21 Famous Transgender Celebrities  2023

Transgender celebrities face many obstacles and barriers in the entertainment industry, however, lots of transgender stars are flourishing as the top models, actors, directors, actresses, and more in Hollywood.

Over the last few years, numerous transgender celebrities have had a lasting impact on Hollywood. Several trans actors and actresses have delivered unforgettable performances in movies and television. They’re in critical roles both in front and behind the camera, with transgender celebrities playing vital roles as writers, directors, and producers.

While trans celebrities still face a lot of discrimination and obstacles, many of them help cause significant changes in the industry. Transgender celebrities being open and honest has helped transgender people around the globe and seeing many of them succeed at high levels is inspiring.

Additionally, these transgender celebrities use their platforms to stand up for trans rights. They’re vocal about trans rights and equality. Many of them share their stories of transitioning, their success, and the discrimination they still face. These groundbreaking celebrities are slowly changing the industry for the better. For instance, there are more transgender people represented in movies and television series than ever before, in media such as Orange is the New Black, Posse, and Doubt. Here’s a look at 21 transgender celebrities. 

1. Laverne Cox

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The Daytime Emmy Award winner Laverne Cox quickly made an impact. Cox is a proud advocate of the LGBTQ and trans community. As a child, she struggled with her sexuality and endured relentless bullying. At one point, she even attempted suicide after developing feelings for a male classmate.

Trained in classical ballet, Cox received universal praise for her role in the Netflix series Orange is the New Black. In 2014, she became the first transgender person to grace the cover of Time magazine. She also became the first transgender person to portray a recurring transgender character as Cameron Wirth on Doubt in 2017. 

2. Elliot Page

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Elliot Page is best known for his roles in Juno, the X-Men franchise, and Umbrella Academy. Page made headlines in December 2020 when he came out as a trans man. Due to the political climate, he felt compelled to open up and be honest about his feelings. Later, Page became the first transgender man to be on the cover of Time.

In season 3 of Umbrella Academy, Page’s character Vanya also transitioned to becoming Victor. Page is a proud and influential trans activist who identifies as queer and non-binary, using the pronouns he and they. He’s easily one of the most famous transgender celebrities in the world.

3. Zaya Wade

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Considered one the most influential young trans celebrities, Zaya Wade has already impacted the community. She’s the daughter of NBA legend Dwayne Wade and the stepdaughter of iconic actress Gabrielle Union. Despite having famous parents, Wade’s the star of the family. Wade came out as a transgender girl when she was 12 years old and changed her name from Zion to Zaya.

Her father began using the pronouns she/her when talking about Wade on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2020. Moments later, Union posted a video introducing the public to Zaya Wade. She has since become a vital advocate for trans rights, especially among the youth. 

4. Nicole Maines

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Actress Nicole Maines is best known for her role as Nia Nal on the hit series Supergirl. Maines became the first transgender woman to portray a transgender superhero. Before her acting career, Maines was involved in a landmark court case Doe vs. Clenchy, when she was still a child. Maines began identifying as female at a very young age.

During the fifth grade, a grandfather of a male child complained that Maines was using the female bathroom. To appease the grandfather, the school made Maines use the staff bathroom. Maines and her family eventually took the school district to court for discriminating against Maines. Maines and her family won the case. After graduating from high school, she had gender affirmation surgery and started her career in acting.

5. Michaela Jaé Rodriguez

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Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is best known for her critically acclaimed role as HIV-positive trans woman Blanca Evangelista on FX’s Pose. Rodriguez admits that as a child, she wanted to be female while also being in denial. Rodriguez attended several art schools before excelling in ballroom dancing. Later, she landed a significant role in the musical Rent. However, Rodriguez took a break from acting to transition.

To her surprise, she received tremendous support from friends and her management team. Also, she landed roles in Luke Cage, The Carries Diaries, and Nurse Jackie upon her return to acting. In 2017, Rodriguez took a lead role in Pose, joining the largest cast of transgender actresses. In 2022, Rodriguez became the first transgender performer to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress in Television. 

6. Kim Petras

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Kim Petras is a young rising star in the music industry. She began releasing singles through her own imprint that went viral. It caught the attention of Republic Records, who signed her to a deal. Recently, she made headlines after releasing the hit single “Unholy” with Sam Smith.

