Jul 13, 2021 - Economy

Mj Rodriguez makes history as first trans woman nominated for major acting Emmy

Oriana González

Picture of actress Mj Rodriguez — Mj Rodriguez. Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Actress Mj Rodriguez became the first openly transgender Emmy Award nominee in a major acting category on Tuesday, earning the nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her role in FX's "Pose."

Driving the news: Only two other openly trans performers have received Emmy nominations, per Variety: Laverne Cox in 2014 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, and Rain Valdez for short form comedy or drama actress in 2020.

The big picture: Last month, GLAAD and other LGBTQ groups urged the Television Academy "to celebrate an entire underrepresented community that hasn’t been valued for their artistic vision, creativity, or contributions" by nominating the "Pose" cast members, many of whom identify as trans and nonbinary, in their respective acting categories.

Rodriguez's "Pose" cast member Billy Porter was nominated in the outstanding drama actor category. He became the first openly gay Black man to win an Emmy in 2019.
"Pose" was also nominated for outstanding drama series.

What to watch: The Television Academy announced all nominees for the awards ceremony, which will air in September.

Add Axios on Google

Mj Rodriguez makes history as first trans woman nominated for major acting Emmy

What to read next