Entertainment

Transgender actress Michaela Jae Rodriguez makes Golden Globes history

Rodriguez, 31, said the award was a “sickening birthday present” and thanked organisers of the event online.
Rodriguez, 31, said the award was a “sickening birthday present” and thanked organisers of the event online.

Michaela Jae Rodriguez says her win at the Golden Globes will “open the door” for others after making history as the first transgender actress to win an award at the ceremony.

Rodriguez, 31, said the award was a “sickening birthday present” and thanked organisers of the event online.

She won the award for best actress in a TV Drama for her portrayal of “house mother” Bianca Rodriguez in Pose.

The series centres around New York City’s African-American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming drag scene at the end of the 20th century.

She wrote on Instagram: “OMG OMGGG!!!! @goldenglobes Wow!

“You talking about sickening birthday present! Thank you!

“This is the door that is going to open the door for many more young talented individuals. They will see that it is more than possible.

“They will see that a young Black Latina girl from Newark New Jersey who had a dream, to change the minds others would WITH LOVE. LOVE WINS.

“To my young LGBTQAI babies WE ARE HERE the door is now open now reach the stars!”

Following the announcement the Golden Globes official Twitter account wrote online: “History has been made tonight.

“Congrats to @MjRodriguez7 for winning Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama!”

This year’s event was a much more muted affair following heavy criticism over the lack of black members in the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the body that presents the awards.

Rodriguez’s Pose colleagues congratulated her online following her historic win.

Co-creator Steven Canals wrote: “Congratulations to my @MjRodriguez7 who won a #GoldenGlobes tonight for her performance in @PoseOnFX!

“Bravo Mutha Blanca!”

Angelica Ross, who appears alongside Rodriguez in the series, posted a video in which she exclaims excitably: “Oh my God congratulations MJ.

“I just saw the news I hope it’s real, I think it’s real, I know I just saw it.

“Congratulations MJ you deserved it girl, yes!”