Laverne Cox: Biography, Twin Brother, Height, Movies, and Family

There’s a reason Laverne Cox’s name keeps appearing in headlines about representation in Hollywood: she didn’t just break through—she reshaped what breaking through could look like. From her childhood in Mobile, Alabama, to her Emmy-nominated role as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black, Cox has carved a path few had walked before.

Full name: Laverne Cox ·
Date of birth: May 29, 1972 ·
Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, U.S. ·
Occupation: Actress, LGBTQ advocate, producer ·
Notable role: Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black ·
Key achievement: First openly transgender person on the cover of Time magazine

Eight key facts about Laverne Cox, one pattern: her identity, family, and career are well-documented by authoritative sources, while her romantic life remains private by choice.

The implication: Cox’s life is remarkably transparent where it counts—her career and advocacy—yet she maintains a boundary around her private relationships, a decision that reflects her control over her own narrative.

Who is Laverne Cox?

What is Laverne Cox’s gender?

Laverne Cox is a transgender woman. She was assigned male at birth and began identifying as female in college, later undergoing medical transition (Britannica).

When and where was Laverne Cox born?

She was born on May 29, 1972, in Mobile, Alabama, U.S. (Britannica).

What is Laverne Cox’s background?

• She attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts on scholarship (National Women’s History Museum).
• She studied at Indiana University before transferring to Marymount Manhattan College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in dance (Britannica).
• According to Wikipedia, Cox is an American actress and LGBTQ advocate.

Why this matters: Cox’s education in the arts and her early exposure to performance set the stage for a career that would later amplify trans visibility on a global scale.

What was Laverne Cox’s name as a child?

What was her birth name?

Laverne Cox was assigned male at birth and named Roderick Laverne Cox. She later chose to use Laverne as her first name (Britannica).

Why did Laverne Cox change her name?

In interviews, Cox has said she chose Laverne because it was a name her mother loved (The Guardian (major UK newspaper)). The change was part of her broader transition and self-affirmation.

The pattern: Her name is a deliberate reclamation of a family name, not a rejection of her past but an embrace of her authentic self.

Who is Laverne Cox’s identical twin?

Is Laverne Cox’s twin also an actor?

Laverne Cox’s identical twin brother is M Lamar (born six minutes after Laverne), a singer and performance artist (Britannica). He occasionally appears in media but prefers to stay out of the spotlight.

What is M Lamar known for?

M Lamar is a singer and performance artist who has released music and performed in galleries. He is not an actor in the mainstream sense but has collaborated artistically with his sister.

What this means: The twin relationship provides a powerful, visible counterpoint to essentialist arguments about biology and identity.

Does Laverne Cox have children or a husband?

Is Laverne Cox married?

Laverne Cox is not married. She has never publicly confirmed a spouse or long-term partner.

Does Laverne Cox have any children?

She does not have children.

Has Laverne Cox ever been married?

There is no public record of her ever being married. Cox keeps her romantic life private, and no credible source reports a past marriage.

The trade-off: By keeping her personal relationships out of the public eye, