BOYSTOWN — Actress and Illinois native Lea DeLaria will lead Chicago's 48th Annual Pride Parade as Grand Marshal this summer, organizers announced Wednesday.
DeLaria is well-known for her portrayal of "Big Boo" on the hit Netflix series "Orange Is The New Black," as well as her roles in "Awkward," "Californication," "Law and Order SVU," "Will and Grace, ""Friends," and "Matlock."
The award-winning actress has also appeared in films "First Wives Club" and "Edge of Seventeen."
The pioneer performer, who has been an out of the closet for 35 years, also holds the distinction of being the "first openly gay comic on TV in America" when she shared that she was a lesbian on "The Arsenio Hall Show" in 1993 — four years before Ellen DeGeneres.
DeLaria has also been revered for her comedy and entertainment skills, jazz music and vocal talent, and has long served as an advocate on behalf of LGBT Americans.
In 2015, she won the Equality Illinois Freedom Award.
The 48th Annual Chicago Pride Parade kicks off at noon on June 25 at the corner of Montrose and Broadway in Uptown. The parade will continue through Uptown, Boystown and Lakeview before wrapping up near Diversey Parkway and Cannon Drive in Lincoln Park.
