Trans Actress Jen Richards Cast in Recurring ‘Nashville’ Role

Trans actress/activist Jen Richards will join the cast of CMT’s country music drama Nashville.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Richards will play “a tough but understanding physical therapist who helps one of the series’ main characters through one of their most difficult challenges.”

This isn’t a one-time cameo, either. Richards is expected have a recurring role throughout the show’s fifth season.

On her Instagram account, Jen wrote, “It’s a small role, but a good one.”

You've probably already heard, but it'd be weird not to have *something* about it on IG. So, yep, I'm joining the cast of @nashvillecmt! It's a small role, but a good one. Gotta say, if someone were to ask me the next show/network to cast an out trans actor in a part (that's both alive and not a punchline), I wouldn't have guessed this one! Everyone on set has been wonderful and of course I love this city, in equal parts for its food, music, and men. ? Thanks to everyone for their well wishes, and let's hope this is another sign of changing times!

A post shared by Jen Richards (@smartassjen) on Sep 13, 2016 at 5:02pm PDT

Richards’s television career includes appearances on Logo’s Beautiful As I Want To Be, AOL’s True Trans with Laura Jane Grace, E!’s I Am Cait, and the Emmy-nominated series Her Story, which she also co-wrote and produced.

Richards will be the first trans character and the first openly trans actor on the CMT network. That’s a huge deal, especially for a network whose viewership tends to lean to the conservative side. Could Nashville’s casting decision help promote trans acceptance among country music fans?

(Featured photo via Instagram)