Latest news with #Laverne
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Laverne Cox Hails Orange Is The New Black For Changing Trans Narratives: 'Never Seen Anything…'
Laverne Cox believes Orange Is the New Black changed the narrative about trans people. She expressed pride in her role as Sophia Burset. Laverne Cox thinks Orange Is the New Black has helped to change the 'narrative with and about trans people". The 53-year-old actress rose to prominence as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black, becoming the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category, and Laverne feels very proud of the hit Netflix show. She told Extra: 'When Orange happened, I was in such bliss because I just loved telling the story. I had never seen anything on TV like that before. I also knew that if I was going to have the mainstream career no other trans person has had … We needed to change the narrative with and about trans people." Asked what has impressed her the most about her own life journey, Laverne replied: 'That I'm still here … For me, it's about the lessons that I've learned." Laverne previously argued that being a black transgender woman has limited her opportunities as an actress. The Orange Is The New Black star believes she's been overlooked for certain roles because of her profile – but Laverne thinks the landscape is improving and she still considers herself to be 'blessed". She said: 'Two years ago … I was in the waiting room with actresses who were like, 'Oh my God, this is my fourth audition today.' And I was like, 'Oh, I've never auditioned that much.' There have never been that many parts as a black, openly transgender woman. Because I am who I am, there probably have been fewer opportunities for me to work. I feel like we've made the very most of what we have been given … I feel very blessed now." However, Laverne is now determined to make the most of her platform by campaigning for certain demographics to be better represented in Hollywood. She explained, 'Certainly there are fewer opportunities for someone like me being black and being trans and being a woman. In the face of that, it's not bad. The truth is I'm one of the lucky ones. The question for me becomes … as I produce, how to bring other people along for the ride." First Published: July 27, 2025, 17:22 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Laverne Cox: We needed to change the narrative about trans people
Laverne Cox thinks Orange Is the New Black has helped to change the "narrative with and about trans people". The 53-year-old actress rose to prominence as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black, becoming the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category, and Laverne feels very proud of the hit Netflix show. She told Extra: "When Orange happened, I was in such bliss because I just loved telling the story. I had never seen anything on TV like that before. "I also knew that if I was going to have the mainstream career no other trans person has had … We needed to change the narrative with and about trans people." Asked what has impressed her the most about her own life journey, Laverne replied: "That I'm still here … For me, it's about the lessons that I've learned." Laverne previously argued that being a black transgender woman has limited her opportunities as an actress. The Orange Is The New Black star believes she's been overlooked for certain roles because of her profile - but Laverne thinks the landscape is improving and she still considers herself to be "blessed". She said: "Two years ago ... I was in the waiting room with actresses who were like, 'Oh my God, this is my fourth audition today.' "And I was like, 'Oh, I've never auditioned that much.' There have never been that many parts as a black, openly transgender woman. "Because I am who I am, there probably have been fewer opportunities for me to work. I feel like we've made the very most of what we have been given ... I feel very blessed now." However, Laverne is now determined to make the most of her platform by campaigning for certain demographics to be better represented in Hollywood. She explained: "Certainly there are fewer opportunities for someone like me being black and being trans and being a woman. In the face of that, it's not bad. "The truth is I'm one of the lucky ones. The question for me becomes ... as I produce, how to bring other people along for the ride."
