Michaela Antonia Jaé Rodriguez (born January 7, 1991), formerly known as Mj Rodriguez,
is an American actress and singer. Born in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...
, Rodriguez attended several
performing arts schools in her youth before being cast in a theater production of ''
Rent'' as
Angel Dumott Schunard, winning the 2011
Clive Barnes Award for her performance.
Following her performance in ''Rent'', Rodriguez took a hiatus from performing to
transition.
From 2012 to 2016, Rodriguez began to work on stage again and appeared in small television roles, including ''
Nurse Jackie'', ''
The Carrie Diaries'', and ''
Luke Cage
Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...
''.
In 2017, Rodriguez was cast as one of the lead roles in the
FX television series ''
Pose'', making her part of the largest cast of
transgender
A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth.
The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
actresses to be starring as series regulars in a scripted series. Her performance as
Blanca Evangelista garnered critical acclaim.
In 2021, she became the first
transgender woman to earn an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nomination in a major acting category; she was nominated for
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in the third and final season of ''Pose''
and won the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama
The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The award honors the best performance by an actress in a drama ...
.
Early life and education
Rodriguez was born on January 7, 1991,
in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...
to an
African-American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
mother and a father of Puerto Rican and African-American descent. Rodriguez attended
Queen of Angels Catholic School. She wanted to become an actress from the age of seven, and began pursuing the profession at the age of 11 after her mother enrolled her in the
New Jersey Performing Arts Center—where she became an eight-year veteran of the program and participated in its New Jersey Youth Theater program.
While she had "prayed to become female" beginning at age 7, Rodriguez states that she was in denial for many years and initially came out to her parents as "bisexual/gay" at the age of 14.
At 14, Rodriguez became involved in the
ballroom scene where she found support from her house father who taught her to
vogue.
She is a graduate of
Newark Arts High School
Newark Arts High School is a four-year magnet public high school, serving students in Ninth through twelfth grades in Newark, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, operating as part of the Newark Public Schools. The school is lo ...
, and later attended
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...
, where she was a 2009 ''Star-Ledger'' scholarship recipient and a 2009 Young Arts first level scholarship recipient.
She eventually took the stage name "Mj" Rodriguez after the
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
character
Mary Jane "MJ" Watson, being a self-described
comic book
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
geek and from putting the letters together from parts of her birth name.
Career
Stage acting origins
While attending college, Rodriguez was cast in a theater production of ''
Rent'' as Angel Dumott Schunard. Rodriguez had wanted to play the role since first seeing the 2005 film adaptation.
She connected with actress
Fredi Walker-Browne (the actress who originated the Broadway role of Joanne Jefferson in ''Rent)'' who was in attendance at one of Rodriguez's performances. Walker-Browne asked Rodriguez to read for the part of Angel and helped her to land an audition in an upcoming
off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
production of ''Rent''.
Rodriguez was cast for the role in the off-Broadway production, and acted alongside then-up and coming stage actor
Annaleigh Ashford (cast as Maureen).
Rodriguez' performance garnered her the 2011 Clive Barnes Award that was established in honor of the late English writer and critic
Clive Barnes
Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, the ''New York Post''. Barnes had sign ...
.
Transition and reemergence
During this period, Rodriguez began to fully explore the
transitioning process. Following the conclusion of the off-Broadway revival in 2012, Rodriguez made the decision to go on hiatus to begin transition. Beginning with hormone replacement therapy in early 2016,
and allowing sufficient time for privacy, Rodriguez reemerged as an actress. Rodriguez then contacted her
representation to inform them that she was no longer auditioning for male roles.
Despite her concerns, Rodriguez found her representation to be fully supportive of her new gender identity.
From 2012 to 2016, Rodriguez appeared in small television roles, including ''
Nurse Jackie'', ''
The Carrie Diaries'', and ''
Luke Cage
Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...
''.
Her 2016 appearance in the non-speaking role of "Sister Boy" on ''Luke Cage'' also marked the first appearance of both a transgender actress and character in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
.
