“Pose”, one of Ryan Murphy’s essential series, arrives on Disney+ this Wednesday, June 19. Broadcast across the Atlantic between 2018 and 2021, on the FX channel, the program in twenty-five episodes offers a dive into New York in the 80s, within the LGBTQ+ community, in the midst of the emergence of ball culture and discovery of HIV. A moving series notably carried by MJ Rodriguez, a talented American actress who continues to mark the history of the industry.
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She wasn’t even ten years old when MJ Rodriguez – real name Michael Jaé – dreamed of becoming a movie star. Born in January 1991 in New Jersey, she tried her hand at acting at an early age by enrolling at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. She spent her adolescence in Newark where she discovered ball culture and voguing – an urban dance style.
Very quickly, she hit the stage by playing in several plays, including “Rent”, an Off-Broadway production – a room with between 100 and 500 seats – in which she played the role of Maureen. A performance which earned her the Clive-Barnes prize in 2011. The following year, she began hormonal therapy and decided to no longer audition for male roles.
A stage name in reference to the Marvel universe
At that time, the actress chose a stage name: MJ Rodriguez, in reference to Mary Jane Watson, a fictional character in “Spider-Man”. In 2016, she landed a role in the series “Luke Cage”. Making her the very first transgender character in the Marvel universe that she is a fan of.
But it was truly her role as Blanca Evangelista in “Pose” that launched her acting career in 2017. Directed by Ryan Murphy, the serial drama features a cast made up of five transgender actresses to play the main roles – including Indya Moore and Dominique Jackson. A first. On screen, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez plays a young woman who, after being diagnosed with HIV, founds her own support home for young gay and transgender people.
First transgender woman to win a Golden Globe
Her role in Ryan Murphy’s show earned her attention from her peers. In 2021, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez made history by becoming the first transgender actress to be nominated in the “best actress in a drama series” category at the Emmy Awards ceremony, for her performance in “Pose”. If the prize ultimately goes to Olivia Colman (for “The Crown”), this nomination is an event.
With this recognition, she then appears in “Tick, Tick… Boom!” » alongside Andrew Garfield. But it is mainly on the small screen that the actress regularly shines. She notably stars in the series “Loot” and “American Horror Story: Delicate”. Another string to his bow? The music. In 2021, she released her first single titled “Something to Say”.
Since then, the young woman has reverted to her full name. “At this point in my life, I’m becoming a grown woman, I need people to see the person behind MJ. I want them to know that I don’t limit myself to the characters that I play,” she explained to “The Hollywood Reporter.” “That’s why my name is now Michaela Jaé. I want people to see who I really am. »
In January 2022, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez continues her momentum by once again making cinema history. At 31, she is the first transgender woman to win a Golden Globe. She won the statuette for best actress in a television series for her role as Blanca Evangelista in “Pose”.
The same year, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez was among “Time” magazine’s twelve women of the year, alongside Zendaya, Kerry Washington and Amal Clooney.
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