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Viewers love a happy ending to a love story, and if there’s anything The Last of Us’ third episode, “Long, Long Time” has proven, it’s that some love stories can hit you where it hurts all while delivering an everlasting impression of true love. What, perhaps, made the episode so prolific is the performances of actors Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett, who so beautifully brought to life the act of two men meeting, their love story blooming and lasting— even after they withered away.
The depiction of queer love stories in film and television has not always been embraced, but thankfully throughout the years, many love stories have been told onscreen that pay an homage to the phrase, “Love is Love.” The story of The Last of Us’ Frank and Bill is far from the first beautiful queer love story told onscreen, and certainly not the first to draw a tear from viewers. Here’s a look at more heart-wrenching onscreen moments in LGBTQ film and television that fans can’t forget.
8 Jack Swift’s Death In Brokeback Mountain
While the 2005 Western drama film Brokeback Mountain was certainly critiqued harshly for its time, it is perhaps one of the most remembered jewels in the telling of queer stories. The film follows the story of Ennis Del Mar and Jack Swift, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal whose relationship becomes unexpectedly romantic throughout the film. Their lives are consistently pulling them away from each other, as they aren’t publicly out—and both married to women. Brokeback Mountain becomes the foreground for where they can live freely in their respective truths.
Toward the end of the film, Ennis receives a telegram that his lover Jack Swift has died. While Swift’s wife, played by Anne Hathaway, assures Ennis that Swift’s untimely death was an accident, Ennis can’t help but think that was anything but. The film shows clips of Jack being attacked by men who had, to Ennis’ fear, found out he was homosexual and killed him. Ennis travels to Jack’s family home to give his condolences to his folks who allow him to go up into Jack’s old bedroom. In the bedroom, he finds one of Jack’s shirts stained with his dry blood, from a scuffle the two had on the mountain years before. The movie ends with Ennis keeping the shirt, hanging it in his closet next to a picture of Brokeback Mountain before muttering, “Jack, I swear.”
7 Angel Dumott Schunard’s Death In Rent
The film 2005 Rent was an adaption on the 1996 Broadway musical of the same name. The film is primarily focused around many of its characters living with HIV. Two of the characters, Angel and Collins, strike up a beautiful romance after Angel finds a mugged Collins in an alley. While both of the characters are HIV positive, it is Angel who eventually succumbs to AIDS.
Tom Collin’s delivery of the song “I’ll Cover You (Reprise)” is a heart-breaking dedication to his departed lover. He sings the song at the funeral service, where a few of his and Angel’s close friends join in to honor the fallen drummer.
6 Albert’s Death In The Normal Heart
The Normal Heart was a 2014 drama film directed by Ryan Murphy that depicted the HIV-AIDS crisis between 1981 and 1984 in New York City. In the film Bruce, played by Taylor Kitsch, attempts to take his boyfriend Albert, who is succumbing to AIDS, to Phoenix see his mother one last time before he dies. The two endure hardship while traveling because the airline they’re on refuses to travel with Albert sick on board.
By the time they get to Phoenix, Albert succumbs to the disease and dies. The hospital refuses to examine him because he had AIDS, and instead, places the body in a black bag and throws it out with the trash, without issuing a death certificate. The scene ends with Bruce and Albert’s wailing mother mourning the loss of Albert.
5 Gerda Needing Her Husband In The Danish Girl
The Danish Girl is a 2015 biographical romantic drama that centers around Einar Wegener’s journey as a trans woman. Einar is married to his wife Gerda who asks him to stand in for a female model that she is scheduled to paint, but is running late. The moment becomes a pivotal moment for Einar, who is a closeted trans woman and decides to transition afterwords.
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One of the most heartbreaking scenes in the film, aside from the ending, is when Gerda comes home stressed and tells Einar (who now goes by Lili) that she misses her husband. The scene continues with Gerda pleading for Lili to “go get” Einar, showing a lack of understanding of Lili’s identity as a trans woman. The following scene shows Lili taking off her make-up and hair to appease her wife, bringing forth Einar.
4 The Grey’s Anatomy Episode ‘The Becoming’
The episode “The Becoming” in Season 4 of the ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy featured a story line that tackled the previously overturned “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The episode aired in 2008, two years before the policy was overturned, and viewers were introduced to soldier Darren who is said to have a fatal brain tumor. Things take a turn when Darren’s “friend”, a fellow soldier Todd, comes to say goodbye, in the event Darren’s upcoming procedure doesn’t work out well.
Meredith soon witnesses that the two soldiers are actually lovers, when they share a passionate kiss. Darren’s ex-soldier father catches them and banishes Todd from the hospital room. As the operation nears, a desperate Todd wants to say a final goodbye to his lover but Darren, under the pressure of his father, declines. The surgery isn’t successful and Darren dies, without Todd ever have being able to say farewell. Darren’s father eventually allows Todd to see Darren’s body, and he plants one final kiss on Darren’s lips, saying goodbye.
3 Cal’s Backstory In Euphoria
While Cal Jacobs is considered widely considered as one of the most vile characters in the HBO teen drama Euphoria, the second season of the series shed light on his youth and gave viewers insight into Cal’s complex past. In a series of flashbacks in the episode “Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys,” viewers are made privy to Cal’s youth and, more specifically, his particularly close relationship with his friend Derek.
The two are shown to have an incredibly deep connection that, despite both of them having girlfriends, is romantic. One night, the two boys go out to celebrate graduating from high school and the end up at a gay bar, where they dance together and kiss for the first time. A teary-eyed Cal embraces his friend and kisses him again, finally feeling free. The next day when Cal wakes up, his girlfriend Marsha, informs him that she is pregnant. After he hangs up the phone, he sobs, knowing that his relationship with Derek—and his life as a gay man— can never see the light of day again.
2 Chiron And Kevin’s Reunion In Moonlight
Chiron and Kevin’s relationship in the 2016 coming-of-age drama Moonlight, is a freckle of light in the backdrop of the film’s depiction of homophobia and drug abuse. The two men were originally thought to be comrades in their youth, until a night on the beach where an intimate moment proved that something deeper, and romantic existed between them.
In the final chapter of the film, an adult Chiron receives a call from Kevin, whose feelings resurfaced for him after hearing the song “Hello Stranger” by Barbara Lewis. In the final scene of the film, Chiron confesses to Kevin that he is the only man that’s ever touched him, connoting that in a dual sense—both physically and emotionally— his feelings have only led back to Kevin.
1 Oliver’s Phone Call In Call Me By Your Name
The 2017 coming-of-age drama Call Me by Your Name chronicles a romance that blooms between characters Elio and Oliver, during the summer of 1983, in rural Northern Italy. Their relationship, though intensely passionate, is short-lived as Oliver is a graduate student assistant to Elio’s father who is a professor. At the peak of their romance, Oliver leaves and returns to America, fracturing their connection by distance.
At the close of the film, the family receives a call from Oliver who informs them that he is engaged. When he informs Elio, the news shatters him. Elio then begins to whisper his name to Oliver, as they made a pact to call each other by their names the first night they were intimate, and Oliver reciprocates calling Elio “Oliver” in a passionate whisper. Oliver confesses that he remembers everything, meaning that he hasn’t forgotten their time spent together. The final scene of the film shows a heartbroken Elio, staring into the flames in the fireplace as tears gather, and fall from his eyes.
