Yesterday it was announced that Jameela Jamil would have a big role in a new competition series involving ballroom and voguing. The press release from HBO Max said the “actress, activist, and host Jameela Jamil will MC and judge†on the show, called Legendary, which led to media reporting that Jamil — who has done a lot of hosting in her career — would be the host of this new show. Apparently, that information was incorrectly relayed, because Jamil said in a Notes app statement today that she is actually not the host but instead is “a lead judge.†(Not the lead judge but a lead judge, leading one to wonder how many leaders Legendary will have.)
The outcry over the Good Place actress’s role on the show stemmed from the network’s choice of a straight person not at all associated with ball culture to be the figurehead of a show about the queer art form, but Jamil’s Notes post has thrown another twist into the narrative: She is queer, and she has just come out (and her lack of exposure to ballroom is actually an asset).
Trans actress Trace Lysette tweeted yesterday that she had at one point been considered for a role on Legendary and drew attention to the marginalization of queer folks and ball culture even in matters where queer communities are meant to be at the forefront. (The post was made before Jamil came out today.)
Prior to her coming out on Notes, Jamil posted yesterday that the press release from HBO Max was incorrect. In the earlier tweets, she said that Dashaun Wesley is the MC of Legendary and that she is judging along with Megan Thee Stallion, Leiomy Maldonado, and Law Roach.
That’s what we know so far. Who knows what we’ll find out tomorrow.