TransTainment! Film, TV and Music

The LGBT historical drama Pose is coming to an end after its third season which arrives in May. The show’s first season debuted in 2018 and was centered around the house ball scene in New York City in 1987–88. The second season plot was set in 1990 and the threat of AIDS was omnipresent, house ball dance moves were going mainstream and the show’s characters evolved. The third season will debut on May 2 and is set in 1994. Thanks to Alyssa Washington for sending this link about the show’s last season to TransTainment.

Brian Michael Smith

9-1-1: Lone Star is a procedural dramatic television series focusing on the fire, police, and ambulance departments of the fictional company 126, located in Austin, Texas. One of the characters is a firefighter from New York City who has relocated to Austin. His name is Paul Strickland and he is a trans man. The actor who plays the role is also a trans man. His name is Brian Michael Smith. Get more info on Smith and his character on 9-1-1: Lone Star from Distractify.

Josie Totah

While Brian Michael Smith flourishes in his show trans actress Josie Totah is also crushing it. In her next film for Netflix she plays a teenage trans girl within a group of high school feminist activists that launch a zine called Moxie, which is also the title of the Amy Poehler directed film. The feminists go into magazine publishing to protest against the patriarchy — in this case, a group of bigoted high school boys. Totah is only 19-years-old and has already been involved in major television projects as an actor and producer. Her role in Moxie is aimed at normalizing the presence of transgender people in society. Learn more about Josie Totah and the film from The Huffington Post U.K.

Even though the creator of Harry Potter and the Wizarding World seems to have strong feelings about transgender people’s existence in this world that’s not stopping them from being in the upcoming video game Hogwarts Legacy. Users of the game will be able to play as transgender characters. Character’s voices will be controlled by players who can decide what their voice will sound like in the game , which dormitory they will be assigned to and whether they will be a witch or a wizard. While the game website doesn’t make any pointed reference to the inclusion of transgender characters it does say you can customize your character. Males could play as females and vice versa — without the need for Polyjuice Potion. Take a look at the reveal trailer below.

Lily Jo Hanson

Lily Jo Hanson used to present as a male YouTuber on a channel called Joe Goes. What went was the last letter of her first name and her male public identity. On March 3 Hanson came out in a last video posted to the Joe Goes channel. She called it The Cost of Costumes and revealed to viewers that the “costume” was the male guise she wore everyday. She, as many transgender people do, looked forward eagerly to the Halloween season when she could put aside the manly costume and be herself. The gender shift announcement also told viewers that Hanson is leaving YouTube and will be devoting herself to writing. Learn more about Lily Jo Hanson from Pink News. Alyssa Washington let us know about this story.

Alyssa also let us know that Laverne Cox is coming to The Blacklist this week. She will appear in episode 10 of the long running show as Dr. Laken Perrillos, a torturer who uses unique and unusual methods of inflicting pain on her victims. The doctor suffered an “act of injustice” in her past that sparked her fascination with pain. She is also very interested in exploring “. . .how racial bias can affect the ability to recognize the suffering of others.” The episode airs on March 12 at 8 p.m. EST.

Danny Elfman has shared a new song and short film, exploring the longing for intimacy in a pandemic – watch and listen to Love In The Time Of Covid below. The song’s accompanying short film is directed by German filmmaker Sven Gutjahr and Elfman’s creative director Berit Gilma. It stars Scottish transgender performer — and perhaps trans species person — Shrek 666.

A former sex worker living in Portugal was beginning to find legit work appearing in videos for Madonna and other stars when the pandemic struck and closed down all production. Aquila Correia couldn’t pay her rent and as an undocumented Black Brazilian and with no signed lease she was tossed out of her home. Rather than take it as a setback Corriea set up a GoFundMe and raised $4,791 which she used to create Portugal’s first shelter and creative space for trans migrants that they call Casa T. The six people who live there, all immigrants, produced a gothic music video. Its title is Bruxonas or Big Witches. The song is one of seven that Correia plans to release in 2021. Her goal is to change the way Black trans women are seen in Portugal by showing them as powerful and magical. Learn more from Reuters.

Back in the USA there’s new music from Ultra Naté. It’s called Fierce, and dance-pop singer Naté teams up with Mila Jam and Pose star Angelica Ross to encourage listeners to “be legendary, be necessary [and] extraordinary”and live their truths. Fierce is a declaration of “unity, support and inclusion” between Black cisgender and trans women. Learn more about the song from The Huffington Post. Listen to the track on YouTube.

That’s all the transgender entertainment news for now. See you again next month!

Tags: featured, film, music, television, Transgender

Category: Media, Music, Transgender Fun & Entertainment