Following her reemergence, Rodriguez uploaded a video of herself on
Facebook
Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
singing the number "Satisfied" from the Broadway musical ''
Hamilton
Hamilton may refer to:
* Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States
* ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda
** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
''. The video received a positive response and landed her an invitation to audition for the role of
Peggy Schuyler/
Maria Reynolds in ''Hamilton''.
The news of her audition as a trans-actress for a cisgender role made various Broadway and LGBT news outlets.
She then appeared in several additional stage productions:
*
Encores!
Encores! is a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, Tony-honored concert series dedicated to reviving United States, American Musical theatre, musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, E ...
Off-Center's 2016 production of ''
Runaways''
* The 2016 off-Broadway premiere of ''Street Children'' by Pia Scala-Zankel at the
New Ohio Theatre
* The
American Repertory Theater
The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to ne ...
's 2017 production of ''Trans Scripts: Part 1, The Women'' at the
Loeb Drama Center
* The 2017 world premier of the synth-pop musical ''Burn All Night'' in the Oberon at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge
Rodriguez also landed a supporting role in the independent film ''
Saturday Church'' as Ebony. The 2017 film, which premiered in January 2018, depicted a runaway teenager exploring their gender identity and becoming involved in the contemporary underground ball culture scene. Her portrayal of Ebony earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2017
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
.
Breakthrough with ''Pose'' and debut as a singer
In 2017, Rodriguez was cast in the leading role of
Blanca Evangelista in the
FX series ''
Pose'' following a six-month casting search.
The show was created by
Ryan Murphy,
Brad Falchuk, and
Steven Canals and made history by casting five transgender actresses in leading roles. As of 2018, the show features the largest cast of transgender actors as series regulars in a scripted series.
The pilot for ''Pose'' went into production in November 2017 and premiered in June 2018 to positive reviews.
The series is set in New York City during the 1980s and explores the lives of queer people of color (especially Black trans women) who are involved with the underground
ballroom scene. Rodriguez's Blanca is a young woman who forms her own "house"—the House of
Evangelista—after receiving a positive diagnosis for
HIV. As the head of the House of Evangelista, she becomes a surrogate mother to several abandoned queer youth of color.
Described as a "breakout, starring role",
her performance has been praised by critics.
Among the show's regular cast are Rodriguez's ''Saturday Church'' co-star
Indya Moore,
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-winner
Billy Porter, model
Dominique Jackson, trans rights advocate
Angelica Ross,
Evan Peters
Evan Thomas Peters (born January 20, 1987) is an American actor. He made his acting debut in the 2004 drama film '' Clipping Adam'' and starred in the ABC science fiction series ''Invasion'' from 2005 to 2006. Peters gained wide recognition fo ...
,
Kate Mara, and
James Van Der Beek
James David Van Der Beek (; born March 8, 1977) is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery on The WB's ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998–2003), he also played a fictionalized version of himself on the cult ABC sitcom '' Don't Trus ...
.
Rodriguez performed with ''Pose'' co-stars
Dyllón Burnside, Billy Porter and
Ryan Jamaal Swain in a benefit concert on July 23, 2018, to celebrate the season 1 finale and raise money for
GLSEN and sing "Waving Through a Window" from ''
Dear Evan Hansen
''Dear Evan Hansen'' is a stage musical with music and lyrics by Pasek and Paul, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Steven Levenson. The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with social anxiety, "who invents an important rol ...
''.
In 2019, Rodriguez became the first openly transgender woman to win Best Actress - Television at the
Imagen Awards.
In the fall of 2019, Rodriguez played Audrey, the leading lady in
Pasadena Playhouse's production of ''
Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors may refer to:
* '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film
* ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film
* ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...
'', becoming the first transgender woman of color to play the role in a major production. Her cast mates included
George Salazar
George Ernest Salazar (born March 7, 1986) is an American actor and singer. He is known for his work on and off-Broadway theatre, Broadway. He made his Broadway debut in the 2011 revival of Stephen Schwartz (composer), Stephen Schwartz's ''Godsp ...
