Laverne Cox made history as the first trans actress cast as a trans main character in CBS’s legal drama “Doubt.” For her next project, it looks like she’ll blaze another trail — by playing a role not written with a trans character in mind.
On Tuesday, ABC announced she’ll be the co-lead on “The Trustee,” a female buddy cop pilot from Warner Bros. TV and Elizabeth Banks and Max Handleman’s company, Brownstone Productions. She’ll play Amanda Jones, a larger-than-life ex-con finishing out her prison sentence by doing menial tasks for the police department. Co-lead Meaghan Rath plays her counterpart, Eliza Radley.
ABC hasn’t responded to a request for comment from TheWrap, but in the character description posted by Breakdown Services, nowhere is it mentioned that Amanda is trans; the casting notice does encourage agents to “please submit all ethnicities.” The show’s casting directors declined to comment further to TheWrap.
Based off the casting description, this marks the first time Cox has been cast in a major project where her own trans identity didn’t factor into the casting (if you don’t count Fox’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” remake, where she played Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a part traditionally played by a man in drag).
On her Netflix breakthrough, “Orange Is the New Black,” Cox earned the first Emmy nomination for an openly transgender person for her role as trans inmate and beauty expert Sophia Burset. Her twin brother, M. Lamar, played Burset before her character’s transition in the show.
Similarly, Cox’s role on “Doubt” as Cameron Wirth, a competitive attorney and Ivy League graduate, was also written as trans by the show’s creators, married couple Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, who have a trans son.
Cox shot all 13 episodes of “Doubt,” but the network yanked it off the air after two episodes due to poor ratings. The network has to announce when — of if — the remaining episodes will air. It remains unscheduled for the time being.
She’ll next appear in season 5 of “Orange is the New Black,” which streams on Netflix June 9.
Katherine Heigl, Rob Lowe and 10 More Winners and Losers in New Fall TV Schedule (Photos)
Click through to see who won and who lost in TV's biggest week.
Winner: Katherine Heigl
The star has had a rocky time since leaving "Grey's Anatomy." Her spy drama "State of Affairs" got canceled last year by NBC after just one season. But now CBS is ready to bring her back in the legal drama "Doubt."
Loser: Kermit the Frog
It's not easy bein' a 1970s pop culture staple. ABC tried to freshen Kermit and "The Muppets" for a 21st century audience. But viewers just never came around.
Winner: Laverne Cox
With "Orange Is the New Black," she was the first trans person ever nominated for an acting Emmy. Now she's got the lead in Fox's remake of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Loser: Rob Lowe
The former Brat Packer has remade himself as a middle-aged comedy star, thanks in large part to his scene-stealing on "Parks and Recreation." But it didn't work on Fox's "The Grinder," which was canceled despite great reviews.
Loser: Patricia Arquette
The former "Medium" star headlined CBS' "CSI: Cyber," which turned out to be a rare "CSI: Fail." The forensics drama was canceled after just two seasons.
Winner: Jerrod Carmichael
The force behind NBC's topical sitcom "The Carmichael Show" won a crucial renewal for a third season.
Loser: Connie Britton
The former "Friday Night Lights" star is a free agent again after ABC finally canceled her country-music soap "Nashville."
Winner: Ken Jeong
There aren't many shows more hated by the critics than "Dr. Ken," the ABC sitcom based on Jeong's own experiences as a doctor. But Jeong got the last laugh - and a season 2 renewal.
Loser: Bill Lawrence
Ouch. The "Scrubs" creator had not just one but two series canceled this month: CBS' "Rush Hour" and NBC's "Undateable."
Winner: Kiefer Sutherland
The former "24" star has perhaps the most-talked-about new show of the year. In ABC's thriller "Designated Survivor" he plays a Cabinet secretary suddenly vaulted into the White House after a terrorist attack.
Winner: Greg Berlanti
Now that "Supergirl" is moving to The CW, super-producer Berlanti will control 40 percent of the network's programming.
Winner: Kevin James
"The King of Queens" is back. CBS has ordered a new sitcom with the oversize star, "Kevin Can Wait."
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It’s been a memorable TV upfront week for Kevin James and Laverne Cox; maybe not so much for Connie Britton and Kermit the Frog
Click through to see who won and who lost in TV's biggest week.
