Jen Richards
After co-creating and starring in the Emmy-nominated web series “Her Story,” trans writer/actress Jen Richards went on to appear in episodes of “Nashville,” CBS’s “Doubt” and FX’s “Better Things.” She was also a series regular on Season 1 of “I Am Cait,” co-producer of the upcoming docu-series “More Than T,” and the writer of its accompanying series “Trans 102.” “Being a writer was my childhood dream, and acting has always been what I do for fun,” Richards says. “It’s still surreal to me that I now get paid to live my dream and have my fun!” Being trans in Hollywood has its perks and its perils, both of which Richards has detailed in stories for places like The Advocate and NewNowNext. Still, she’s optimistic about the future of inclusion in entertainment. “This industry draws some of the most creative, intelligent, fun, and interesting people you’ll ever meet,” Richards says. “And I count myself further blessed that there’s an incredible community of very active queer women in Hollywood. [S]eeing the impact of my work on people who never expected to see their identities and experiences portrayed with beauty, sensitivity, and nuance. It changes their sense of possibility, and that’s profoundly humbling to me.” —TB
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