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This profile is part of Queerty’s 2021 Out For Good series, recognizing public figures who’ve had the courage to come out and make a difference in the past year, in celebration of National Coming Out Day on October 11.
Name: Kaylee Bryant, 24
Bio: Bryant is an American actress and stars in The CW’s Legacies – a spin-off of the uber popular show, The Vampire Diaries. On Legacies, Bryant plays Josie Saltzman, a teen witch who is also the first pansexual character to appear on the show, and the entire Vampire Diaries universe for that matter. Prior to scoring her role on Legacies, Bryant had gigs on American Horror Story, The Real O’Neals, and Santa Clarita Diet.
Coming Out: In June 2021, Bryant kicked off Pride Month in the best way – by sharing she is queer!
“Hi, my name is Kaylee and I’m queer! Happy Pride Month,” the actress announced on Instagram, while holding a Pride flag and donning a shirt that reads “Be the bold queer you needed in your youth.” We love to see it! Per OUT, the shirt was designed by queer artist Crash King and is available for purchase online.
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Chosen Family: Following her infamous Instagram post, Bryant told BuzzFeed how playing the first pansexual teen within The Vampire Diaries universe helped inform her own coming out, and discussed the importance of queer representation on TV.
“I felt a lot of pressure when I initially booked Josie because I was still figuring out who I was and what my label was,” she told the pub. “And playing a character who was so comfortable in who she was, it was inspiring [to me] in a way that I think a lot of other people watching the show have been inspired. I have so many people constantly telling me that watching Josie on the show has made them feel more comfortable in themselves. It’s kind of amazing that we all have the same experience in that having queer representation makes you more comfortable.”
Even before telling the world she was queer, Bryant was a vocal advocate of the LGBTQIA+ community. She participates annually in GLAAD’s Spirit Day, a global day occurring every year where people can ”visibly show solidarity with youth and to take part in the largest, most visible LGBTQ anti-bullying campaign in the world” by wearing purple.
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In the end, what’s not to love about Bryant? From her history-defining role on Legacies, to her vocal support of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as her own coming out, we can’t help but stan a CW queen.
Thank you for all you do, Kaylee. You are providing hope and representation to millions of teens across the globe, using your queer magic to cast a spell on us all – in the best way.
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Get your facts straight. Legacies is a spinoff of The Originals, not Vampire Diaries. Hope Mikaelson is the daughter of Klaus Mikaelson, one of the main characters in The Originals. In the most recent episode. Freya Mikaelson (also in The Originals), Hope’s aunt, came to visit her niece.