18 Trans Celebrities Who Faked Straight for Early Auditions

Many transgender actors and entertainers began their careers by conforming to cisgender expectations to secure work in a less inclusive industry. These celebrities often auditioned for roles that aligned with their sex assigned at birth or hid their transgender identity to navigate the competitive world of Hollywood. Their early work showcases the talent and resilience required to succeed while suppressing their authentic selves before eventually living their truth.

Elliot Page

Elliot Page became a household name with breakout roles in films such as ‘Juno’ and ‘Inception’ while presenting as a female. The actor spent years navigating the intense scrutiny of Hollywood and the pressure to conform to feminine beauty standards on red carpets. During this period Page received an Academy Award nomination and starred in the blockbuster ‘X-Men’ franchise. He publicly came out as transgender in 2020 and shared that he had finally found the courage to live authentically.

Caitlyn Jenner

Caitlyn Jenner achieved global fame as an Olympic decathlon champion and was labeled the greatest athlete in the world while presenting as male. She later pursued acting and starred in ‘Can’t Stop the Music’ while also joining the cast of the police drama ‘CHiPs’. For decades Jenner lived as a male icon in the media and on the reality series ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’. Her public transition in 2015 became a major cultural moment that sparked widespread conversation about transgender visibility.

Brian Michael Smith

Brian Michael Smith made history as the first black trans man to land a series regular role but his early career was spent in stealth. He utilized his acting training to secure roles as cisgender men in shows like ‘Girls’ and ‘Blue Bloods’ without disclosing his transgender status. Smith felt he had to keep his identity private to build a resume in an industry that was not yet accepting of trans actors. He eventually decided to come out publicly to advocate for better representation and take on the role of a trans police officer in ‘Queen Sugar’.

Trace Lysette

Before her breakout role in ‘Transparent’ Trace Lysette worked as a stripper and auditioned for non-trans speaking roles in New York City. She landed a guest spot on ‘Law and Order SVU’ playing a cisgender character while keeping her history private. Lysette has spoken openly about the survival mode required to navigate casting rooms that were historically hostile to trans women. She eventually revealed her truth during the audition process for ‘Transparent’ which launched her advocacy for trans inclusion in storytelling.

April Ashley

April Ashley was a pioneering Vogue model and actress who appeared in the film ‘The Road to Hong Kong’ alongside Bob Hope. She became a high society figure in London during the 1960s and her gender history was unknown to the general public during her early success. Her career was derailed when a Sunday newspaper outed her and led to the cancellation of film contracts and modeling gigs. Ashley remained a significant figure in the fight for legal gender recognition in the UK until her passing.

Gabbi Tuft

Gabbi Tuft reached the pinnacle of sports entertainment as a WWE superstar performing under the ring name Tyler Reks. During her wrestling career she presented a hyper masculine persona to millions of viewers on programs like ‘SmackDown’ and ‘Raw’. Tuft retired from wrestling in 2014 and later transitioned publicly in 2021 while sharing her journey of shedding the muscular armor she had built. She now uses her platform to discuss fitness and the complexities of transitioning after living in the public eye as a male athlete.

Alexis Arquette

Member of the famous Arquette acting dynasty Alexis Arquette started her career playing male roles in films such as ‘Last Exit to Brooklyn’. She gained significant attention for her role in ‘The Wedding Singer’ where she played a Boy George impersonator before she had fully transitioned publicly. Arquette documented her transition in the film ‘Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother’ which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She continued to act in various roles and challenged gender norms until her death in 2016.

Chaz Bono

As the child of Sonny and Cher Chaz Bono grew up in the harsh glare of the spotlight and appeared on their television shows as a young girl. He spent decades in the public eye trying to fit the mold of a female celebrity before realizing his true identity. Bono publicly transitioned around 2008 and his journey was documented in the film ‘Becoming Chaz’. Since then he has forged a successful acting career with roles in ‘American Horror Story’ that are distinct from his musical legacy.

