Arts & Entertainment
Matt Smith, Zosia Mamet cast in Mapplethorpe biopic
‘Doctor Who’ actor to star as title character
Matt Smith, best known for playing “Doctor Who,” has been cast to play iconic gay photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, according to Deadline.
Zosia Mamet, from “Girls,” will play Patti Smith, Mapplethorpe’s best friend and lover. The film project, titled “Mapplethorpe,” chronicles the life of Mapplethorpe and includes his relationship with Patti Smith. No further details have been released.
Director Ondi Timoner is attached to the project. Timoner’s latest work was “Brand: A Second Coming,” a documentary about comedian Russell Brand that opened at SXSW last year.
Sirad Balducci and Eliza Dushku will also produce the film and the Mapplethorpe Foundation is backing the project. Production is set for summer.
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)












Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.

