Yahoo News 10 trans actors who are rocking TV in 2018
2018 has been a significant year for transgender representation on TV. Up until recently, trans characters were often portrayed as sex workers, victims or the butt of some truly hideous jokes.
However, we've seen a rise in shows coming out over the past couple of years that present a vast array of stories to promote the acceptance of people who are at various stages of the transition process, from ITV's Butterfly to FX's Pose.
And there are a number of actors breaking new ground in TV and flying the flag for trans representation. To honour these figures and celebrate the small screen revolution, here are ten trans TV actors who are changing the game in 2018...
1. Ian Harvie
Ian Harvie is a comedy force, often referencing being a trans man in his live performances. But when he's not slaying in stand-up – a career he's shaped since touring with comedian Margaret Cho as her opening act – Ian's pumping his talents into a number of TV roles.
From his hilarious fling with Gaby Hoffmann's Ali in Amazon's Transparent to his serious soapy role as Michael Hester in ABC's Mistresses to the revival of Will & Grace, Ian's shown range and we can't wait to see what's in store for him next.
2. Rebecca Root
Rebecca Root first made waves when she starred as transgender woman Judy in BBC2's sitcom Boy Meets Girl. Discussing the events leading up to the role, she told Radio Times: "I was a jobbing actor for ten years as a boy, in boring romantic roles as the hunky soldier or doctor. I wasn't happy in myself and that permeated my performances. I don't know how I made a living. I'm more comfortable now and that comes across in Judy."
Since then, Rebecca's had her fingers in many pies, both on the big screen and the small. We know we're here to talk about TV, but let's face it, she was tremendous in Wash Westmoreland's biographical drama Colette.
Over the past year, Rebecca has also put her name to the series Doctors. She's also starring in the upcoming British comedy Flack, set for release in 2019. It would appear now is Rebecca's time to flourish as a TV actor and we're rooting for her every step of the way. Pun fully intended.
3. Angelica Ross
Angelica Ross is an unstoppable force. Back in 2016, the actress enjoyed a recurring role as Paige in Her Story, a wildly successful series that looks at the dating lives of trans and queer women.
Memorable performances in the likes of Claws and Transparent followed, before Angelica showed us a new side in FX's Pose – a show that not only did justice to the legacy of the '80s ball culture world in New York, but also made history by assembling the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles ever for a scripted series. Speaking of which...
4. Indya Moore
Oh Angel, let us forever worship the impeccable bone structure of thee. Indya Moore portrayed the sweetest ever side girl in Ryan Murphy's Pose, and her incredible talents as an actress helped to shape Angel into the three-dimensional, complex character we all grew to love. A force to be reckoned with, we have no doubt we'll be seeing more of Indya on the small screen in the months to come.
5. Mj Rodriguez
Last Pose nod, we promise. But come on, you can't mention the show without tipping your hat to Mj Rodriguez for her performance as Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista, aka the mother of the year. Like Indya, she stole our hearts, showing she could be ruthless, sweet, caring, determined and strong – and Mj nailed each and every nuance of the character with finesse.
If her Chinese meal moment didn't make you sob like a toddler, we don't know what will, and it's that ability to hit people right in the feels that is the marker of a good actress.
6. Alex Blue Davis
Ah, Alex Blue Davis, is there anything you can't do? Not only is he a musician and a singer, but he's also starred in NCIS, Two Broke Girls and Newlywed and Broke. But he really came into his own with his performance in Grey's Anatomy as Casey Parker, a character who, like Alex, is transgender.
Showrunner Krista Vernoff really made a point about how they worked hard to ensure the ABC medical drama advanced the storylines for trans characters and actors, something that Alex praised in an interview with GLAAD where he explained why he's so happy that the role isn't just about him being trans.
7. Ash Palmisciano
He made Emmerdale history by becoming the first transgender actor to appear in the soap, and if that weren't inspiring enough, Ash Palmisciano recently revealed that he landed the part of Matty Barton almost by accident.
Speaking on Lorraine, Palmisciano said that he didn't originally plan to audition for the role, but that he was invited to do so by the producers.
"There's an amazing charity called All About Trans, and they work with positive representations in the media of trans people. And they said to me, 'We're doing an interaction with Emmerdale. They're thinking about doing this storyline, and they're looking for advice on positive reps. Do you want to come?'.
"I went along and the next thing is, 'Do you want to audition?'. And I was like, 'Being an actor? Yeah, fantastic! Of course' – and here I am."
And it's really that easy… only kidding. Ash has the star quality that's needed for TV and has received an influx of praise from viewers ever since first appearing on the soap this year.
8. Brian Michael Smith
Brian Michael Smith has a very full CV, having enjoyed supporting roles in everything from Gossip Girl to Law & Order to Girls to Homeland. However, he really made waves with his performance as Toine Wilkins in Ava DuVernay's critically acclaimed show Queen Sugar.
Brian gave an impeccable turn as the transgender police officer and high school friend of the show's principal character, Ralph Angel, and used the role as a means to come out as trans himself. Up until this point, the actor had been playing cis men, but after landing the part on Queen Sugar, Brian decided to come out as trans.
In an interview with NBC News, Brian said: "I just saw how important it was for young LGBTQ people, no matter where they were in their experience, to see what is down the road for them. It's really important to me to be visible in my work."
9. Annie Wallace
Annie Wallace made TV history as the first transgender person to star in a British soap after landing a role in Hollyoaks. But the victory didn't stop there, as she is also the first trans actress to receive a BAFTA nod. While you could argue that 2016 is far too late to be reaching such milestones, at least we've seen a rise in trans representation on the small screen over the past couple of years.
Annie plays a trans character, schoolteacher Sally, in the Channel 4 soap, but you already knew that. Here's hoping she'll continue to rock in Hollyoaks and beyond in the years to come.
10. Elliot Fletcher
If you don't already know who Elliot Fletcher is, then you're missing out – this guy has played a number of impressive roles over the years, including major parts in shows such as Faking It and The Fosters. But it's his performance as Ian's love interest Trevor in the US adaptation of Shameless that really launched him into TV stardom, playing a key figure to the trans storyline that unfolded within the show.
In an interview, executive producer Nancy Pimental told The Hollywood Reporter that the writing team worked with supportive members of the LGBTQ+ community in order to get the storyline right. As such, Elliot turned out to be the perfect candidate at the centre of it all.
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