‘No one wants us any more’: how Hollywood turned its back on trans actors
At the start of 2024, Trace Lysette was feeling like she had reached the apex of her career. She had just been nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for best lead performance for her title role in the acclaimed drama Monica, earning a spot among A-listers like Natalie Portman, Jessica Chastain and Jeffrey Wright. She and her costar Patricia Clarkson had graced the cover of Variety and appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show. She had landed a part in NBC’s Quantum Leap revival. Then everything came crashing down.
“I thought for sure I would have gotten some offers for a series regular on a TV show, which would have helped me finally buy a house,” recalls Lysette, who is trans. “But it didn’t come.” Instead, the calls stopped.
Screaming “Give me a job cuz I cut my nuts/tits off” is not going to win hearts and minds.
