Michaela Jaé Rodriguez finally found a spot for her Golden Globe

Out: "I Am" feels like such a fun-filled anthem for the summertime, and it sounds like you're telling affirmations not only to your fans, but also to yourself. How does this record fuel your personal empowerment and creativity, and what impact do you hope it has on listeners who are navigating their own journeys of self-discovery and confidence?

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez: Well, for starters, that was amazing how you put this question together. The record is definitely an affirmation to the fans. For my fans, it's always to show them that there's an example out there of someone pushing, striving, thriving. [I want] to encourage, to influence, to inspire, to also not let their light be dimmed or let their fire be, you know, dampened. Instead, let it burn bright — that was literally the whole premise and the general kind of trajectory for this song.

The only thing I could think about, when thinking of those words that I told you, was the anthem and something that just lifts people up and makes them feel whole, no matter if they're LGBTQ+ or if they're outside of the LGBTQ+ community. As for me, I created this kind of, like, image around Michaela, who is 33 years old and a child of seven. This song alone, for me, was her rebooting and reconnecting with her past to realize why she's the future.

So, it's kind of like an intertwined kind of message between my past, my present, and my future. I can't wait until people see the story, too, aside from the message that I'm sending within this.

Who is Michaela now compared to when the world was fully introduced to her when Pose came around?

When I first came out, I was very new and green. When I was on Pose, I was very green in regard to the television world… aside from the guest appearances that I had booked. I think MJ was a baby, and she was just really trying to figure things out in the industry. I feel like Michaela now is the girl who was raised on music, who throughout her life went to school specifically for music, and who went to programs for music.

This Michaela, now, is a little bit more free and a little bit more open in the music world for people to see who she is. I feel like she's definitely mature and grown, and I feel like that's what this album that's coming pretty soon is going to represent, too. The Michaela that I knew before was so beautiful in green, and now she's a little bronze and silver. She hasn't gotten the gold or platinum status yet, but I like it — it gives room to grow.

You're such a vibrant person and artist. Can you give us a teaser on the sound of the album?

Sonically, it's a soothing album. It's also upbeat and lyrical. It's soothing because I feel like the sounds are repetitive sounds, and you can listen to it over and over again. I want people to move and laugh and also dance together. It's lyrical because there are a lot of words that I want people to try their best to listen to. We get mixed up in the beat and in the music a lot, and [sometimes] we lose the lyrics of the song. I think, lyrically, aside from myself, along with another writer and another producer as well as co-writer, we really delved into this album to make sure that it had a message and a story.

In today's fast-paced society, where attention spans are short and new music is constantly being released, how do you approach creating music that resonates and endures the test of time? What strategies do you use to ensure that your albums and records have a lasting impact and the opportunity to grow on listeners?

Yeah, I mean, like you said, songs and music are [some] of the most powerful tools in the world. I think we want to make sure that the music that we're writing and creating has a lasting legacy on not just youth, but generations to come and the generations before us, so that it can really penetrate their minds and make them think.

My team has also worked really hard putting it into this music. Hopefully, it lasts a lifetime, and we can keep creating pieces of work and art and music to last a lifetime… for people to just go back to and listen to and either trigger some kind of happiness, or trigger something uplifting in them. That's what I want this music to do. I think my team and I are doing a pretty good job, too.

The girls aren't giving out visuals anymore, but are we getting visuals from you?

I'm definitely giving visuals for the album, for sure. I am independent, you know, so a girl's doing things as much as she can — I just have to be honest. I do also have a plan, and I also have to give credit to my team. We're really good and cohesive, and we work together on figuring out how we can really let the world know that great music is on the way and there's going to be something to follow. I just hope that my fans are trusting me and hoping that I'm willing, able, and capable of delivering for them. They fans are the ones who really shift the paradigm and make things work.

In a previous interview, you shared that you haven't unboxed nor found a place for your Golden Globe trophy. Have you found a place for the Golden Globe in your home yet?

I finally have. I'm very, very happy where she's going to be placed. She hasn't come out of the box just yet, but I literally found a place for her. It's so funny you asked that! A couple of days ago, I was talking to my boyfriend, and I was just like, 'It's time to really put it up in a dress and, you know, just look at it.'

She might come down every so often, but she's going to be up pretty soon. I think I may have her towards the entrance to my home, [because] there's a shelf right there, and you'll be able to see her as soon as you come in.

We just celebrated Pride Month and reflected on significant victories. How do you believe your representation on screen, in the media, and in starring roles has advanced the presence of queer and trans people in Hollywood, moving beyond the typical 'sidekick' portrayal to more central, multifaceted characters?

I do think there are so many doors that have been opened. I think even alongside my sisters who have paved the way, like Laverne Cox. I feel like when Laverne stepped in, she opened the door so wide with her [role] in Orange Is The New Black. Her character created space for people to talk. I feel, in my eyes, like that was the first time, too. We didn't see [Cox's character] as a sidekick, either. We saw her as essential. She may not have been a leading character, but she was a central character who [was a part of] the cohesive group of those women on the show.

When Pose happened, I think [Ryan Murphy], Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk, Brad Simpson, Nina Jacobson — all of the cohesive people — we all rallied together. We knew that this was a story that had to be told and that could possibly break the glass ceiling. I knew that when I saw it in the breakdowns in New York and was going back and forth doing auditions for musicals. I knew that Pose was something that had to be done. After the success, my life changed. I realized that it was the women behind me who were passing the torch, and I do believe that [more] doors have opened. There's a plethora of opportunities for a lot of trans women. I also think there could be more space.

