The queer icon has spoken about being a trans actor in the industry, and how it’s impacted the roles she taken
BY MEGAN BONLEY, IMAGE BY DREAMSTIME
Known for her role in the 18-episode series Euphoria, Hunter Schafer has said that she now wants to move away from trans roles in a recent interview with GQ.
Emmy-winning HBO series Euphoria, which was released in 2019, was where Hunter commenced her acting debut. She was cast as Jules Vaughn, a trans girl who quickly becomes involved with Zendaya’s character, Rue Bennett.
In her GQ cover story, Hunter spoke candidly about being a trans actor. She said: “It took a while to learn that I don’t want to be [reduced to] that, and I find it ultimately demeaning to me and what I want to do.”
She continued: “I worked so hard to get to where I am, past these really hard points in my transition, and now I just want to be a girl and finally move on.”
“Ultimately, I really do believe that not making it the centerpiece to what I’m doing will allow me to get further. I think getting further and doing awesome shit, in the interest of ‘the movement,’ will be way more helpful than talking about it all the time,” she added.
Even though Hunter is looking for new opportunities and different roles from what she’s used to, she still feels her identity brings a sense of responsibility. “I know for a fact I’m one of the most famous trans people in the media right now, and I do feel a sense of responsibility, and maybe a little bit of guilt, for not being more of a spokesperson”.
Last year fans fell in love with Hunter’s role in the latest installment in the Hunger Games franchise The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes. She played Tigris Snow, a kind and gentle character, who was the cousin of the main character, Coriolanus Snow, played by a captivating Tom Blyth.
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