One Oscar Nomination Is a Trans First

The list of Oscar nominations released on Thursday includes a notable first: Karla Sofia Gascon became the first openly transgender person nominated in an acting category, reports Deadline. Gascon is up for an Oscar in the best-actress category for her role in the Netflix film Emilia Perez. In the film—a musical—the 52-year-old Gascon portrays a cartel leader seeking to transition in secret from male to female.

"The other day, this woman came up to me and was telling me how wonderful my work was," Gascon, a native of Spain, told USA Today in November. "Then she asked me, 'If you get nominated, will you be nominated for best actress or best actor?' And I told her, 'Ma'am, I am an actress! If I played a monster or an old dog, I would still be nominated as an actress!'"

The New York Times notes two previous Oscar nominations involving trans performers:

• The singer Anohni was nominated for best song in 2016.
• Elliot Page was nominated for an acting Oscar for Juno in 2007, but it was before he transitioned from being Ellen Page.

(More Academy Awards stories.)