You've been excellent on American Horror Story. You shared that you and Emma Roberts really hit it off on set and rave about your significant others. Have you popped out on double dates yet?

I'm so glad that you asked that because we've been trying to figure that out. It's crazy that you asked that because she texted me a while ago, but we were doing things, and she's a busy girl. I'm hoping it can actually happen soon. We did have a great time on set together. She's very, very serious about her work, and I really respect that. I'm the same exact way, especially when it comes to dramas. There's so much energy that has to be put into a specific kind of character. We worked, all of the girls, even Cara Delevingne, we worked late nights. All of us were very, very keen on making sure we delivered. It was a really, really good experience. We all clicked, and I think we called ourselves the Witch crew [laughs].

You and Emma Roberts have shared such great chemistry on and off set. Can you tell us more about how your creative processes complement each other? Are there any particular scenes or moments from American Horror Story that were significantly influenced by your off-screen friendship?

This show specifically [required] in-depth character work. When we had conversations with each other outside of work, [we were still] deeply devoted to the characters for this show, simply because they had a lot more complexity to them. Comedy is a little bit freer. Although you can improvise in a drama, I feel like character development work was the most crucial part and key thing. We had to get to set, be on time, and make sure that we delivered.

You've also been killing it as Sofia on one of my favorite shows, Loot. This is such a fresh, innovative series. It's also so upbeat and vibrant. How has it been playing this multi-dimensional character?

It's been such a joy being able to play with her and being able to mold her with the creators of the show in the beginning. You know, I am a Capricorn, and we are very logical. I did recently find out, though, that Sofia might be a Sagittarius. She doesn't strike me as a Sagittarius, but hey… naturally, I'm always, like, to the book when it comes to the script and creating the character. Prepping the character before I go in, so that when I go in either on the first day or even one month in, I feel comfortable enough to play and also receive direction in a quicker and easier way.

The preparation for me, in the beginning, was so key. I already had this arc that I had created, but when I got in there, she kind of morphed. They were also taking pieces of each and every last one of us, small pieces of us in real life, and just dropping them as, like, raindrops into the script. I mean, obviously, Sofia is completely different from who I am as far as archetype and everything, but there are moments when even I, as an audience member, watch and I'm like, 'Oh, my God, I can relate to that.'

That was the best part of moving into the second season. I had grown so comfortable with the writers, and the studio, and the producers, and the crew members, and the cast members. We created a cute bond on set, and I think that's why we all turned it out this season along with the writing, which is why cohesive. It's even better than the first season, and I think the first season was so fantastic.

What's the most Capricorn thing about you?

The most Capricorn thing about me is that I am extremely logical, loyal, a perfectionist, and a workaholic.

You're one of the meme queens on social media, from the 'deliver' clip to different dance videos that people put music over. How does it feel to be huge not only in pop culture, but also internet culture? Are you collecting memes?

Okay, so I use a lot of memes [laughs]. I don't use them in text a lot. I usually use them either on Instagram when I'm in the comments section or on TikTok. I mean, I would definitely probably use the 'deliver' meme because that cracks me up [laughs].

There's also a Blanca one I use where they call it a 'shake and go' wig. We were on set that day when I had it on, and they kept asking me to do it again [laughs]. We were having fun, and we had to channel our younger selves that day. It was just a ki. Every time I see it, it's a reminder of, like, who I was when I was 16 or 19. I'm always gonna live for it and repost it. On top of that, it's hilarious. Someone put Beyoncé's record, 'Ego,' to it with back cracks, and I fell out.

Fans continue to talk about Pose even years after it ended. Are you satisfied with how the show wrapped? Where do you think Blanca would be today?

I don't think Blanca would be in New York or L.A. I feel like she would be somewhere else. I don't think she would be in the areas that have caused her trauma. I think she probably would have traveled abroad to, like, France, Europe… or even Asia, just to get away. I see her kids are still intact, and she has great relationships with them. They're all around the world influencing, and she's watching her kids doing what she would've loved to do, but also did in her time with Elektra and her other sisters in the time of 1987.

As far as the third season, I loved where it ended. If it were to continue, I would love that, too, because that would give us a glimpse of where Blanca would go, [whether] it was in 2001, or 2005, or wherever she'd be in that time, and how we would frame that around. I feel like writers and producers, we'd all have great conversations about it. The opportunities are endless. If there's an opportunity or open space to open that book again, I would join in a heartbeat.

I thought it was a fantastic representation of what life could be like afterwards when you make a decision as a person who is LGBTQ+, especially a trans woman — how you're going to move through the world after your crew, your culture, and your people have shown you the ropes. It was a crash course as well for, I'm sure, America on what younger trans women go through and how they grow in time.

The chemistry among the Loot cast is palpable on screen. Can you share a specific instance of collaboration with your fellow cast members or directors that profoundly shaped a particular scene or episode?

We all know that Maya Rudolph is hilarious. There was a scene where me and my girl Stephanie Styles couldn't keep it together. Maya had us cracking up through all the takes, so much to the point where Stephanie turned around to me in tears [of laughter]. All I remember seeing was Stephanie's mascara running because she was laughing so hard.

Pose has left an undeniable legacy. If you were to curate a special exhibit about Pose in a museum, what key artifacts or moments from the show would you include to encapsulate its impact on society and LGBTQ+ representation?

If we were able to encapsulate the essence of Pose in a museum, I would say the entrance would solely be a lineup of the costumes we stole from the museum in the first episode, along with the outfits that we were wearing when we stole them.