As trans representation picks up, we're seeing more stories about different kinds of trans people. Thankfully, that includes trans men. These trans actors are changing the way people view trans men, and making it so that people who never saw themselves represented get to finally do that.
Unfortunately, most of these roles have been played by just a handful of trans actors, with Elliot Fletcher, Ian Alexander, Theo Germaine, and Brian Michael Smith each appearing multiple times on this list. Hopefully, we'll soon see a wider range of trans actors getting these roles!
Here are 12 TV shows with trans actors playing trans men characters:
Fox's huge hit drama 9-1-1: Lone Star features Brian Michael Smith as dreamy firefighter Paul Strickland. He became the first out Black trans man cast in a series regular role on network television when he got the job.
Elliot Fletcher played Noah, a love interest for gay character Shane on MTV's Faking It.
The Fosters featured not one, but two trans guys in their character lineup. One named Cole (played by Tom Phelan), a trans boy in a group home for troubled girls, and one named Aaron (played by Elliot Fletcher), a law student who dated main character Callie.
In the third season of NBC's Good Girls, Annie (Mae Whitman)'s oldest child comes out as a boy and says he wants to go by the name Ben. He is played by trans child actor Isaiah Stannard.
Leo Sheng plays Micah, a young therapist and one of the main cast members on this update of the classic queer show. Brian Michael Smith also appeared in the first season.
Brian Michael Smith came out as trans while playing this character, Toine Wilkins, a police officer and high school friend of the show's main character.
Nonbinary actor Lachlan Watson plays Theo Putnam on this Netflix show, a good friend of Sabrina's who comes out as a trans boy partially through the show.
Ian Alexander became the first trans actor playing a trans character in the Star Trek franchise when he joined the cast of Star Trek: Discovery as Grey Tal, a Trill.
Ian Alexander got his start on Netflix's The OA as Buck Vu, a trans character who was based partially on Alexander's real experiences.
Theo Germaine was a breakout star as James Sullivan, Payton (Ben Platt)'s campaing manager and advisor on The Politician.
Theo Germaine also starred in the first season of Work in Progress as Chris, a 22-year-old barista and trans man who dates the main character, Abby.
Elliot Fletcher joined Shameless in the seventh season as Trevor, a trans man who works with homeless LGBTQ+ teens, and in the eighth season, became a recurring cast member as he entered a relationship with Ian Gallagher.
