Striking a blow for inclusion and queer progress, actress MJ Rodriguez has announced her role as spokesperson for the beauty brand Olay Body. The news comes just ahead of the 5th Annual Diversity Summit in Washington DC this week, where Rodriguez will deliver the keynote address.
“Olay Body is leading by example for other brands by opening doors for trans individuals like myself,” the Pose star said in a statement of her new gig. “I am so excited to work with Olay Body on this campaign leading up to my speech at the Diversity Summit. This is officially my first ever beauty campaign — I am so thankful to have the opportunity to show other trans women of color everywhere that they are seen and that they are worthy.”
Related: WATCH: MJ Rodriguez nails “Suddenly Seymour” from “Little Shop of Horrors”
In addition to her new role as celebrity spokesperson and her work as an actress on stage and screen, Rodriguez will take on an activist role as the keynote speaker at the 5th Annual Diversity Summit. Held at George Washington University, the conference aims to create dialogue and raise awareness about diversity and inclusion among higher learning professionals.
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RIGay
Fantastic!!! Love her!
Rock-N-RollHS
What progress!! Must be nice to be used by corporate America, until they drop you for the next marketing trend. But the hell with legal and economic equality! Brand is all!
Thad
Fashion has always been that way…you’re in until you’re out. But MJ is fronting a major international beauty brand, not some boutique product Nicole Kidman makes in her basement with a shelf life of minutes.
chupacabra
so unattractive
cwaigy
I love adore and admire MJ Rodriguez so very much. Since the very first scene I saw her in on Pose, I became an instant fan. He talent is out of this world great and her potential is endless. MJ (and the other cast of Pose) where sensational in Pose and I wish her the greatest success and love, life and happiness. I will continue to support her by watching her moves, music and tv shows. I hope she wins many awards as well.
dwes09
What exactly is Pose about? Before it began the MUNI stations in SF were plastered with images of incredibly plain looking people in ugly clothes wearing pounds of makeup seemingly intended to emphasize their least attractive features.
Hopefully Ms Rodriguez has both the acting chops and is articulate enough to do her community proud as a speaker and actor, but as a beauty product spokeswoman she is more a blank slate than anything else, at least to my eye.