Laverne Cox

Laverne Cox Headshot

Actress • Personality

Birth Date: May 29, 1972

Age: 51 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

Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter

Self
Special
2022

Power of Women: The ChangemakersStream

Self
Special
2022

The Jennifer Hudson Show

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

Inventing AnnaStream

Actor
Kacy Duke
Series
2022
64%

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
40%

Variety's Power of Women: Frontline Heroes

Guest
Show
2020

Can't Cancel Pride

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Show
2020

Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Extras

Host
guest
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2020

Bottomless Brunch at Colman's

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Show
2020

Promising Young WomanStream

Actor
Gail
Movie
2020
90%

Disclosure

Actor
Movie
2020

Disclosure

Executive Producer
Movie
2020

Bad HairStream

Actor
Virgie
Movie
2020
63%

Savage X Fenty Show

Actor
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2019

A Little Late With Lilly Singh

Guest
Talk
2019
82%

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Access Daily

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Show
2019

Queer Icon

Actor
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2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

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Show
2019

Weird CityStream

Actor
Series
2019

Can You Keep a Secret?

Actor
Cybill
Movie
2019

SAG Nominations

Host
Show
2018

Today 3rd Hour

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Show
2018

A Long Road to Freedom: The Advocate Celebrates 50 Years

Narrator
Show
2018

Unapologetic With Aisha Tyler

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Show
2018

Glam Masters

Co-Executive Producer
Show
2018

Glam Masters

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2018

Access Live

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2017

Drop the MicStream

Contestant
Reality
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

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Talk
2017

Red Carpet Rundown

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Show
2017

DoubtStream

Actor
Cameron Wirth
Series
2017
55%

Freak Show

Actor
Felicia Watts
Movie
2017

Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party

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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

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 CordenStream

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
91%

Take Part Live

Guest
Show
2013

The Real

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Talk
2013

Hollywood Game Night

Guest
Game Show
2013

Orange Is the New BlackStream

Actor
Sophia Burset
Series
2013
90%

Orange Is the New BlackStream

Guest Star
Sophia Burset
Series
2013
90%

The Mindy ProjectStream

Guest Star
Series
2012
86%

The Mindy ProjectStream

Guest Voice
Series
2012
86%

Katie

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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 Nation

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

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

The Laura Flanders Show

Guest
Show
2008

Chelsea Lately

Actor
Talk
2007

Rachael Ray ShowStream

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

News aboutLaverne Cox

Laverne Cox and Hannah Waddingham Emmys

Hannah Waddingham Calls Out Laverne Cox for Butchering Her Name on Emmys Red Carpet

Quinta Brunson and Robin Thede on 'A Black Lady Sketch Show'

‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Is Over: Relive the 11 Most-Viewed Sketches (VIDEO)

Golden Globes 2023 arrivals

2023 Golden Globes Red Carpet Arrivals: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Bob Odenkirk, Jennifer Coolidge & More (PHOTOS)

Norman Lear 100 Years of Music and Laughter poster

‘Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter’ Guests: George Clooney, Rita Moreno, Tom Hanks & More

Norman Lear

‘Clean Slate’ From Norman Lear Ordered to Series at Amazon Freevee

Julia Garner as Anna Delvery in Inventing Anna
Review

Roush Review: The Very Long Con of ‘Inventing Anna’

Inventing Anna - Julia Garner

‘Inventing Anna’ Trailer: See Julia Garner as Fake German Heiress Anna Delvey (VIDEO)

Inventing Anna - Julia Garner, Netflix

Netflix’s ‘Inventing Anna’ Series Teaser Asks: Who Is Anna Delvey? (VIDEO)

Inventing Anna, Netflix - Julia Garner

‘Inventing Anna’: Get a First Look at Julia Garner in Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix Series (PHOTOS)

Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Anthony Anderson, Tori Spelling and Laverne Cox

‘Celebrity Wheel of Fortune’ Unveils Season 2 Guest Lineup at ABC

Laverne Cox Red Carpet 2019

Laverne Cox to Take Over ‘Live From E!’ Red Carpet Coverage, Replacing Giuliana Rancic

Laverne Cox The Blacklist Season 8 Dr. Laken Perillos
Exclusive

‘The Blacklist’ Preview: Guest Star Laverne Cox Comes Aboard as a Sadistic Interrogator

Laverne Cox Orange Is the New Black Emmy Nomination 2020
Emmys

Emmy Nominee Laverne Cox Reflects on Sophia’s ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Ending

inventing anna 2

Netflix’s ‘Inventing Anna’ Rounds Out Cast With Jeff Perry, Anders Holm & More

Empire State Building + Orange is the New Black cast - 86th Floor Observatory 1

‘Orange Is the New Black’ Cast on The Show’s Final Season and Lasting Legacy

Megan Mullally on TLC's Who Do You Think You Are?
Exclusive

‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ Season 10 to Feature Megan Mullally & More (VIDEO)

The Mindy Project - Mindy Kaling, Seth Rogen

16 Unforgettable ‘Mindy Project’ Guest Stars

Laverne Cox as Sophia in Orange Is The New Black Season 5

5 ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Characters We Didn’t See Enough of in Season 5

TV Insider's Favorite Women on TV

From ‘Game of Thrones’ to ‘Orange Is the New Black’: TV’s Women Who Most Inspire Us

Doubt - Dule Hill as Albert Cobb, Steven Pasquale as Billy Brennan, and Katherine Heigl as Sadie Ellis

Roush Review: Give Katherine Heigl the Benefit of the ‘Doubt’

DOUBT,

Lawyer-Client Relationships and LGBTQ Issues Among Topics in ‘Doubt’

Laverne Cox
Preview

How Laverne Cox Helped Shape Her Groundbreaking ‘Doubt’ Character

Pilot

CBS Winter/Spring Premiere Dates: ‘Training Day’, ‘Ransom’, ‘Doubt’ and More

Let's Do The Time Warp Again - Ryan McCartan, Laverne Cox, and Victoria Justice

Roush Review: New ‘Rocky Horror’ a Hot (Though Not Always Hot Enough) Mess

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN

Reboot of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Will Have a New Generation Doing the Time Warp

Transparent season 3

TV’s Representation of Transgender Issues in a Post-‘Transparent’ World

Michael Weatherly

Critic’s Notebook: Swimming in CBS’s Mostly White Mainstream

OITNB

‘Orange is the New Black’: Where the Ladies of Litchfield Left Off in Season 3

Man With a Plan

CBS Fall Trailers: Old Friends Like Kevin James, Michael Weatherly and Matt LeBlanc Return

Advocay Awards - Laverne Cox

‘Rocky Horror’s Laverne Cox: ‘I Just Cried When I Found Out’ Tim Curry Joined the Fox Musical

Laverne Cox

Thankful Thursday: ‘Orange is the New Black’s Laverne Cox on What Drives Her to Help Others

2015 Television Industry Advocacy Awards - Jeffrey Tambor, Alfre Woodard, and Laverne Cox

2015 Television Industry Advocacy Awards: Red Carpet and Ceremony (PHOTOS)

2015 Television Industry Advocacy Awards Honorees

2015 Television Industry Advocacy Awards: Honoring 10 TV Stars Who Give Back

Cox-Robbins-Longoria-Anderson

Laverne Cox, Tim Robbins, Eva Longoria, Anthony Anderson Added to TV Advocacy Awards

Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner

Laverne Cox Hopes Caitlyn Jenner Cover Is ‘Changing Hearts and Minds’