Beauty Break: Trans Day of Visibility
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 9:53PM by Nathaniel R
Jamie Clayton of Sense8 fame photographed by Austin Hargrave
Since today is Trans Day of Visibility let's gaze at some trans actors. There's been an explosion of visibility for the community in the past ten years or so in showbusiness both in front of cameras and behind them. When we were growing up there were only a few out gay and lesbian celebrities but virtually no trans celebrities and now there are hundreds of queer actors working including trans actors. Even a couple of househould names. Let's be grateful for progress even in a world filled with many injustices and still rampant discrimination of the LGBTQ+ community.
After the jump a dozen semi-randomly selected trans actors (so don't say we missed someone. We're happy to report that there are many we missed but we're on a deadline)...
Daniela Vega A Fantastic Woman, Tales of the City. up next: A series regular role on Amazon Prime's supernatural teenage girls show The Power and an unknown role in the movie Futura from Italian director Lamberto Sanfelice which is in post production.
Candis Cayne photographed by Charles Baker StrahanCandis Cayne Wigstock, Dirty Sexy Money, The Magicians. Up next: ?
Alexandra Grey
Alexandra Grey Empire, The Alienist, Chicago Med. up next: The Mistress, a horror film with John Magaro
Elliot Page photographed for Time by Wynne Neilly
Oscar nominee Elliot Page Juno, Whip It, Flatliners. Up next: The movie Robodog and another season of Umbrella Academy
Indya Moore photographed by Adrienne RaquelIndya Moore Queen & Slim, Pose, Saturday Church. Up next: the horror sequel Escape Room 2 and the third season of Pose
Emmy winner Eddie Izzard Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill, The Riches, Oceans Thirteen, Velvet Goldmine, Across the Universe, The High Note. Up next: appearances in two upcoming shows Langdon and and the crime drama Stay Close
photographed by Carter Smith for Watch magazine
Emmy nominee Laverne Cox Promising Young Woman, Grandma, Orange is the New Black, Bad Hair. Up next: She's completed filming on two new films, playing a detective alongside Stanley Tucci and Jai Courtney in the action film Jolt and she's part of the ensemble in the comedy Senior Entourage starring Ed Asner and Marion Ross
Angelica Ross photographed by Chris Barker for Self magazine
Angelica Ross Claws, Music, one season of American Horror Story, and two seasons of Pose. Up next: Another season of American Horror Story.
Elliot Fletcher photographed by Amos Mac for Candy magazine
Elliot Fletcher Shameless, The Fosters. Up next: He's in 8 episodes of the new Amazon Prime show Tell Me Your Secrets starring Lily Rabe
Carlie Guevara
Carlie Guevera The Garden Left Behind. Up next: Nothing we know of but maybe once people catch up with her charismatic leading work in The Garden Left Behind, still a mostly undiscovered gem, more roles will follow.
Trace Lysette
Trace Lysette Transparent, Blunt Talk, Hustlers. Up next: A supporting role in the romantic drama Venus as a Boy, which has already filmed. Then, hopefully something called Monica a drama about a trans woman caring for her dying mother. Anna Paquin, Patricia Clarkson, Adriana Barraza are supposedly in it too so let's hope it actually films.
Alex Blue Davis
Alex Blue Davis Three seasons of Grey's Anatomy. Up next: ???
MJ Rodriguez photographed by Sean Black
MJ Rodriguez Adam, Saturday Church, and two seasons of Pose. Up next: The third season of Pose hits this summer.
Hunter Schafer by Shiseido
Hunter Schafer She just broke out in Euphoria pre-pandemic. Up next: More Euphoria and then...?
So far most of the breakout work done by trans actors has been on television but we're hoping the movies will get more adventurous in this way since you know Hollywood likes movies about the trans experience. They just have only ever liked them with cisgendered actors in the roles (to date).
Reader Comments (26)
Jesse James Keitel is excellent -- really, the best part -- of David E. Kelley's "Big Sky." It's a show I really want to be better than it is, but it keeps you intrigued at least.
I don't care to much about Oscars but It wouldn't be great if Elliot Page were the first person to be nominated as Actress and after as Actor?
Such an attractive gathering! I’m excited to see what the Pose team does next. Even those behind the camera! There’s nothing like it on television right now.
Trans people are just plain hotter in my opinion. Schwing!
Hollywood is ungenerous. TV and theater happen to accommodate most because they're seen as lesser mediums in terms of prestige and desirability.
Elliot Page, Daniela Vega, and Hunter Schafer are cool as fuck. Eddie Izzard is cool for life as I always love her/his work.
BTW, Nyla Rose of AEW is a transgender yet she is fucking awesome. A real monster that can kick ass.
I have nothing but love for my trans brothers and sisters and gender non conforming siblings. You all are loved.
