Ivory Aquino

Ivory Aquino is a Filipina-American actress recognized for her contributions to transgender representation in Hollywood. Aquino moved to the United States as a teenager to study at Berklee College of Music, initially focusing on singing due to limited acting opportunities for transgender Filipinas. She graduated summa cum laude and, after undergoing gender confirmation surgery, pursued her passion for acting. Aquino performed as Juliet in a production of "Romeo and Juliet" in New York City with The Drilling Company's Bryant Park Presents, marking a significant early stage role that led to further opportunities in television and film.

Aquino portrayed transgender activist Cecilia Chung in the docudrama miniseries "When We Rise." Prior to this role, she had primarily played cisgender characters and had not publicly identified as transgender. Aquino disclosed her identity to series writer Dustin Black, which aligned with the production's commitment to authentic casting. She publicly came out as transgender during a press conference for the series. Aquino met with Chung to prepare for the role, and their relationship developed into a mentorship. Her performance earned a nomination for Best Actress at the POZ Awards for her representation of HIV/AIDS issues, and contributed to the series receiving the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Limited Series.

Aquino continued to expand her body of work with a supporting role in Isabel Sandoval's film "Lingua Franca," which explores the experiences of an undocumented Filipino trans woman in New York. She also appeared in the crime drama miniseries "When They See Us," depicting the Central Park Five case, and played Cassie in the "FBI: Most Wanted" episode "Silkworm."

Aquino was cast as Alysia Yeoh, the first openly transgender character in a live-action DC movie, in the superhero film "Batgirl." The character, a trans woman and roommate of Barbara Gordon, was introduced in the "Batgirl" comics by writer Gail Simone and artist Ardian Syaf. Although the film was ultimately shelved before release, Aquino addressed criticism by emphasizing the script's authentic diversity.

In addition to her acting career, Aquino is an advocate for transgender rights and visibility. She has spoken in support of trans children and criticized policy changes affecting transgender students. Aquino's openness about her personal journey and the challenges she has faced has contributed to increased visibility and representation for transgender individuals in the entertainment industry.