Multimedia mogul, Ts Madison is joining forces with acclaimed film and television director, Lee Daniels, for her upcoming biopic series. Known for her transparency and larger-than-life personality, TS Madison will bring her incredible journey to life on the small screen. The biopic is expected to chronicle her life from childhood, through her years in sex work. She shared, “Lee Daniels is working on my biopic. It's going to be a series. So, all those wild stories when I used to tell on the ‘Lipton Tea Hour,’ when I used to sit back and talk about my life, we're going to be expounding on that.”
Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment — delivered three times a week straight (well…) to your inbox!
Madison emphasized the significance of having Lee Daniels — a queer man — lead this project. “I’m proud to give it over to him because he's a queer person, and I wanted it to be told by a queer person.” This marks Daniels' continued exploration of compelling narratives, as he previously produced the 2021 Hulu original film The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Although the biopic is still in its early stages, Madison and her team are diligently assembling a diverse group of storytellers.
“We've been vetting writers, and we have a great writer. She's a cis woman and a former sex worker. I don't want to reveal her just as of yet, but I'm so proud that she's a part of the project. I wanted all areas of black to be involved in this. I wanted it to be a black woman. I wanted it to be a black man. I wanted it to be queer people. I wanted it to be trans people. I wanted this because that's the only way that you'll be able to accurately tell a story is if all people are involved.”
The Drag Race judge is also partnering with World of Wonder to create a candid documentary about the Ts Madison Starter House and its first group of trans women residents. “I shared my vision for this project with World of Wonder. I don’t want to see black skin tearing each other apart; we already have enough of those shows. When these women enter the house, I want to focus on their coming-out stories. I envision something akin to ‘Soft White Underbelly.’ I understand some may find that approach dull, and that’s perfectly fine.”
Currently, Ts Madison can be seen as the recurring character, Daga, on Netflix’s Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black, which premiered on October 24, 2024. Her impressive resume also includes appearances in the film Zola, BET+'s The Ms. Pat Show, Bros, and Hush. Madison can also be seen Friday nights on MTV’s RuPaul's Drag Race as a rotating judge alongside Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews, and Carson Kressley.
