Imagine winning something as prestigious as a Golden Globe. That alone would be a mind-blowing accomplishment, right? Now imagine snatching a second, maybe even more noteworthy trophy. “Put your glass slippers away, Transerella. It ain’t never gonna happen!” would snark a Billy-Porter-portrayed Pray Tell on Pose. Except this time, it really did happen. By taking home the award for Best Actress in a TV Drama for her role of Blanca Evangelista in FX hit series Pose (2018–2021), Michaela Jaé “MJ” Rodriguez became the first openly transgender actress to ever win a Golden Globe.
For the New Jersey-based actress, who turned 31 just three days before her ground-breaking achievement, that’s really the icing on the cake. But what makes this so special?