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These trans stars have been recognized for their outstanding work in film and television!
These trans actors deserve every bit of recognition they get!
It's only been a little more than a decade since major awards started recognizing and celebrating trans actors. In 2011, Harmony Santana became the first out trans actor nominated for a major acting award in the U.S., and since her, there's been some progress — but not nearly enough.
These trans actors have opened doors, broken glass ceilings, and continue to inspire and amaze audiences with their skills as artists and storytellers.
Unfortunately, no binary trans men have been nominated for major awards yet, and some awards, like the Oscars, have yet to recognize any out trans actors. For this post, we're focusing on mainstream awards, not just awards bestowed by queer groups like the GLAAD Awards and Dorian Awards.
One thing to note is how many of these actors have not had major projects after their nominations, especially Black trans women and other trans women of color. Another thing to note is how few actual winners of these awards are on this list.
Here are 16 trans actors who have been nominated for major film and television awards.
In 2011, Harmony Santana made history when she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role as a trans teen in Gun Hill Road. When she did, she became the first out trans actor to be nominated for a major acting award in the United States.
Cox is considered, in many ways, the mother of major award-nominated trans actors. In 2014, she became the first out trans actor to be nominated for an acting Emmy for her role as Sophia Burset in Orange Is the New Black. She was nominated again three more times, in 2017, 2019, and 2020 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She's also been nominated for an Image Award, a Critics Choice Television Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Taylor made history along with Kitana Kiki Rodriguez when she won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for the role of Alexandra in Tangerine and the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor. She was also nominated for the San Francisco, Seattle, and New York Film Critics Awards.
Both of the trans leads of 2015's Tangerinewere nominated for Independent Spirit and Gotham Awards for their roles as sex workers on a mission in Los Angeles. She was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead and Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor.
As the star of Pose, which ran from 2018-2021, Rodriguez became the first out trans actor to earn an Emmy nomination for a lead acting award when she was nominated for her role in the third and final season. That year she also earned her first Golden Globe nomination for the role as house mother Blanca Rodriquez-Evangelista, and made history as the first out trans actor to actually win a Golden Globe for acting. She also has nominations for MTV Movie & TV Awards and Critics' Choice Television Awards.
Writer, producer, and actress Rain Valdez was nominated in 2020 for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for starring in the web series Razor Tongue, which she also created.
Harrison, best known for her comedy skills, was nominated for Best Female Lead at the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards for playing a pregnancy surrogate in the film Together Together.
Corrin, who came out as nonbinary in 2021, has been nominated for several awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, an MTV Movie & TV Award, a Primetime Emmy (all for playing Princess Diana in The Crown), an Olivier (for Anna X), and an Independent Spirit Award (for A Murder at the End of the World). They also have won a Critics' Choice Award and Golden Globe for The Crown.
In 2022, Finney was nominated for a Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance for playing trans teen Elle Argent in the Netflix series Heartstopper.
Lysette has a long history in Hollywood and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for 2023's Monica, in which she plays a trans woman returning home to her estranged, ailing mother.
D'arcy, who is nonbinary, was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for playing Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon on HBO in 2023.
Ramsey is still young but already has a ton of award nominations under their belt. The Game of Thrones star, who came out as genderfluid in 2023, has picked up nominations for everything from the MTV Movie & TV Awards, to the Gotham Awards, to the Golden Globes, Critics' Choice, People's Choice, SAG Award, Independent Spirit Award, and Primetime Emmy for their role as Ellie in The Last of Us.
Mehiel is a trans and nonbinary actor who made their feature film debut in 2023's Mutt, which premiered at Sundance. They won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award in Acting for their role, becoming the first out trans actor to win the award.
In 2024, Mau made history as the first trans woman nominated in the category of Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series at the Emmys for playing Teri in the smash success Netflix series Baby Reindeer.
In 2024, Lundy-Paine, who is nonbinary, was nominated for a Gotham Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance for playing Maddy Wilson in I Saw the TV Glow.
Gascon is an Oscar frontrunner for playing the title character in 2024's Emilia Pérez, where she plays a Mexican cartel leader who transitions. She, along with co-stars Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, and Zoe Saldaña already won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
