Laverne Cox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laverne Cox
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Cox in July 2014
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| Born | May 29, 1972 Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
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| Years active | 2000–present |
| Relatives | M Lamar (twin brother) |
Laverne Cox (born May 29, 1972) is a famous American actress and activist. She became well-known for her role as Sophia Burset in the Netflix show Orange Is the New Black. This role made her the first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for acting.
In 2015, she won a Daytime Emmy Award as an executive producer for her show Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. This made her the first trans woman to win this award. In 2017, she also became the first transgender person to play a regular transgender character on U.S. broadcast TV in the show Doubt.
Laverne Cox has achieved many "firsts" for the transgender community. She was the first transgender person to be on the cover of Time magazine in 2014. She also appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine in South Africa in 2018. She is also the first openly transgender person to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds.
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Early Life and Education
Laverne Cox was born in Mobile, Alabama. She grew up with her single mother and grandmother. She has an identical twin brother named M Lamar. He played the character of Sophia before her transition in Orange Is the New Black.
Laverne studied creative writing and dance at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. She later attended Indiana University Bloomington and Marymount Manhattan College. At Marymount, she changed her focus from dance to acting. She also studied fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Before her big acting break, she worked as a drag queen performer in New York City.
Acting Career and Advocacy
Laverne Cox first appeared on the reality show I Want to Work for Diddy. After this, VH1 asked her to create her own show. This led to TRANSform Me, a makeover series. This show made her the first African-American transgender person to produce and star in her own TV show. Both shows were nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.
She has also acted in other TV shows and films. These include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Bored to Death.
In 2013, Cox began her important role as Sophia Burset in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. Sophia is a trans woman who is in prison. Laverne said that Sophia was written as a character people could truly understand. This helped audiences connect with a real trans person. For trans people watching, it was important to see someone like them on screen. Her role gave her a platform to speak about the rights of trans people.
In 2014, Laverne Cox made history by appearing on the cover of Time magazine. She was the first transgender person to do so. Later that year, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. This was for her role in Orange Is the New Black. She was the first transgender person to get an Emmy nomination in an acting category. She also appeared in John Legend's music video for "You & I (Nobody in the World)".
In October 2014, Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word premiered. This was an hour-long documentary that Cox produced and narrated. It was shown on MTV and Logo.
In 2017, Cox started a new role as Cameron Wirth on the CBS show Doubt. Cameron was a transgender attorney. This made Laverne the first transgender person to play a regular transgender character on U.S. broadcast TV.
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Also in 2017, Cox worked with the ACLU to create a video. It was about transgender history and resistance. The video was called "Time Marches Forward & So Do We". Cox narrated it. She also became one of the faces for the Ivy Park clothing line.
In 2019, Cox was featured in Taylor Swift's music video for "You Need to Calm Down". She also appeared on the cover of British Vogue in September 2019. This made her the first transgender woman to be on the cover of British Vogue.
In September 2019, Cox attended the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. She brought ACLU attorney Chase Strangio as her date. She carried a special clutch bag with messages about an important Supreme Court case. This case was about protecting transgender workers' rights. Cox and Strangio spoke to reporters about the case.
Cox also executive produced the documentary Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen. This film explores how transgender people have been shown in movies and TV. It premiered on Netflix in January 2020.
In May 2021, E! announced that Cox would host Live from the Red Carpet. She started this role in January 2022. In December 2021, she was cast in the Netflix movie The Uglies. This film is based on a popular book series. In 2024, Cox competed on The Masked Singer as "Chess Piece".
Impact and Recognition
Laverne Cox is seen as a true pioneer for the transgender community. She has won many awards for her work in raising awareness. She is known for her many "firsts" mentioned earlier. These include being on the cover of Time magazine and having a wax figure at Madame Tussauds. She also received an Honorary Doctorate from The New School in 2016. This was for her important work in fighting for gender equality.
Honors and Awards
- 2014 – Included in the Root 100 list, which honors "standout black leaders, innovators and culture shapers."
- 2014 – Topped The Guardian's World Pride Power List, which ranks the world's most influential LGBT people.
- 2014 – Named to the EBONY Power 100 list.
- 2015 – Named to the 2015 OUT Power 50 List.
- 2015 – Included in People magazine's World's Most Beautiful Women List.
- 2015 – A special ice cream flavor was named "Laverne Cox's Chocolate Orange is the New Black" for Pride weekend.
- 2015 – Named in the 2015 Time 100 Most Influential People List.
- 2015 – Named by Forum for Equality as one of their 31 Icons of LGBT History Month.
- 2016 – Awarded an Honorary Doctorate from The New School.
- 2017 – Named to the 2017 OUT Power 50 List.
See also
In Spanish: Laverne Cox para niños
