\u2018Pose\u2019 star Mj Rodriguez made history as the first trans star nominated for a lead actress Emmy \u2014 here\u2019s what to know<\/b>
\nAt long last. After years of notoriety, Mj Rodriguez made history on Tuesday, July 13, when she became the first trans woman to receive an outstanding lead actress Emmy nomination. In the award show\u2019s 73 years, no trans actor had been nominated in the four lead actor categories. \u201cI\u2019m still on cloud nine\u2026 I truly can\u2019t believe it!\u201d the Pose actress,30, wrote via Instagram to share the happy news. \u201cThank you @televisionacad I\u2019m still gagging. I didn\u2019t get on cam am that much cause I looked a mess!! Lord Jesus I\u2019m #EmmyNominated.\u201d Later, she discussed her historic nomination in an interview with the Associated Press. \u201cMy mom and my godmother were sitting at the dining table [when the news came]. And the moment my name was announced, I just screamed and I broke.\u2026 I just remember falling into my boyfriend\u2019s arms and just crying. Tears of joy, tears of happiness,\u201d Rodriguez noted. \u201c I felt represented and I felt seen. And\u2026 more accepted than I have felt in a long time. I felt like my colleagues now see me, my acting colleagues see me, and the people who are surrounded by the arts see me, and how much I want to give the world the love to my craft and my art.\u201d On Pose, which recently ended with its third and final season, the New Jersey native (full name Michaela Antonia Ja\u00e9 Rodriguez) played Blanca. The FX series was set in the \u201880s and \u201890s and focused on ballroom culture in New York City. It also featured the highest number of series regular roles for trans actors. The show\u2019s creator, Ryan Murphy, spoke to Us Weekly exclusively in June 2018 about how he hopes the series brings a permanent change to Hollywood. \u201cWhen I was coming up in the industry, it was all white guys over 40 who had power. I\u2019m interested in using my juice to promote other people,\u201d the Glee creator,55, said. \u201cI think the days of casting a straight guy who puts on a wig and is a transgender person \u2026 those days are over. I feel like that\u2019s not fair and that\u2019s not real. There is so much talent in this community. We cast this show for six months and we read anybody who wanted to audition and I feel like you can feel it. It\u2019s an authentic show about an authentic group of people.\u201d This year, Pose was nominated for nine Emmys, including a nod for Outstanding Drama Series. Prior to her breakthrough role on the TV show, Rodriguez was featured in many other series and stage productions. She also recently launched her debut single, \u201cSomething to Say,\u201d under the name Michaela Ja\u00e9. Next up, the actress will star alongside Maya Rudolph in an Apple TV+ comedy currently titled Loot. \u201cI feel like there\u2019s so much more opportunity out there. The world \u2014 it\u2019s opened, and I can\u2019t even express how happy I am to know that I\u2019ll be able to be a part of more amazing pieces of work,\u201d she told AP. \u201cI know that\u2019s what the future looks like.\u201d Scroll to learn more about the iconic actress:<\/p>\n