Petras was assigned male at birth but began identifying as female by age 2. By the time she was 13, Petras was appearing on German television to discuss sex reassignment surgery. Petras made an effort to push for the right to have the surgery despite being underage. She challenged the German law of having to be 18 for surgery. The courts ruled in her favor, and Petras became the youngest person to have sex reassignment surgery at 16. 

7. Lana Wachowski

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Regarded as one of the first directors to come out as trans, Lana Wachowski is one-half of the iconic filmmaking duo the Wachowskis. Sisters Lana and Lilly are best known as the creative genius behind The Matrix and subsequent sequels.

Both sisters came out as transgender in the last several years or so. Lana first came out in 2010 after the release of Speed Racer. Then in 2012, Lana made her first public appearance since the transition after the release of Cloud Atlas. Lana admits to feeling confused as a child about her gender identity. She’s now one of the most vocal voices in the trans community.

8. Vivian Jenna Wilson

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Vivian Jenna Wilson is the daughter of novelist Justine Wilson and her estranged father, Elon Musk. Of course, Musk is a brilliant inventor and one of the wealthiest people alive. He’s also known for his controversial views on the transgender community and pronouns.

His 18-year-old daughter’s decision to become transgender resulted in their relationship falling apart. Wilson desired to distance herself from her father as much as possible. She legally changed her first and last name to Vivian Jenna Wilson, taking her mother’s last name. However, Musk doesn’t take any responsibility for his strained relationship with his daughter. Instead, he blames institutions for brainwashing her. 

9. Lily Wachowski 

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Lilly Wachowski supported her sister Lana for several years before coming out as transgender herself. Along with Lana, Lilly has released several popular movies and series, including Bound, V for Vendetta, and Sense8. Lilly came out as a transgender woman in 2016. Luckily, Lilly had a lot of support from family and friends. She remains one of the most influential transgender directors in the industry. 

10. Billy Tipton

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Throughout the 30s, 40s, and 50s, Billy Tipton was one of the world’s top jazz musicians and bandleaders. It wasn’t until his death in 1989 that family, friends, and the public found out he was a transgender man. Assigned female at birth, Tipton loved jazz music but struggled to break into the male-dominated industry.

As his career started taking off, he adopted the role of a male jazz musician. Eventually, he began living as a man privately as well. Tipton had several women in his life but told them he suffered several injuries in an accident. Later, he adopted three sons with dancer Kathleen Kenndy. 

11. Isis King

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Assigned male at birth, Isis King is a groundbreaking supermodel that’s slowly changing the industry. King is one of the most famous and influential transgender celebrities. She began undergoing hormone therapy in 2007 but had been a model for several years. She walked all the top runways and had her career break after landing a spot on America’s Next Top Model season eleven.

Later, King appeared on The Tyra Banks Show and met a top sex reassignment surgeon who offered an all-expenses paid surgery. She underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2009 and returned to America’s Next Top Model for the all-star season. King’s career continues to flourish with roles on The Bold and the Beautiful, Shameless, and When They See Us. 

12. Caitlyn Jenner

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Often called the most famous trans woman, Caitlyn Jenner made headlines when she came out as a trans woman in 2014. Jenner first gained fame by winning the gold medal in the men’s decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Jenner became a major celebrity and married three times. Jenner has two daughters, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, with Kris Jenner.

Later, Caitlyn appeared on the hit reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians along with Kris, her two daughters, and Kris’s children Kim, Kourtney, Khole, and Rob Kardashian. Jenner is also a trans activist, although her views often clash with other trans people. Regardless, Jenner is playing an essential role in the movement. 

13. Chaz Bono

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As the child of Sonny and Cher, Chaz Bono lived a fascinating life. He admits to struggling with his gender identity since he was a child. Around the age of 18, Chaz came out as a lesbian to his parents. Despite being a gay icon, Cher struggled to accept the truth but soon supported Chaz. She’s now a top LGBTQ activist.

In the mid-90s, Chaz made headlines when he came out as a transgender man. At the time, it was groundbreaking and relatively unheard of for a celebrity to discuss being transgender openly. Chaz is now a staunch supporter and advocate for the trans community. 

