Rebecca Romijn reveals she ‘jumped’ the chance to play a trans character in Ugly Betty in 2007

Rebecca Romijn reflected on playing a trans character in ABC’s Ugly Betty in 2007, saying that if there was a reboot today, the role should go to “a trans actress.”

The X-Men star, 50, who played Alexis Meade on the Emmy award-winning comedy-drama television series for three seasons, revealed she jumped at the chance to play the character but believes she wouldn’t be in the role. are cast Today.

“I would never be cast in that role today, but I do feel like it opened doors for the trans community. At least I’d like to think so. I don’t want to pat myself on the back too much,” she said The independent.

When asked if she would reprise the role today, she replied, “I think Alexis should be cast with a trans actress. That would be the right thing to do.’

Explaining the role’s origins, the actress said it was a hard sell with executives at the time because they didn’t “love the idea of ​​the character.”

Throwback: The actress, 50, revealed she “grabbed” the chance to play the character but believes she wouldn’t have been cast in the role today; Pictured in a still of Ugly Betty

“There was a real boys club back then running the show. So to try and make it palatable to the boys’ club… they threw me. And I grabbed the opportunity with both hands,” she said.

“I really wanted to do justice to that character — and make her as hot as possible,” Rebecca said of the character.

In the show, her character was the villainous sister of Mode magazine editor-in-chief Daniel Meade (played by Eric Mabius) who faked her own death while undergoing gender confirmation surgery.

Romijn debuted halfway through the first season in January 2007 as Alexis.

Her character had previously only been seen in bandages, after extensive surgery.

She was then revealed to be Daniel’s presumed-dead brother Alex, who had transitioned into the stunning Alexis.

Times have certainly changed since then, and in 2022, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez became the first openly trans woman to be nominated in a major acting category at the Emmys, as well as the first to win a Golden Globe, for her performance on the LGBTQ series Pose.

Elsewhere in the interview, Romijn discussed why she didn’t speak out about the allegations of misconduct against her two former X-Men directors, Bryan Singer and Brett Ratner.

Trailblazer: “I would never be cast in that role today, but I do feel like it opened doors for the trans community. I’d like to think so,” she told The Independent

Different climate: When asked if she would reprise the role today, she replied, “I think Alexis should be cast with a trans actress. That would be the right thing to do’

Throwback: She was first introduced to viewers as Alexis Meade midway through the first season in January 2007, playing the character for three seasons

Major: In 2022, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez became the first openly trans woman to be nominated in a major acting category at the Emmys, as well as the first to win a Golden Globe, for her performance on the LGBTQ series Pose; Pictured in 2021

The first two films of the original X-Men trilogy were directed by Singer and the third by Ratner.

Many cast members have spoken about witnessing problematic behavior on set and expressing their views on allegations of sexual misconduct surrounding Singer.

However, Romijn revealed that her own silence was due to the fact that she didn’t feel she “needed to say anything else” because others had already done so.

“Yeah, I just… I didn’t feel like I needed to say anything. I know the two people I worked with had it coming, and they got theirs. I’m not going… I don’t need to say anything else.’