Buzz Feed
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Laverne Cox Reacts To Criticism For MAGA Cop Boyfriend
Laverne Cox revealed she dated a MAGA cop, and it's safe to say it hasn't gone down super well. The actor has previously been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, and said that she considered leaving the country after his reelection. She even gave the keynote speech at the LA 'Trans Liberation Now!' rally, saying, "The real enemy is not actually trans people. The real enemy's not migrants, or poor people, or homeless people, or any other scapegoat that they claim. The enemy clearly is the plutocrats, the oligarchs, the billionaires and corporations who create these issues to divide working-class people.' However, she recently took to Instagram to promote her upcoming NYC show Laverne Cox: Gurrl How Did I Get Here? It's advertised as "an unforgettable journey through the twists and turns of her life and groundbreaking career with humor, heart, and a few fabulous wardrobe changes." In the reel, she began, "My ex-boyfriend, when we met five years ago, at the height of the pandemic, he was 26. I was 48." "He is a blonde hair, blue-eyed MAGA Republican voter who is a New York City police officer. We were madly in love. I did not develop any of these politics. I still have my own," she continued, before calling him "hot" and teasing that fans could "hear more about that" at her show. Well, many of the comments weren't exactly thrilled by this confession: So much so that Laverne quickly took to Instagram again to address criticism mid-rehearsal. She said, "People are gagging in the comments. I didn't really think about what the reaction would be. I was telling the truth about it, teasing the show." "It is a big part of the show that I'm doing at City Winery a week from today, that relationship, what the relationship was like, how we attempted to navigate our differences politically. But for the record, when we matched on Tinder, I didn't know what he did for a living. I didn't know his politics. We were just chatting. He actually told me he did something else," she added. Responding to one particular comment that read, "Just tell us the D was good, that's more believable," Laverne said, "That was lovely too. But I'm a grown woman and I've lived. I am not going to date someone for four years because of the D or because of something superficial about how he looks. He has a beautiful soul and really beautiful qualities. And I was in love." Calling out people online who are "dehumanizing people who have different political beliefs," she continued, "Fascism is not consistent with my values. I am an anti-fascist. I never adopted any of my ex's politics. I always challenged him with love and empathy and tried to listen to his perspectives. Often corrected him with good things about the relationship were so good that I was willing to work with the politics that I didn't agree with." "For the folks who say it's a betrayal to my community because I fell in love with someone with different politics, I mean, I get it. I get it, especially now, and we aren't dating now, and I think with this current administration, lines certainly have to be drawn, because we're fighting for our lives in a different way than we were five years ago," she continued, though it's worth noting that it was still the Trump administration during the height of the pandemic. Laverne further clarified that she was an independent for most of her life, but registered as a Democrat in 2020 so that she could vote for Bernie Sanders. She further emphasized that she'd never voted for Trump herself: "I don't think my ex-boyfriend dehumanized me, though. Yes, the MAGA movement is deeply anti-trans. It deeply dehumanizes trans people. I'm not confused by that. I am not delusional. Yes, my ex-boyfriend was MAGA, voted for Trump, but that is not the sum total of who he is as a human being." "We really didn't talk trans stuff. And literally, last year, as the election was approaching, I was like, '[Trump's] going to take away gender affirming care for children and adults,'" Laverne continued. "He was shocked. He had no idea. He was like, 'I hope it doesn't happen.' I was like, 'Sweetie, it's going to happen.' He hadn't read Project 2025. He was a very low-information voter. For most of the relationship, I didn't talk trans anything. He had never dated a trans woman before me, and I didn't want to bring trans stuff home. I wanted to just have fun, there's enough trans political stuff in my life." In total, the video lasts almost 55 minutes. You can watch here.
