It’s an unseasonably rainy afternoon when Michaela Jaé Rodriguez breezes into a Pasadena restaurant. She’s armed with only the essentials: a large black-and-white umbrella, her cellphone, a tube of Charlotte Tilbury lip gloss in Refresh Rose (she’s the first transgender spokesmodel for the makeup brand) and a rattail comb to smooth her long hair.
The weather is a perfect metaphor for the storm that’s been brewing for the trans community, now that an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation has been proposed in mostly Republican-led states, from laws restricting drag performances to bills that would outlaw gender-affirming therapies for children under 18.
Celeste Sloman for Variety
After bursting onto the Hollywood scene with “Pose” — for which she became the first transgender performer to win a Golden Globe and the first to be nominated for an Emmy in a lead category — Rodriguez, 32, has become one of the most prominent activists for her community. And she’s become all too accustomed to having to elbow her way into a business that was largely inaccessible for people like her. “I was raised in a loving family, but moving into the industry, that’s another ballgame,” Rodriguez says, reflecting on those early days. “And as one of the first trans women coming in, it’s a lot of pressure that I didn’t know I was harboring at the beginning of my career.”
Within the media space, too, there are vocal critics of the trans community, most notably “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling. On a recent podcast series, Rowling framed her controversial position on trans people and trans rights by comparing some trans activists to the Death Eaters, a group of radical evil wizards that she created for her books. “The Death Eaters claimed, ‘We have been made to live in secret, and now is our time,’” Rowling said. “‘And any who stand in our way must be destroyed. If you disagree with us, you must die.’ They demonize and dehumanize those who are not like them. I am fighting what I see as a powerful, insidious, misogynistic movement.”
At the mention of Rowling’s name, Rodriguez takes a break from sipping her steaming hot matcha latte. She’s heard the podcast and says she’s no longer fazed by Rowling. Rodriguez long ago separated the art from the artist. “It’s a childhood memory that all of us have grasped onto and don’t want to let go. Because of the story,” she says. “We’re not thinking about J.K. Rowling, I can promise you. I’m thinking about Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and their silliness and also their growth.”
“Pose” ended to great fanfare while Rodriguez entered her 30s. Previously credited as “MJ,” her childhood nickname, she began to go by her full name, Michaela Jaé, in 2021, and with the public name change came a new sense of confidence. “MJ was the baby,” she says. “Michaela surfaced as a full-fledged woman. She’s not the little girl who had to put on her training wheels.”
As she steps into this next chapter of her career with new music, plans to begin producing movies and a second season of “Loot” on the way, she explains that she was buoyed by her upbringing. Rodriguez credits her mother, Audrey — who she describes as the “most influential woman in her life” — with making her the strong Afro-Latina woman she is today.
After the Oscars, Audrey was Michaela’s date to the Vanity Fair party. While daughter waited in the “long-ass line” on the red carpet to pose in her Versace gown, mother took center stage in a now-viral photo featuring more than 50 prominent Black stars, including Tracee Ellis Ross, Michael B. Jordan, Laverne Cox and fellow Newark, New Jersey native Queen Latifah.
“She’s somebody who lifted me up when I never thought anyone would,” Rodriguez says with pride. “She’s instilled a lot of hope, not just in me as a trans woman, but in a lot of women in our family. It is such an honor to see her in that photo.”
What has it meant to have so many high-profile parents of trans children — everyone from Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union-Wade to Jamie Lee Curtis — use their platforms to speak out in support of the LGBTQ community?
It feels so good to see these high-profile individuals speaking on political injustices that are happening around the world. I saw Dwyane and Gabrielle recently and had to let them know personally, “Thank you.” Because there’s a stigma within the African American community. And it’s so beautiful to see a Black family like theirs speak about their child, Zaya, with love, and for them to say, “I’m here for my child, and anything that tries to come against her, it shall not prosper. She will prosper.” Zaya is the hope and beacon for a lot of trans youth that will be looking up to her when she gets to my age. Which is very young, just to let you know.
Celeste Sloman for Variety
What has been your reaction to J.K. Rowling’s controversial suggestion that trans women should not be considered women?
Some of the stuff that she says really doesn’t faze me so much. I’m not here for it. I will always remain a trans woman. I will always call myself a trans woman. I will always refer to other biological women as cis women, in a non-derogatory way. But I’m a strong girl. I’m a strong woman. I was raised by a strong Black woman, which J.K. Rowling was not. I would love to have a conversation with her.
What would you say to her if you met her?
