Laverne Cox

Biography

With various ‘firsts’ in her already impressive career, the Emmy-nominated actress, documentary film producer and prominent equal rights advocate, Laverne Cox, continues to make history in her career and significant strides in her activism. Debuting on the scene in the groundbreaking role of Sophia Burset, in the critically acclaimed Netflix original series “Orange is The New Black,” Laverne is the first trans woman of color to have a leading role on a mainstream scripted television show.

Laverne has earned numerous honors and award nominations for her work and advocacy, from being featured on the cover of TIME Magazine, to an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series,” to a SAG Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.”

An advocate with an empowering message of moving beyond gender expectations to live more authentically, she was also named as one of Glamour magazine’s 2014 Women of the Year, one of The Grio’s 100 Most Influential African Americans, one of the Top 50 Trans Icons by the Huffington Post, and honored with the Courage Award from the Anti-Violence Project, and the Reader’s Choice Award from “Out” Magazine, among other accolades