In these weeks I watched several works from actress/director Isabel Sandoval. She’s from Philippines and she tells stories about immigrants community with great sense and sensibility. Her film from 2019 Lingua Franca (about an Asian caregiver working in New York, waiting for. Greencard) is a noteworthy surprise
Seriously, how could you forget Almodovar's girls Bibiana Fernández (Law of Desire, among others) and specially Antonia San Juan (who should have been at least nominated for "All About my Mother" and was fantastic in this year's sensation "The Platform" as well?
Say what you want about Ryan Murphy and the quality of his projects, but I’m gratefu for the oportunity given for so many talented trans actors in Pose.
Inya Moore and Angelica Ross were really great on Pose, and I hope to see them in more things. I felt like they were both consistently awards worthy.
I really loved the ladies of Veneno. I hope we get to see them in more Spanish television and films.
Jesus -- i was going to say "no one was forgotten" as i said up top that this was just a random sampling and there were many more... but in truth i did mean to include Antonia San Juan so i actually did forget while retrieving the photos. sorry
Jesús you're not in the position of lecturing anyone.
Trace Lysette is giving us all Body for days.
Abril Zamora from The Life Ahead and The Mess You Leave Behind: great actress in very interesting roles.
Antonio -- ooh. i did love Zamora in THE LIFE AHEAD.
Disappointed the moderator allowed for the awkward misgendering of Eddie Izzard in thevoid99's post. Eddie goes by she/her pronouns, and there's no need to awkwardly mash both gender identities together here. A simple "their work" or "her work" would have sufficed.
We've all got a lot to learn.
Ozzie T -- i agree we have a lot to learn and I'm also trying to learn since there are things about the trans experience that I definitely don't understand. But i choose not to police people's language unless they are being hateful or attacking other writers or commenters. It's too much work and my personal feeling is that it's also not conducive to conversation or allowing people to grow and evolve ... i suspect that all the sudden rigidity about this has not actually been helping the trans community because it only amplifies the discomfort people feel whenever change comes. Humans are gonna human and everyone needs time to adjust during cultural shifts, especially when someone they've known all their life makes an announcement it can be hard to not slip in conversation. So to be punished for something that is natural/human feels extreme and unrealistic to me.
It seems to have calmed down a bit but at the beginning it was more than just he/him ... she/her ... they/them... but also just people just creating their own pronouns. I have been a huge fan of Justin Vivian Bond since their early days of fame here in NYC -- years before the Broadway and sold out concert halls and such -- and I remember when they wanted everyone to use "v" instead of she or they and I found it so confusing and slipped up all the time when talking about them/her. Still not exactly sure if the preference is they or she. Language is a complex thing and if you suddenly ask the culture to shift a binary system into a system that allows for three, four, or five (or more) lingustic options it is adjustment.
I sometimes think about the French language where everything is gendered and I think 'holy crap how are they adjusting to this?'. Their language is arleady more complicated then others when it comes to gender since we dont actually gender objects, just people .
That comment was obviously coming from a positive place. Plus, Eddie only *very* recently announced that she preferred she/her and has stated that she's okay with people getting it wrong.. I like this less rigid approach because it allows people time to adjust and is probably healthier for Eddie, too, since she doesnt have to be annoyed with all the people who will inevitably slip up since she's been famous for many years
. I think about when i first came out as gay and in support groups and such they would always tell us that "you've been coming out for years internally so you have to give your family / friends time as it's their first week (or whatever) of dealing with this. Now they have their own coming out like process to deal with"
anyway that's my two cents which is more like fifty cents. Sorry for the length. I hope you understand and I appreciate you saying something even if we don't totally agree because i think conversations about this are important.
An EXCELLENT and beautiful post.
Also, yes, most of Ryan Murphy's sins can be forgiven because he had a hand in giving us POSE. I wouldn't have been introduced to all that fierce talent without it.
I'd like to add Ian Alexander who did great work on The OA and Star Trek: Discovery. Excited to see what's up next for him.
People, Antonia San Juan is a cis woman. Bibiana Fernández is wonderful, and the Veneno girls (specially the glorious Daniela Santiago) are amazing. Watch that awesome show, please!
Beautiful post Nathaniel, some gorgeous photos, and so many talented people here!
Deivith -- thanks for the clarification on Antonia San Juan -- i really didn't know that! i just looked up an interview and you're right. she says people are confused about it.
Patti Harrison is Right! There!
C'mon--gorgeous and funny and smart and so talented!
Corey -- i didn't know who that is so i just looked her up and now I realize I do know who she is as i've seen her in a couple of things but had no idea she was trans. Yes, very funny and gorgeous.
@Deivith @Nathaniel... clarification, here. She denies her trans past.
http://www.lamoscamediatica.com/2013/08/la-negada-transexualidad-de-antonia-san.html
Love for them all, and for Eve Lindley (Dispatches for Elsewhere)