Laverne Cox
Actress • Personality
Birth Date: May 29, 1972
Age: 52 years old
Birth Place: Mobile, Alabama
Laverne Cox is a female transgender actor known as much for her powerful acting ability as for her role as a movement spokeswoman. Her breakthrough role came on Netflix's female prison drama series "Orange is the New Black" (2013-), in which she played transgender prison inmate Sophia Burset, although she also appeared in the series "Law & Order" (NBC 1990-2010) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC 1999- ).
She got her break as the first transgender contestant on Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' reality television show "I Want to Work For Diddy" (VH1 2008-2010), leading to a series of her own reality production "TRANSform Me" (VH1 2010). Cox grew up in Mobile, Alabama, and was the subject of bullying and discrimination because of her sexuality. At this time her twin brother, the singer known as M. Lamar, was a constant companion to her. He went on to play the flashback, pre-gender swap version of Sophia as a firefighter who steals credit cards to fund his swap in "Orange is the New Black," in an episode directed by Jodie Foster.
Having lived openly as a woman since the late 1990s while a student at Marymount Manhattan College in New York, Cox took the decision to step away from reality television and work exclusively as an actor following "TRANSform Me." She also wrote for the Huffington Post on transgender issues. Her film work included supporting roles in Susan Seidelman's dance drama "Musical Chairs" (2012) and Paul Weitz's comedy-drama "Grandma" opposite Lily Tomlin.
In 2016, she starred as Dr. Frank N. Furter in the TV musical "The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again" (Fox 2016). The following year, Cox co-starred in legal drama "Doubt" (CBS 2017) and appeared in the Trudie Styler-directed film "Freak Show" (2017).
Credits
Clean SlateStream
Actor
Desiree
Series
2025
Clean SlateStream
Executive Producer
Series
2025
UgliesStream
Actor
Dr. Cable
Movie
2024
Live with Kelly and MarkStream
Guest
Talk
2023
Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter
Self
Special
2022
Power of Women: The ChangemakersStream
Self
Special
2022
Sherri
Guest
Talk
2022
The Jennifer Hudson ShowStream
Guest
Talk
2022
If We're Being Honest with Laverne CoxStream
Executive Producer
Talk
2022
If We're Being Honest with Laverne CoxStream
Host
Talk
2022
Password
Self
Game Show
2022
Inventing AnnaStream
Actor
Kacy Duke
Series
2022
CBS Mornings
Guest
News
2021
Culture Q
Guest
Show
2021
The School of Greatness With Lewis Howes
Guest
Show
2021
Celebrity Wheel of FortuneStream
Guest
Game Show
2021
JoltStream
Actor
Detective Nevin
Movie
2021
Variety's Power of Women: Frontline Heroes
Guest
Show
2020
Can't Cancel Pride
Host
Show
2020
Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Extras
Host
guest
Show
2020
Bottomless Brunch at Colman's
Guest
Show
2020
Promising Young WomanStream
Actor
Gail
Movie
2020
Disclosure
Actor
Movie
2020
Disclosure
Executive Producer
Movie
2020
Bad HairStream
Actor
Virgie
Movie
2020
Savage X Fenty Show
Actor
Show
2019
A Little Late With Lilly Singh
Guest
Talk
2019
The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream
Guest
Talk
2019
Access Daily
Guest
Show
2019
Queer Icon
Actor
Show
2019
Today With Hoda & Jenna
Guest
Show
2019
Weird CityStream
Actor
Series
2019
Can You Keep a Secret?Stream
Actor
Cybill
Movie
2019
SAG Nominations
Host
Show
2018
Today 3rd Hour
Guest
Show
2018
A Long Road to Freedom: The Advocate Celebrates 50 Years
Narrator
Show
2018
Unapologetic With Aisha Tyler
Guest
Show
2018
Glam Masters
Co-Executive Producer
Show
2018
Glam Masters
Host
Show
2018
Access Live
Guest
Show
2017
Drop the MicStream
Contestant
Reality
2017
Live with Kelly and Ryan
Guest
Talk
2017
Red Carpet Rundown
Host
Show
2017
DoubtStream
Actor
Cameron Wirth
Series
2017
Freak Show
Actor
Felicia Watts
Movie
2017
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Guest
Reality
2016
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp AgainStream
Actor
Dr. Frank-N-Furter
Special
2016
Harry
Guest
Talk
2016
The $100,000 PyramidStream
Guest
Game Show
2016
Match GameStream
Guest
Game Show
2016
To Tell the TruthStream
Guest
Game Show
2016
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again: Extras
Actor
Show
2016
Megyn Kelly Presents
Guest
Special
2016
Free CeCe
Executive Producer
Movie
2016
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again
Actor
Dr. Frank-N-Furter
Movie
2016
Absolument trans
Actor
Movie
2016
The Daily Show with Trevor NoahStream
Guest
Talk
2015
The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream
Guest
Talk
2015
Lip Sync BattleStream
Contestant
Reality
2015
The Late Late Show With James Corden
Guest
Talk
2015
Grandma
Actor
Deathy
Movie
2015
Girlfriends' Guide to DivorceStream
Guest Star
Series
2014
Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word
Host
Show
2014
TransFORUM: The T Word After Show
Host
Show
2014
Last Week Tonight With John OliverStream
Guest Star
Herself
Talk
2014
Late Night With Seth MeyersStream
Guest
Talk
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream
