Angelica Ross: From fearless trans actress to tech pioneer

Ryan Murphy's masterpiece 'American Horror Story' on FX is hailed as one of the most inclusive TV shows of the 21st century. That's why allegations from actress Angelica Ross in September 2023 took many fans by surprise.

The transgender actress took the world by storm with groundbreaking series 'Pose' in 2018. Ryan Murphy then recruited her for the ninth season of 'AHS' titled '1984.' She'd also make an appearance in the tenth season of the anthology series.

However, during her debut on 'AHS', Ross claims, as revealed in an Instagram Live, that she had a transphobic encounter with Emma Roberts, one of the show's leading stars (and yes, Julia Roberts' niece).

Ross said that following a complaint from Emma Roberts about her, John J. Gray, the show's director, producer, and writer, tried to smooth things over between the two of them, saying, 'Okay, ladies, you know, that's enough, let's get back to work'.

According to Ross, Roberts fired back with a jab aimed directly at her. "Don't you mean lady?" she asked, emphasizing the singular to imply she was the only woman in the room.

Ross' blood was boiling, but she chose to remain silent. She remembered someone else who spoke up about something Roberts said. That person faced repercussions.

From that incident until the season's end, Ross did not speak to Roberts. Ross said Roberts frequently asked why she was getting the cold shoulder, but never got an answer.

The impact of Angelica Ross's Instagram Live was undeniable. Just two days later, Ross disclosed that she received an apology call from Emma Roberts for the incident.

Photo: Instagram - @angelicaross

"Thank you, Emma Roberts, for calling and apologizing, recognizing your behavior was not that of an ally. I will leave the line open to follow up on your desire to do better and support social justice causes with your platform," the actress shared on Twitter.

Photo: Twitter - @angelicaross

Angelica Ross's fans expressed their shock about the incident and applauded Emma Roberts for directly and privately reaching out to Ross, instead of making a public statement.

But Ross's spicy social media callouts didn't stop there. She also took time to slam Ryan Murphy, accusing him of costing her a role in Marvel and of 'ghosting' her.

It all started in July 2020, when Murphy told Ross he wanted to develop the idea she had pitched for season 11 of the series, which would focus on Black women. He even asked for the names of four actresses to join her in the new installment, Ross recalls.

However, according to Ross's claims on Instagram, Murphy began ignoring her from that point. "After not hearing back. After sending flowers and no response I sent one last email in Feb 2022 (it took about a year to film season 10 due to COVID) while still contractually in first position with the show," she tweeted. "Mind you, marvel had called twice now. I haven’t heard from him since."

Photo: Twitter - @angelicaross

The reason Angelica Ross couldn't accept Marvel's offer was due to her seven-year commitment to 'AHS'. To make a move, she needed explicit permission from Ryan Murphy.

“It’s not JUST that the idea changed. Things change all the time. It’s that I called business affairs for MONTHS trying to get clarity if they were picking up my contract option or if I was ok to tell Marvel that I was available for whatever they were calling me for. I had been auditioning for THREE YEARS for marvel," she wrote.

In the end, Angelica Ross didn't make the jump to Marvel, and she didn't appear in seasons 11 or 12 of 'American Horror Story' either. Her disappointment ran so deep that, following her fiery statements, Ross announced she was leaving Hollywood for good.

In 2014, she launched TransTech, a non profit dedicated to providing resources to the LGBTQ community through training workshops, programs and events as a way to make room for more people in the tech industry. On Feb, 2024, Time Magazine profiled the organization.

In Jan. 2024, she announced the launch of a new podcast N.O.W.: No Opportunity Wasted, featuring "deep discussion on everything from politics to pop culture with world leaders, celebrities and everyday people."

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