Lauded for her role as incarcerated hairdresser Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black, Laverne Cox's acting career spans 20 years and almost every genre imaginable (including horror, dark comedy, and musical film). Her filmography overflows with multifaceted and spirited characters, including a no-holds-barred civil rights lawyer, a tattoo artist who inks Lily Tomlin, and a pretentious filmmaker.
Although it didn't make this list, Cox also garnered acclaim for her electric performance as Frank-N-Furter in Fox's 2016 adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Several of Cox's roles, particularly Sophia, have been celebrated for their positive contribution to the depiction of transgender characters on television. Here are Laverne Cox's top 10 roles, ranked according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Doubt (53%)
The CBS courtroom drama only lasted one season, but Cox was certainly the series's shining star as civil rights lawyer Cameron Wirth. Throughout the season, Cameron becomes romantically involved with District Attorney Peter Garrett (Ben Lawson). After facing insecurity about their relationship and subsequently avoiding Cameron (who, like Cox, is transgender), Peter lists off the normative rules that straight, cisgender men are expected to follow and tries to explain his reason for avoiding her.
After Peter apologizes and asks Cameron to be his date to an event, Cameron refuses to accept the burden of this insecurity and declares, "The thought of telling people we're dating was so bad you couldn't get out of bed, Peter? That doesn't make me feel great. And we could have talked about that the night before you called in sick, or that morning. But you disappeared. I'm just supposed to expect that that won't happen again? No."
Freak Show (54%)
This 2018 dramedy poignantly explores gender identity and sexuality with a backdrop of joyous performance, focusing on the "gender-obliviating" high schooler Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther), as he changes schools and is ridiculed by new classmates at Ulysses S. Grant Academy.
Cox plays journalist Felicia Watts, who follows Billy's run for the school's homecoming queen. After listening to homophobic candidate Lynnette (Abigail Breslin) rant about Billy, the annoyed Felicia reports, "Disgruntled, delusional, but determined homecoming queen candidate Lynnette Franz. And I am sure we have not heard the last of her." The film also stars AnnaSophia Robb as Billy's heartfelt friend and Bette Midler as Billy's mother.
Bad Hair (54%)
In Justin Simien's upcoming horror flick, Cox plays Virgie, a hairstylist who gives Anna (Elle Lorraine) more than she bargained for at the salon when she requests a weave that ends up harboring homicidal tendencies.
Through its dark comedy and gruesome horror, Simien's film tackles the institutional perpetuation of racist beauty norms. The film also stars Lena Waithe, Vanessa Williams, and Blair Underwood.
Law & Order: SVU (78%)
Cox plays gym manager Candace in her 2008 television debut on Law & Order: SVU. Although Cox's appearance in season nine's episode "Closet" may be brief, she is characteristically charismatic and delivers her scant lines with memorable vivacity.
Questioned by Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Candace says of her employee Freddie, whom they are investigating, "I think he must have got into it with someone. That baby face of his had a big old nasty bruise."
Weird City (84%)
Created by Jordan Peele, this YouTube anthology series follows a strictly class-divided city of "Haves" and "Have-Nots," offering copious commentary on class inequality and the pitfalls of technology. In episode four, Cox stars as one of the wealthy members of society, Liquia, who buys a Smart House with her partner, Jathryn (Sara Gilbert).
The house may be "smart," but it certainly isn't benevolent and exhibits increasingly disturbing behavior throughout the episode - including a wasteful imbibement of marshmallow IPA.
The Mindy Project (86%)
In three episodes of Mindy Kaling's acclaimed comedy series, Cox plays Sheena, a stylist who offers Mindy some encouraging advice on confidence during her tumultuous pregnancy. Rather than reciting some overused mantras, Sheena bluntly declares, "Confidence comes from amazing outfits and perfect makeup."
However, she later provides some more concrete (and useful) wisdom and then defends Mindy after Danny (Chris Messina) laughs at Mindy's attempt to seduce him in a spandex outfit. Sheena threatens, "You better make things right with Mindy or I will devastate your self-confidence." Cox's unequivocally confident delivery makes it hard to doubt this declaration.
Orange Is The New Black (90%)
Cox plays Sophia Burset for several seasons of the momentous Netflix drama, which depicts varying degrees of tragedy, humor, and love experienced by incarcerated women at Litchfield Penitentiary. Sophia is the de facto hairstylist at Litchfield, and, indeed, many of her most poignant conversations occur as she gives hairdos to fellow inmates.
As a trans woman, Sophia faces another dimension of tribulation in Litchfield, including the struggle to obtain her hormones and frequent transphobia from the prison's staff. Sophia also has a son, Michael, with whom she attempts to rectify her fraught relationship.
Grandma (91%)
Starring Lily Tomlin and Ozark's Julia Garner, this 2015 road trip film depicts the unorthodox relationship between Elle (Tomlin) and her granddaughter, Sage (Garner). Sage seeks Elle's economic assistance for an abortion, and this request precipitates a profound and chaotic journey for both of them.
Despite her seniority, Elle is the rebellious half of this pair and regularly engages in brilliantly brash behavior -- like cutting up her credit cards for a wind chime or attacking the father of Sage's baby with a hockey stick. Cox plays Deathy, a tattoo artist who adorns Elle with some impressive body art.
Promising Young Woman (91%)
In this powerful exploration of sexual assault and the repeated lack of accountability for perpetrators, Cassie (Carey Mulligan) creates her own system of justice to punish predatory men.
The film has not yet been released due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although Cox is sure to bring her knack for dark comedy to Gail, who owns the coffee shop where Cassie works.
Dear White People (95%)
Cox guest-stars in season three of this Netflix series, which explores racism, classism, homophobia, and other intersecting forms of prejudice at an Ivy League school. In Cox's one-episode stint, the show's principal protagonist Sam (Logan Browning) is in the process of making a documentary and seeks help from Cynthia Fray (Cox), a filmmaker whom she admires.
However, Fray dislikes Sam's documentary and hurtfully remarks, "Perhaps if you stop trying to be me, your problems will be cleared up," later adding that, "it's always nice to meet a fan." Maybe so, but perhaps it's not always nice to meet a role model.