Jen Richards
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)writer, actress, producer, activist
Websitehttps://smartassjen.com/

Jen Richards is an American writer, actress, producer, and activist.

Life and career

Richards was born in Mississippi and resides in North Carolina.[1] She graduated from Shimer College with a BA in Philosophy, and studied at Oxford University.[2]

In 2015, she appeared as a supporting cast member of Caitlyn Jenner's reality show I Am Cait. In 2016, she co-starred, co-directed, co-wrote and co-produced the web series Her Story, which was nominated for an Emmy Award.[3][4] Richards also co-produced the series More Than T and wrote the Trans 102 series.[5]

Richards joined the cast of the television series Nashville in 2017.[1] She became the first openly transgender person to appear on a CMT show, playing the first transgender character to appear on that network.[6] Richards also appeared in the 2017 film Easy Living.[7]

In June 2017, Richards wrote and appeared in a video open letter, presented by ScreenCrush and GLAAD, featuring trans actors asking for better representation in film and television.[8][9]

In August 2018, HBO announced a series pickup of Tom Perrotta's Mrs. Fletcher, a half-hour comedy based on Perrotta's 2017 novel of the same name; Richards is cast as Margo Fairchild, a transgender community college writing teacher, as a series regular.[10]

Personal life

Richards is bisexual.[11] In August 2020, she announced her engagement to Rebekah Cheyne, a professor from Arizona State University.[12][13]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2015 I Am Cait Self 7 episodes
2016 Her Story Violet Main role, also writer and producer. Nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
2016–2017 Nashville Allyson Del Lago 3 episodes
2017 Doubt McKayla Episode: "Clean Burn"
2017–2022 Better Things Jaia 5 episodes
2018 Take My Wife Naomi Episode 2.1
2018–2020 Blindspot Sabrina Larren 3 episodes
2019 Tales of the City Anna Madrigal 2 episodes
Mrs. Fletcher Margo Fairchild 7 episodes
2021 Clarice Julia Lawson 3 episodes
2023 Mayfair Witches Jojo 8 episodes

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2017 Easy Living Danny
2020 Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen Self Documentary film
Gossamer Folds Diana
2022 Framing Agnes Barbara Documentary film
MK Ultra Laura Stanley

References

  1. 1 2 Betts, Stephen L. (September 13, 2016). "Transgender Actress Jen Richards Joins Cast of 'Nashville'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  2. ↑ Heinichen, Claire (September 13, 2016). "Emmy Nominated Writer, Producer and Actress Jen Richards Joining Cast of Nashville". CMT News. CMT. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  3. ↑ Anderson, Tre'vell (January 19, 2016). "'Her Story' creators Jen Richards and Laura Zak highlight dating while transgender". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  4. ↑ Stafford, Zach (August 10, 2016). "Her Story: the transgender-themed web series up for a 'shock' Emmy". The Guardian. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  5. ↑ Petski, Denise (September 13, 2016). "'Nashvile' Casts Transgender Actor Jen Richards In Recurring Role". Deadline Hollywood.
  6. ↑ Yohannes, Alamin (September 13, 2016). "Actress Jen Richards Is Headed to 'Nashville'". NBC News. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  7. ↑ Valentini, Valentina (March 23, 2017). "EXCLUSIVE: Jen Richard Pushes Hollywood Forward With 'Easy Living' and 'Nashville'". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ Reynolds, Daniel (June 20, 2017). "Trans Actors Ask Hollywood for Roles With Dignity and Depth in Open Letter". The Advocate. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  9. ↑ ScreenCrush (June 20, 2017). "Why Hollywood Needs Trans Actors". Retrieved June 21, 2017 – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ Travees, Ben (21 August 2018). "'Mrs. Fletcher': HBO Orders Tom Perrotta's Comedy Series Starring Kathryn Hahn, Directed by Nicole Holofcener". Indiewire.com. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  11. ↑ Reddish, David (2019-12-09). "Transgender star Jen Richards of 'Mrs. Fletcher' on Jared Leto, Hollywood life & "Tales of the City"". Queerty. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  12. ↑ "Jen Richards on Instagram: "I posted an ad on @lex.app one evening, and it just so happened that @bekahdc couldn't sleep that night, and had unknowingly turned off…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
  13. ↑ "Rebekah Cheyne". herbergerinstitute.asu.edu. 2020-09-29. Archived from the original on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
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