to impress her and wrestle back some control of her life.

Streaming on Hoopla, Paramount+, Prime Video, and Tubi.

Glow (2017 – 2019)

Based on the incredibly campy (and real!) Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling, this incredible comedy series following ragtag group of down-on-their-luck women who became minor stars of the ring in the ’80s. Headlined by the fabulous Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin, Glow featured plenty of complex queer characters and, frankly, we still haven’t forgiven Netflix for canceling this one without giving it a proper goodbye.

Streaming on Netflix.

Foxcatcher (2014)

In the darker corner of the ring is the Oscar-nominated Foxcatcher, a biographical drama that doubles as a psychological thriller. Heir to the du Pont fortune, John (Steve Carell) invests his time and money into training wrestlers for the Olympics, working with brothers Mark (Channing Tatum) and David Schultz (Mark Ruffalo). There’s a queer undercurrent to John and Mark’s interactions, making it an intriguing yet uncomfortable watch.

Available for rental via AppleTV, Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube TV.

Stronghold: In The Grip Of Wrestling (2009)

Where Out In The Ring examines the history of LGBTQ+ wrestlers, Stronghold hones in on the sport’s homoerotic appeal, unpacking the stigma that’s inspired some to embrace is intimate physicality and others to avoid it. The low-budget doc interviews men from across the country—those who wrestle for sport, fun, or… pleasure—to get to the bottom of all the kinky reasons we like watching guys fight.

Available for purchase on DVD on through WatchFighters.com.

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Vision Quest (1985)

On paper, this totally ’80s sports drama is as heteronormative as the come, following high-schooler Louden (Matthew Modine) as he trains to compete against the state wrestling champion, all while wooing an older woman, Carla (Linda Fiorentino). But in practice, the movie’s as homoerotic as they come, frequently giving in to the gay male gaze, especially as Loudon is more focused on bulky foe Brian than his would-be lover.

By the way, Vision Quest also features Madonna‘s first real film appearance, performing original song “Crazy For You,” which was a massive radio hit and became her second No. 1 single after “Like A Virgin.”

Streaming on The Roku Channel and Tubi. Available for rental via AppleTV, Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube TV.

Women In Love (1969)

Despite its sapphic-leaning title, provocative director Ken Russell’s signature film is best remember for its groundbreaking wrestling sequence between two men, where esteemed actors Alan Bates and Oliver Reed brawl in the nude, culminating in a shocking moment of homosocial vulnerability. While it doesn’t center competitive wrestling like the rest of this list, Women In Love merits inclusion for delving into the inherent queer subtext of the sport.

Currently only available for purchase via The Criterion Collection.

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