Jamie Clayton

Jamie Clayton is a transgender actress who became a landmark figure in trans representation when she was cast as hacktivist Nomi Marks in the Wachowskis' Netflix series "Sense8" (2015–2018). As a trans woman playing a trans woman — a character whose identity was central rather than incidental to the story, and who was written and directed in part by Lilly Wachowski, herself a trans woman — the role was a watershed moment in authentic trans storytelling. Clayton had previously worked as a makeup artist and model before transitioning and pursuing acting; she has spoken about the difficulty of breaking into Hollywood as a trans woman and about the significance of "Sense8" in creating space for trans performers to be seen as leading women rather than as curiosities. She went on to appear in "The Neon Demon" (2016), "Designated Survivor," and a recurring role in "Doom Patrol." In 2023 she starred in the horror film "The Operative." Clayton has been an articulate public voice on trans visibility, the importance of trans-authentic casting, and the ongoing barriers trans women face in the entertainment industry.