I would start off with something that’s very lighthearted, just to let her know I’m not someone who is abrasive or who is intimidating, because I’m sure there are trans people who are intimidating her a little bit and making her feel this way. I would first start off by saying, “Girl, OK, tell me what is the tea? Is there a trans person in your life that’s really making you feel a certain type of way about your womanhood? Because I can promise you that there are other trans women who will show you what it’s actually like to walk in our shoes. Because I can promise you, as a cis biological woman, you just will never understand, just as we will never understand you. But we’re women, so we have to be there for each other.”
How did “Pose” impact your life?
It was the start of my career as a leading actress. When I was younger, I was doing guest roles, and that was fine with me, honey. But Ryan Murphy took the initiative to put a trans woman in a leading role, and I’m so glad he took that chance on me. The first season was a little rough for me because I was nervous. I was young — I was 25 years old, going into 26. That’s young. And being young, carrying a show, you don’t realize how much weight that is until it’s done. I’m about to cry right now, because I’m realizing that, and I’m so happy that I learned that. So moving to the second and third season, all I did was grow and learn more about myself.
What attracted you to “Loot”?
I remember auditioning for “Loot.” My agent said, “This might be really good for you. Are you excited for this? Is comedy something that you want to do?” And I said, “Yeah, I want to show versatility and show people that I’m capable of a multitude of things and not just one.”
What can we expect to happen to your character during the upcoming season?
Sofia gets to really explore her love life. And she’s loosening her laces a little bit. She’s a little starchy; very stiff and well put together, but very serious. With the love that’s coming her way, we get to see her flail like a fish, which I’m so happy about. It’s hilarious to me.
Celeste Sloman for Variety
The show doesn’t reveal whether Sofia is trans or cis. Was that something that you discussed with the creators?
We did. I didn’t want her to be trans or cis. I just wanted her to be a woman climbing up the ladder. I wanted to show every little girl around the world that you are capable of being a boss. You don’t need to know that I’m trans. You don’t need to know if I’m cis. You just need to see a woman up there working hard. She’s fighting for what she wants. She knows her worth.
You’re also the face of Charlotte Tilbury and a model for Calvin Klein. What has it been like to enter the world of beauty and fashion?
It means the world is changing and that the opportunities we thought we wouldn’t ever see are coming into full fruition. It also means we’re not just disposable anymore. I do wish there were more trans women who were allotted these opportunities, but I also am very happy that Laverne Cox and some of my other sisters, like Yasmin Finney, Kim Petras, Hunter Schafer and Indya Moore, are the girls to do it.
You’ve said you want to be the next Lara Croft. Is that true?
I would like to tackle a role like Lara Croft now, while I’m able to do the stunts, while I’m able to — if there is a gun involved — whip the gun out and shoot the bad guy and do an aerial. I would love to do that because I have the badassness and sex appeal to make people love it. If not, I would also love to be Lara Croft’s right-hand girl who gets just as much airtime and is right next to her killing it. Or if Angelina decided to come back as Lara and she’s like “Listen, this is my daughter.”
What’s your message to younger trans people?
I want to speak to the youth. I’m talking to all human youth: hetero, trans, gay, lesbian, bi, gender non-conforming, intersectional, asexual, all of you, every single young human being in the world who has a mind of their own, who knows how to graciously approach conflict when needed.
Keep doing it with grace. Keep doing it with love. Don’t ever stop your motivation, your momentum on changing the world and changing human’s hearts. Please don’t be in fear. Be you. Thrive as hard as you can. If you have parents who are not understanding, try your best to help them know where you’re coming from. And if you can’t, and it gets to a point where it’s hard, find a family that will understand.
For the parents out there who are doing the job, congratulations! I commend you. Keep raising these beautiful, wonderful kids because guess what they will turn out to be like me, Laverne Cox and all of the other wonderful individuals that are being the example.
And specifically, to my Black families out there. I know there’s a lot for us to learn when it comes to us as marginalized people. And I know hurt people hurt people. But it’s time for us to break out of that because now we are all under attack. Trans people who are Black are Black people, so you have to show your love to us, because we are under attack. After the fight, love is the answer.
Styling: Danyul Brown/The Only Agency; Set Design: Peter Gueracague; Makeup: Etienne Ortega/The Only Agency; Hair: Tym Wallace/Mastermind Management; Manicure: Emi Kudo/A-Frame Agency; Look 1 (printed top skirt and leggings): Top, leggings and skirt: Valentino; Shoes; Nalebe; Look 2 (sheer Jumpsuit): Jumpsuit: Thom Browne; Look 3 (black dress): Dress: Valentino; Necklace: Dena Kemp; Rings: Deana Kemp and Effy