Steven Canals

Steven Canals is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter, director, and producer recognized as the co-creator and executive producer of the FX drama series "Pose." Canals, a queer Afro-Latinx storyteller, began his work in film by producing a documentary short co-funded by HBO Family while in high school. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in cinema and a master's degree in student affairs and diversity from Binghamton University, later working in university administration as an LGBT resource coordinator and advisor to a university's gay-straight alliance. Canals transitioned to the entertainment industry by moving to Los Angeles and completing an MFA in screenwriting from UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. During his time at UCLA, he worked as a research assistant at Hungry Jackal Productions for Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Canals developed the pilot script for "Pose" as his MFA thesis, drawing inspiration from the documentary "Paris Is Burning." After facing industry rejection over the show's focus on LGBTQ+ people of color and ballroom culture, Canals' script reached Ryan Murphy, who joined as a producer with Brad Falchuk. The series premiered on FX and became known for assembling the largest transgender cast in television history, centering on Black and Latinx queer characters in New York City's ballroom scene during the AIDS crisis. Canals served as co-executive producer, writer, showrunner, and director throughout the series, making his directorial debut with the episode "Revelations."

"Pose" received multiple honors, including a Peabody Award, two AFI Awards for TV Program of the Year, a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series, and nominations for Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics Choice Awards for Best Drama Series. Canals earned three Emmy nominations for the show's third season as executive producer, director, and co-writer of the series finale. He was named a Writer to Watch by Variety and featured in The Hollywood Reporter Pride Issue, as well as on lists of the 50 Most Powerful LGBTQ Players in Hollywood and 50 Most Powerful TV Showrunners. Canals became the first Latinx producer to receive an Emmy nomination in the drama category.

Canals signed an overall deal with 20th Century Television and launched Story Ave. Productions, focusing on projects that highlight diverse and historically marginalized voices. He expanded his directing work with episodes of the FX/Hulu miniseries "Class of '09," "The Sex Lives of College Girls," and ABC's "Doctor Odyssey." Canals has spoken at events such as the Sundance Episodic Lab and Banff World Media Festival, sharing insights on inclusive storytelling, television writing, and representation in Hollywood. His career demonstrates the significance of persistence and the impact of telling stories from underrepresented communities.