New York Times
08-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Another Cleveland home opener, another reason to honor die-hard fans who aren't here
CLEVELAND — On April 8, 2024, before a spellbinding total solar eclipse eerily darkened the afternoon sky and before the Guardians blanked the White Sox in the home opener, Megan Dewey lost her grandmother Laverne. At Laverne's wake, a gathering of people in Cleveland gear, her seven grandchildren stepped outside, tuned a car radio to the Guardians game, toasted to her memory with some drinks and listened to Tom Hamilton narrate an 8-7 win over the Yankees. Advertisement After Laverne lost her husband to leukemia in 1986, the baseball team became her love. She would watch every game and then watch the replay the next morning, captivated by every pitch, despite knowing the outcome. Megan can still hear the sigh her grandmother would release whenever they relinquished a late lead. While sorting through Laverne's belongings, her five children discovered a notebook from the 2023 season, with scores and notes for every game. She had started one for the 2024 season, too. Last weekend, Megan and four cousins got tattoos to honor Laverne. Megan's ink is on her shoulder, a nod to Laverne always looking out for her. After work on Tuesday, Megan plans to visit her gravesite, where she'll listen to Hamilton's call of another home opener, for as long as she can tolerate the bone-chilling temperatures. Another home opener is here, and for many, it's a day to celebrate a new season and a day to remember those who are no longer able to join them for the journey ahead. Whenever Rachel Buck wanted to catch a game at Progressive Field, she turned to her grandmother Janet, who had season tickets in right field for a decade. Rachel attended her first game with her sister and grandparents on a chilly afternoon, and Janet covered them in an Indians blanket. 'I learned that day what it meant to be a true fan,' Rachel says. Janet witnessed Cleveland win the World Series in 1948, when she was 12. She grew up on the same street as a Cleveland player — her family can't recall the player's name — and before he hopped on the streetcar in Lakewood to head downtown to Municipal Stadium every afternoon, she would yell to him, 'Have a good game!' She and her husband, Henry, attended a team cruise in the 1990s, and took a picture with Omar Vizquel, Brian Giles, Steve Karsay, Jeff Branson and Davey Nelson. Rachel retains fond memories of lounging at her aunt's pool with her grandmother as Hamilton's voice comforted them from a nearby radio. Advertisement Janet passed away in May 2016, so she missed the club's run that October, as well as memorable stretches in 2017, '22 and '24. During Game 5 of the 2016 ALCS, Rachel was working as a dishwasher at Gene's Place To Dine at Kamm's Corner, with her phone connected to the speaker so she could follow Cleveland's bid to reach the World Series. When Carlos Santana hauled in the final out and dropped to his knees in foul territory, she shed a few tears. 'I wished I could celebrate that with my grandma,' she says. 'It was honestly bittersweet at the time.' Years ago, Rachel vowed to attend the home opener each year with a different guest. On Tuesday, it's her friend David's turn. They'll sit in the top row at Progressive Field, where a wind gust or a gaze out at the city limits can make anyone acrophobic. She wouldn't have it any other way, blanket and all, just like her first game with her grandmother. 'I miss her so much,' Rachel says, 'but I feel more connected with her through the Guardians.' A two-hour commute to the ballpark occasionally caused Daryl Gates some headaches, and not just because he drove a massive family truckster conversion van through the narrow, busy streets of downtown Cleveland. 'He may or may not have backed into cars on back-to-back nights during the '98 ALCS,' says his son, Brett. To beat the traffic and start that journey home to Marion, Ohio, Daryl took pride in nailing the perfect time to hustle back to the parking lot. His record wasn't flawless, however. They bailed on the final innings on a sweltering Sunday afternoon game in July 2002, just before an unheralded utility player named Bill Selby smacked a walk-off grand slam against future unanimous Hall of Fame selection Mariano Rivera, which landed Joel Skinner his second victory as interim manager. Advertisement Daryl was born in 1952, four years after the club's last championship and just in time for four decades of miserable baseball on the lakeshore. But they were his team, so even though the family lived two hours south, once Jacobs Field opened in 1994, they had season tickets in right field. When the 1995 Indians clinched the franchise's first playoff berth in 41 years, Daryl had tears in his eyes as they raised a banner in the outfield. He marveled at the accomplishment of a star-studded, city-galvanizing roster, but he also knew they were playing Garth Brooks' 'The Dance' on the ballpark speakers as a tribute to reliever Steve Olin, who had tragically died in a spring training boating accident two years earlier. That's when it hit Brett how much the team meant to his dad. 