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Orange is the New Black star Lea DeLaria will be this year’s grand marshal at Manchester Pride’s Parade.
DeLaria said: ‘It’s an honour to be invited to marshal the Manchester Pride parade. I can’t wait to return to Manchester. The girls there are really hot!’
Manchester Pride CEO Mark Fletcher said, ‘We’re excited that Lea will be leading this year’s parade through Manchester City Centre. We’ve loved watching her in Orange is the New Black.
‘Not only is she an incredible performer but she’s an inspiration for the global LGBT community. We know she’ll bring her unique charm and personality to really get the crowd going and kickstart the parade with a bang.’
DeLaria made history in 1993 as the first openly LGBT+ comic to perform on television in the US. She has also appeared in Will and Grace, Friends, The First Wives Club, Edge of Seventeen and Attack of the Big Haired Lesbians.
DeLaria has also had accolades for her on-stage performances – including a Drama Desk nomination and a Drama League Honoree for On the Town. She played both Eddie and Dr Scott in the Tony-nominated revival of The Rocky Horror Show.
DeLaria will lead the parade through Manchester’s streets alongside the patrons of Manchester Pride. Previous grand marshals have included Sir Ian McKellen – putting Lea, who stars as Big Boo in the Netflix hit, in fabulous company.
This year’s parade will consist of around 3,500 people from across Greater Manchester, with almost 100 floats, from small community groups to large commercial organisations. The Pride Parade theme for 2014 is ‘Love’.
All Saints, Anastacia and Conchita Wurst will take to the main stage over the Big Weekend, presented in partnership with G-A-Y. Pixie Lott, Foxes, MNEK, Neon Jungle and Jodie Harsh are also on the bill.
The Parade is free to all, although tickets for the Big Weekend are currently priced at £22 for a weekend ticket, with day tickets at £12.50.
For more information, visit manchesterpride.com.
Images courtesy of Sophy Holland.