14. Lea T

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Supermodel Lea T worked for all the top brands and walked the runways of fashion week around the globe. Additionally, she’s appeared on the covers of Vogue, Marie Claire, and Glamour. The daughter of Brazilian footballer Toninho Cerezo, Lea was assigned male at birth.

She began her career as a model before transitioning. She became designer Riccardo Tisci’s inspiration and the face of Burberry. Her career continues to flourish as one of the top models in the world. She’s also a famous trans advocate that’s a leader in the community. Lea urges the community that they still have a lot of work to accomplish. 

15. Christine Jorgensen

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In the 1950s, Christine Jorgensen made headlines around the globe as one of the first people to have sex reassignment surgery. After serving in Word War II, Jorgensen first heard about sex reassignment surgery when she returned to the United States. Later, she took the name Christine as a tribute to Dr. Christian Hamburger, who supervised her hormone replacement therapy.

After undergoing sex reassignment surgery in Denmark, Jorgensen returned to America as a star. From the moment she landed back in the United States, Jorgensen became front-page news. Jorgensen’s a pioneer that broke down barriers and paved the way for other transgender celebrities. 

16. Valentina Sampaio

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Brazilian supermodel Valentina Sampaio is one of the most recognizable models in the world. She began identifying as a transgender person at a young age and was lucky not to endure any bullying. Her parents and classmates were all incredibly supportive of her decisions. Later, Valentina decided to pursue a modeling career but suffered an early setback.

In 2014, she was fired from her first modeling gig because she identified as a transgender woman. The company was worried about alienating its conservative base with a transgender model. She overcame the obstacle and went on to work for all the top brands. 

Furthermore, she made headlines as the first transgender woman to appear on the cover of Vogue. Of course, Valentina didn’t stop there. She’s also the first openly transgender Victoria’s Secret Angel and the first transgender model to appear in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She’s easily one of the most influential transgender celebrities. 

17. Janet Mack

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Born in Hawaii, Janet Mock is a pioneer and groundbreaking trans woman of color. Mock began her transition as a teen and turned to sex work to pay for sex reassignment surgery. Later, Mock’s career in journalism took off and she became a voice for the trans community in the media.

Mock then became an editor at Marie Claire after she criticized an article covering her coming out as a trans woman. Mock continues to break down barriers and overcome obstacles. She wrote the New York Times Best Seller Redefining Realness and made history in 2018 when she became the first trans woman of color to be hired as a writer for a TV series on the hit FX show Pose. 

18. Indya Moore

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Actress Indya Moore left their home as a teenager due to their parent’s transphobia. They also dropped out of high school after enduring intense bullying. At the age of 15, Moore began modeling to support herself, which led to a career in acting.

Moore identifies as transgender and non-binary using the pronouns she/her and they/them. Moore had a big career breakthrough with their role as a sex worker Angel Evangelista on the critically acclaimed FX series Pose. Fans and critics praised their outstanding performance. 

19. Josie Totah

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American actress Josie Totah had her big break in the Disney Channel series Jesse. Soon her career took off, landing parts in Back in the Game, Champions, and Spiderman: Homecoming. In 2018, Josie came out as a transgender woman in a Time magazine article.

Additionally, Totah switched from auditioning for male roles to female roles around this time. In 2020, she portrayed sassy cheerleader Lexi in the Saved by the Bell reboot. Totah is a proud supporter and advocate for the LGBTQ and trans community. 

20. Hunter Schafer

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Model Hunter Schafer received universal praise for her portrayal of transgender character Jules Vaughn in the critically acclaimed HBO series Euphoria. Diagnosed with gender dysphoria as a teen, she identifies as a trans woman, lesbian, pansexual, and bisexual.

As a teen, Schafer protested against North Carolina’s House Bill 2, also known as the Public Facilities Privacy & Securities act. Later she pursued an acting and modeling career. She’ll portray Tigris Snow in the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes. 

21. Nats Getty

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Nats Getty is a member of the world-famous Getty family. His great-grandfather founded Getty Oil, and his godfather is Gavin Newsom. Getty is a successful model who has worked for his brother August Getty. Furthermore, Getty and his family strongly support the LGBTQ and trans communities.

In early 2021, Getty came out as transgender and non-binary publicly. Later, he began using the pronouns he/him. Getty is a highly influential transgender celebrity striving for change. 

Categories: Entertainment
Source: Tekmonk Famous Biography