Filipino American actor and Broadway performer Conrad Ricamora has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign with the inaugural Equality Crane Award for exceptional leadership in LGBTQ+ AANHPI visibility, highlighting his advocacy and impact in entertainment.
The award was presented in June 2026 during a Pride Month event hosted by Asia Society in New York, honoring Ricamora’s continued work advancing representation for queer Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Ricamora, best known for his role as Oliver Hampton on ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder,” gained widespread recognition for portraying one of network television’s few openly gay, HIV-positive characters of color. His performance was praised for bringing nuance and visibility to underrepresented identities.
In accepting the HRC honor, Ricamora reflected on growing up in a small Southern town and the tension between wanting to disappear and now being asked to stand fully in the spotlight.
“It’s a little ironic to be getting the visibility award because so much of growing up as a kid was spent trying to be invisible,” he told the crowd, recalling that he had been “taught by [his] environment that there was something wrong” with him.
On stage, Ricamora has built a strong reputation as a leading Broadway actor and singer. He earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance as Mary Todd Lincoln’s husband in the Broadway comedy “Oh, Mary!,” further cementing his presence in the theater world. His credits also include acclaimed productions such as “The King and I” and “Here Lies Love.”
Beyond acting, Ricamora has emerged as a vocal advocate for inclusion in the arts. In 2025, he launched “The Right to Be There,” a scholarship fund supporting Asian American men pursuing acting degrees, aimed at addressing long-standing financial and structural barriers in the industry.
His connection to Filipino audiences expanded earlier this year when he made his Philippine stage debut, portraying director Zach in a Manila production of “A Chorus Line,” marking a significant milestone in his international theater career.
Ricamora continues to balance advocacy with an active performance schedule. He is set to star in the Off-Broadway premiere of Andrew Stein’s “Disruption,” a tech-centered drama running July 22 to September 13 at the Pershing Square Signature Center in New York.
Ricamora, who is of Filipino, German and Irish descent and grew up in Niceville, Florida, previously received HRC’s Visibility Award in 2016 for his work on “How to Get Away with Murder,” making the Equality Crane honor his second major recognition from the organization.