(from Broadway's
Be More Chill) as Seymour and
Amber Riley (
Glee
Glee may refer to:
* Glee (music), a type of English choral music
* ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy
* ''Glee'' (Bran Van 3000 album)
* ''Glee'' (Logan Lynn album)
* Gle ...
) as Audrey II. About the role she told Broadway.com, ''"''I'm simply an actress. I think any woman should be considered for this role.
y castingshouldn't be something that's trending—it should be normal."
On October 1, 2019, she and ''Little Shop of Horrors'' co-star George Salazar were the musical guests on ''
The Late Late Show with James Corden
''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known simply as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show that aired on CBS from 2015 to 2023. It is the fourth and final iteration of '' The Late Late Show'', and aired in the United Sta ...
'' on
CBS where they performed "Suddenly Seymour".
In November 2019, Rodriguez landed a contract with
Olay Body, becoming the first Latina trans woman to enter a partnership with the company.
On May 7, 2021, it was reported by
''Variety'' that Rodriguez would star alongside
Maya Rudolph
Maya Khabira Rudolph (born July 27, 1972) is an American actress and comedian. In 2000, she became a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). During her tenure on the show, she appeared in supporting roles in ...
in
Apple TV
Apple TV is a digital media player and a microconsole developed and marketed by Apple. It is a small piece of networking hardware that sends received media data such as video and audio to a TV or external display. Its media services include ...
's upcoming comedy series directed by
Alan Yang and
Matt Hubbard.
In 2021, she became the first
transgender woman to receive an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nomination in a major acting category; she was nominated for
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in the third and final season of ''Pose''.
On June 4, 2021, Rodriguez released her debut single "Something to Say" under the record label Access Records. The song serves as the lead single for her upcoming debut EP.
In September 2021, Rodriguez announced that she now goes by Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, stating, "I wanted people to see that I was more than just this character that I played on a television screen. ... It was only right and even more personal to let people know who the woman inside of Mj is".
On January 9, 2022, Rodriguez won the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama
The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The award honors the best performance by an actress in a drama ...
at the
79th Golden Globe Awards, becoming the first transgender actor to win a
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
in the history of the awards.
Filmography
Film
Television
Theatre
Discography
Studio albums
Singles
Music videos
Awards and nominations
See also
*
Transgender culture in New York City
*
List of LGBTQ people from New York City
*
List of Puerto Ricans
This is a list of notable people from Puerto Rico which includes people who were born in Puerto Rico (Borinquen) and people who are of full or partial Puerto Rican people, Puerto Rican descent. Puerto Rican citizens are included, as the governm ...
*
African American LGBT Community
*
Nuyorican
Nuyorican is a portmanteau word blending "New York" (or "Nueva York" in Spanish) and "Puerto Rican," referring to Puerto Ricans located in or around New York City, their culture, or their descendants (especially those raised or currently livin ...
*
Puerto Ricans in New York City
*
Puerto Ricans in the United States
Stateside Puerto Ricans (), also ambiguously known as Puerto Rican Americans (, ), or Puerto Ricans in the United States, are Puerto Ricans
Puerto Ricans (), most commonly known as Puerto Rico#Etymology, Boricuas, but also occasionally r ...
*
Transgender culture of New York City
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Michaela Jae
1991 births
21st-century African-American women singers
21st-century American women singers
21st-century African-American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Newark, New Jersey
African–Hispanic and Latino American relations
American actresses of Puerto Rican descent
American television actresses
Berklee College of Music alumni
Hispanic and Latino American women singers
American transgender actresses
American transgender musicians
African-American LGBTQ people
LGBTQ Hispanic and Latino American people
LGBTQ people from New Jersey
American LGBTQ singers
Living people
Newark Arts High School alumni
Transgender women musicians
LGBTQ women singers
Transgender women singers