Guest
Talk
2014
A World of Dreams: Voices From the Out 100
Actor
Show
2013
The BlacklistStream
Guest Star
Dr. Laken Perillos
Series
2013
Take Part Live
Guest
Show
2013
The Real
Guest
Talk
2013
Hollywood Game Night
Guest
Game Show
2013
Orange Is the New BlackStream
Actor
Sophia Burset
Series
2013
Orange Is the New BlackStream
Guest Star
Sophia Burset
Series
2013
The Mindy ProjectStream
Guest Star
Series
2012
The Mindy ProjectStream
Guest Voice
Series
2012
Katie
Guest
Talk
2012
Live! With Kelly and Michael
Guest
Talk
2012
Totally Biased With W. Kamau BellStream
Guest
Series
2012
CBS This Morning
Guest
Show
2012
Project Runway All Stars
Guest Star
Show
2012
The Exhibitionists
Actor
Blithe Stargazer
Movie
2012
LIVE with Kelly
Guest
Talk
2011
The Chew
Guest
Talk
2011
Q With Jian Ghomeshi
Guest
Show
2011
Dish NationStream
Guest
Talk
2011
Carla
Actor
Cinnamon
Movie
2011
Musical Chairs
Actor
Chantelle
Movie
2011
The Talk
Guest
Talk
2010
Access Hollywood Live
Guest
Show
2010
TRANSform Me
Self
Show
2010
Who Do You Think You Are?Stream
Guest Star
Reality
2010
Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream
Guest
Talk
2009
Open House
Guest
Show
2009
The Wendy Williams ShowStream
Guest
Talk
2008
The Laura Flanders Show
Guest
Show
2008
Chelsea Lately
Actor
Talk
2007
Rachael Ray Show
Guest
Talk
2006
America's Got TalentStream
Guest
Reality
2006
Entertainment Tonight Canada
Guest
Show
2005
ET Canada
Guest
Show
2005
Fashion Police
Guest
Reality
2004
The Insider
Guest
Show
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Guest
Talk
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream
Guest
Talk
2003
E! Live From the Red Carpet
Host
Show
2001
E! Live From the Red Carpet
Self
Show
2001
106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live
Actor
Show
2000
106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live
Guest
Show
2000
The View
Guest
Talk
1997
Just for Laughs
Host
Show
1996
Access Hollywood
Guest
News
1996
Extra
Guest
News
1994
Good Morning America
Guest
News
1975
Today
Guest
News
1952
Photos
News aboutLaverne Cox
18 Milestone LGBTQ+ Moments in TV History: ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ ‘All My Children’ & More
Hannah Waddingham Calls Out Laverne Cox for Butchering Her Name on Emmys Red Carpet
‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Is Over: Relive the 11 Most-Viewed Sketches (VIDEO)
2023 Golden Globes Red Carpet Arrivals: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Bob Odenkirk, Jennifer Coolidge & More (PHOTOS)
‘Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter’ Guests: George Clooney, Rita Moreno, Tom Hanks & More
‘Clean Slate’ From Norman Lear Ordered to Series at Amazon Freevee
Review
Roush Review: The Very Long Con of ‘Inventing Anna’
‘Inventing Anna’ Trailer: See Julia Garner as Fake German Heiress Anna Delvey (VIDEO)
Netflix’s ‘Inventing Anna’ Series Teaser Asks: Who Is Anna Delvey? (VIDEO)
‘Inventing Anna’: Get a First Look at Julia Garner in Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix Series (PHOTOS)
‘Celebrity Wheel of Fortune’ Unveils Season 2 Guest Lineup at ABC
Laverne Cox to Take Over ‘Live From E!’ Red Carpet Coverage, Replacing Giuliana Rancic
Exclusive
‘The Blacklist’ Preview: Guest Star Laverne Cox Comes Aboard as a Sadistic Interrogator
Emmys
Emmy Nominee Laverne Cox Reflects on Sophia’s ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Ending
Netflix’s ‘Inventing Anna’ Rounds Out Cast With Jeff Perry, Anders Holm & More
‘Orange Is the New Black’ Cast on The Show’s Final Season and Lasting Legacy
Exclusive
‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ Season 10 to Feature Megan Mullally & More (VIDEO)
16 Unforgettable ‘Mindy Project’ Guest Stars
5 ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Characters We Didn’t See Enough of in Season 5
From ‘Game of Thrones’ to ‘Orange Is the New Black’: TV’s Women Who Most Inspire Us
Roush Review: Give Katherine Heigl the Benefit of the ‘Doubt’
Lawyer-Client Relationships and LGBTQ Issues Among Topics in ‘Doubt’
Preview
How Laverne Cox Helped Shape Her Groundbreaking ‘Doubt’ Character
CBS Winter/Spring Premiere Dates: ‘Training Day’, ‘Ransom’, ‘Doubt’ and More
Roush Review: New ‘Rocky Horror’ a Hot (Though Not Always Hot Enough) Mess
Reboot of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Will Have a New Generation Doing the Time Warp
TV’s Representation of Transgender Issues in a Post-‘Transparent’ World
Critic’s Notebook: Swimming in CBS’s Mostly White Mainstream
‘Orange is the New Black’: Where the Ladies of Litchfield Left Off in Season 3
CBS Fall Trailers: Old Friends Like Kevin James, Michael Weatherly and Matt LeBlanc Return
‘Rocky Horror’s Laverne Cox: ‘I Just Cried When I Found Out’ Tim Curry Joined the Fox Musical
Thankful Thursday: ‘Orange is the New Black’s Laverne Cox on What Drives Her to Help Others
2015 Television Industry Advocacy Awards: Red Carpet and Ceremony (PHOTOS)
2015 Television Industry Advocacy Awards: Honoring 10 TV Stars Who Give Back
Laverne Cox, Tim Robbins, Eva Longoria, Anthony Anderson Added to TV Advocacy Awards
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