Janet Mock has made television history
with her involvement with Pose,
the FX drama that explores New York's vibrant ball scene of the
1980s.
The 35-year-old Mock is a writer,
television host and transgender activist. Her memoir Redefining
Realness became a New York Times bestseller.
While appearing on a panel with Pose
co-creator Ryan Murphy on Thursday, Mock talked about making
television history as the first transgender woman of color to direct,
write and produce a television series.
“Directing was never on my list of
things – I didn't think it was a possibility,” said Mock, who
directed the show's sixth episode, “Love is the Message.”
“How I got here was through writing
about myself, through telling the truth, through committing to
telling my story," Mock
said. “My book is the first book I’ve ever seen written by a
trans person of color, in terms of trans memoir. So that’s how it
all started. And I think that book got to Ryan in some way, and he
saw something there, and he said, ‘Leave the world of books and
come to TV.'”
Murphy, whose credits include Glee,
Nip/Tuck, American Crime Story and American Horror Story,
called Pose “without question” the highlight of his
career.
Pose's cast includes five
transgender actors, each of whom plays a transgender character. Mock
has been a producer on every episode of Pose and a writer on
three.
(Related: Pose
renewed for second season at FX.)