Laverne Cox has declared that no show since Orange Is the New Black has matched its diversity. The 54-year-old actress reflected on the Netflix series' impact seven years after its finale, noting its groundbreaking representation of women across ages, races, and body types.
Legacy of Diversity
Cox, who played Sophia Burset, said the show's legacy is in its fans. 'It was so diverse. Since then, we haven't had a show as diverse as Orange in terms of the representation of different kinds of women, ages, races, body types,' she told Metro ahead of her memoir Transcendent and film Animal Farm.
The series, which debuted in 2013, was among the first streaming hits and broke barriers for LGBTQ+ representation. Cox became the first trans woman to cover Time magazine and earn an Emmy acting nomination.
Trans Rights and Visibility
Cox acknowledged the political backlash against trans visibility but remained optimistic. 'We're not going anywhere as trans people,' she said, adding that Orange Is the New Black created space for others like Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, who won a Golden Globe for Pose.
She emphasised the importance of humanising trans people through multi-dimensional characters like Sophia. 'That humanising process of trans people is crucial as we go forward,' she concluded.