Jake Zyrus

Known globally as the powerhouse singer Charice Jake Zyrus rose to fame with appearances on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ and a role on ‘Glee’. During this early career phase Zyrus performed as a female pop star and was often styled in glamorous dresses and long hair. He faced immense pressure from management and fans to maintain the pop princess image despite his internal struggle with gender identity. Zyrus came out as a trans man in 2017 and pivoted his musical style to reflect his authentic self.

Tommy Dorfman

Tommy Dorfman gained immediate fame starring as Ryan Shaver in the hit Netflix series ’13 Reasons Why’. During the show’s run Dorfman identified publicly as a gay male and later nonbinary while navigating the industry’s expectations for male actors. She announced her transition to female in 2021 and clarified that she had been medically transitioning for a year prior to the announcement. Dorfman has since re-introduced herself to the industry while focusing on female roles and directing.

Eddie Izzard

Eddie Izzard built a legendary career as a standup comedian and actor known for ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ and ‘The Riches’. For most of her career she identified as a transvestite and performed in boy mode for dramatic acting roles while wearing makeup and dresses for comedy. Izzard recently adopted the name Suzy and feminine pronouns to embrace a fluid gender identity after decades in the spotlight. She continues to act in serious dramas and often plays complex male characters despite her personal transition.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez

Before her historic turn in ‘Pose’ Michaela Jaé Rodriguez performed in theatre and television roles presenting as male. She played the role of Angel in a New York revival of ‘Rent’ and had a small part in ‘Nurse Jackie’ before her physical transition. Rodriguez stepped away from the industry briefly to transition because she feared it might end her career. She returned to become the first trans person to win a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Drama.

Dylan Mulvaney

Before becoming a TikTok sensation documenting her transition Dylan Mulvaney was a musical theater actor performing as male. She toured with the Broadway production of ‘The Book of Mormon’ and played the role of Elder White. Mulvaney maintained a male presentation for professional stage auditions and performances throughout her early twenties. Her shift to documenting her girlhood online marked a definitive break from her previous life as a male actor.

Lana Wachowski

Filmmaker Lana Wachowski developed ‘The Matrix’ trilogy and other influential science fiction franchises while presenting as a male director. She spent the early part of her career avoiding press interviews to keep her personal life and gender identity out of the tabloids. Lana became the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender in 2012 while promoting ‘Cloud Atlas’. She has since spoken about how she channeled her identity struggles into the themes of her earlier films.

Lilly Wachowski

Like her sister Lilly Wachowski achieved massive success directing blockbusters such as ‘V for Vendetta’ and ‘Speed Racer’ before transitioning. She navigated the film industry as one half of a directing duo known publicly as brothers for decades. Lilly announced her transition in 2016 after being threatened with an outing by a journalist. She has since moved toward solo directing projects and writes extensively about the importance of trans representation in media.

Abigail Thorn

Abigail Thorn rose to prominence as the creator of the educational YouTube channel ‘Philosophy Tube’ where she presented as male for several years. She acted in various sketches and discussed complex philosophical concepts while battling private dysphoria. Thorn came out publicly in a viral video titled ‘Identity: A Trans Coming Out Story’ in 2021. Since transitioning she has continued her acting career in television series such as ‘The Acolyte’.

Rebecca Root

British actress Rebecca Root began her career performing in male roles in theatre and television before she transitioned. She worked in various productions while presenting as a man and often felt that she was playing a character both on and off stage. After transitioning she initially struggled to find work but eventually broke through with the sitcom ‘Boy Meets Girl’. Root has since appeared in major franchises like ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘The Queen’s Gambit’.

Carmen Carrera

Carmen Carrera first appeared on the third season of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ presenting as a drag queen named Carmen. During the show she identified as a gay male though she later revealed she was already grappling with her gender identity. After the show aired Carrera publicly transitioned and began a career as a model and burlesque performer. She has since criticized the show’s early handling of trans issues and became a vocal advocate for trans rights.

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