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Laverne Cox Makes History This Fall In New CBS Drama ‘Doubt’

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 03:25 PST, Sep 1, 2016

Laverne Cox will make history this fall, according to Out. The 32-year-old transgender actress will star alongside Katherine Heigl in new drama series Doubt, but this role will be special for the TV world.

In the new CBS drama Doubt, Laverne Cox will make history by becoming the first ever transgender actress to portray a transgender character in a broadcast series. The series focuses on the story of attorney Sadie Ellis, played by Heigl, who falls for her client named Billy (Steven Pasquale) while working on his case.

Heigl’s character defends Billy during a murder trial, while Laverne Cox plays another attorney, Cameron Wirth, who is described by the show’s creators as “fierce and funny” and “as competitive as she is compassionate.”

Doubt, which is a historic TV series and comes at a historic time for transgender people like Laverne Cox, will debut this fall and it also stars Dreama Walker, who is better known for her role in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.

Despite starring in a historic TV series, Laverne Cox is already a living legend, according to Teen Vogue. The Orange is The New Black star has already proven herself as a warrior for transgender equality, but that’s not the limit of her capabilities.

Laverne Cox recently agreed to host a Q&A with Transparent’s Hari Nef, the 22-year-old transgender model and actress. The Doubt actress revealed that it was “amazing” to chat with Nef, who is beginning her career in Hollywood.

“Hearing from her how her journey has inspired her to live her dreams was so deeply affirming that having the courage to live our truths out loud can shift the world.”

During the interview, Nef admitted that Laverne Cox’s role in the Netflix hit series Orange Is The New Black made her life “a little less scary.” In fact, Cox was the first ever transgender woman of color to play a leading part on a scripted TV series.

Laverne Cox admitted that it has always felt like “a huge responsibility” for her, and there has been “lots of pressure.”

“But I have to remind myself that I’m doing the best I can, and to stay in the love.”

Laverne Cox also complains that being “black, trans, and a woman” had kept her in “very limited boxes” for years before her breakthrough role on Orange Is The New Black.

“But I believed as I persevered and changed my own thinking about myself and my talent, and things shifted around me.”

Nef has previously said that being a “femme” is “a choice of survival,” but Laverne Cox reminded the Transparent actress that cisgender women are also struggling to “survive in patriarchy.” And Nef had to agree with Cox, saying that as much as she wants to eliminate the patriarchy, she still has to ride the subway.

“I still need to go to the grocery store. I still need to talk to people. I still need to go home to my family.”

Laverne Cox then shared a story from her college life, saying that she mostly played transgender roles, but then her acting teacher told her to get “a normal part.” And so Cox believes everybody always wanted to make her “normal.”

Laverne Cox also admitted that she felt relieved when she realized she wasn’t the only transgender out there and that she wasn’t alone. Cox said that at last year’s SAG Awards she was the only trans person there, but this year Nef was also present at the ceremony, which is why there is “strength in numbers.”

“And I’m grateful that I have inspired you, but I think that it’s important for you to know that I’m in the struggle the same way you are.”

[Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP Images]

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