'If you knew me and my brothers,' Brett says, 'you wouldn't necessarily blame him for wanting the break.' The home opener was a rite of spring in the Gates household. Brett was stunned when he came home from third grade on April 1, 1996, and saw his dad wasn't two hours north, shivering through nine innings. The game against the Yankees had been snowed out. Daryl typically attended the home opener with some buddies, since his sons were in school, but he made sure to bring the boys to one of the first weekend games of the home slate. In 1997, they were halfway up I-71 for the Indians' second home game when it was postponed because of rain. Daryl detoured to a Mansfield movie theater, and the boys caught all but the first half-hour of 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park.' Baseball was embedded in the family DNA. Daryl coached his sons and developed a reputation for stomping and throwing his hat. Even as the boys sprouted their families, they tried to make time for their baseball team. When Daryl called to say he had an extra ticket for Game 4 of the 2016 World Series at Wrigley Field, Brett didn't think twice. They watched Cleveland crawl to within one win of a title. The 2024 season started customarily. Daryl and Brett convinced themselves the Guardians had a chance to win the division since the AL Central was devoid of any juggernauts. Shane Bieber's early season elbow injury tested their confidence, but they kept faith. Advertisement In mid-April, Daryl fell ill. After a few weeks, he entered hospice. On May 22, during an afternoon game against the New York Mets, Brett sat bedside, scorebook in hand. Daryl had taught his son how to keep score. Brett still has a stack of scorecards he's filled out over the years, and he couldn't help but smirk when he watched a clip of Tom Hanks keeping score at a recent Los Angeles Dodgers game. Father and son watched Andrés Giménez tie the game with a three-run blast against his former team. They smiled as the second baseman kissed the front of his navy uniform as he crossed home plate. They cheered as the Guardians pulled away for a win and a series sweep in a season that seemed destined for something special. For Brett, it was a perfect way to say goodbye. His dad passed away two days later. Now, Brett has his first home opener without his father. He's found himself reaching for his phone to send his dad a text after certain moments of Guardians games. He can envision the fiery back-and-forth they would have had after Gabriel Arias ran — and then tackled — his way into a double play in San Diego last week. He knows it will be difficult to see Progressive Field filled during the home opener, yet empty at the same time. It'll be missing the guy who would have done anything to be there, even if it meant driving through a blizzard in his van just to sit through a blustery day of baseball. Brett knows, though, that another home opener means a chance to embrace all of the memories that will undoubtedly come flooding back. 'It's the shared experience and love for something,' Brett says, 'and that's all you can ask for in this world. No matter what, there will be stories to tell for many years to come, and I have my dad to thank for that.' (Photo of Progressive Field: Lauren Bacho / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Lauren Laverne has 'a new fearlessness' after surviving cancer
Lauren Laverne says surviving cancer has given her "a new fearlessness" because she has been through one of the worst experiences it is possible to face."I mean, what's life going to throw at me that's worse than that?" the presenter asked. "You're not frightened of things going wrong, because things have gone wrong."In November, the 46-year-old BBC radio and TV host said she had been given the all-clear after receiving treatment."The day I was discharged, we managed to get downstairs and [husband] Graeme got me into the car and we didn't even switch it on," she told Good Housekeeping. "We just sat in the car and both burst into tears and cried." She told the magazine: "I think it's only when the storm passes that you realise what you've been holding in."Laverne is now back at work on 6 Music, BBC One's The One Show and Radio 4's Desert Island had taken time off last year after a announcing that an unspecified cancer had been revealed in a screening presenter said she had "always been anxious" about being at risk after her mother died of the disease in 2022. "Especially if you have family members who've been through it, you have a sort of watchfulness about your own health, which is obviously why I got tested for everything and why it was picked up, thank God, so early on," Laverne said."The previous six years had been pretty bonkers – and I mean good and bad. "In 2018, I turned 40 and that was the year I got Desert Island Discs and the [6 Music] breakfast show. Two weeks after I got Desert Island Discs, my dad became ill and died."She said the experience of having cancer had taught her that "a real life is lots of big experiences"."And the truth of that is, like it or not, going through big stuff expands your emotional vocabulary."I've learned a massive amount and I hope I'm a better person now. And actually, I probably love my life more now than I did then, because I appreciate everything about it."
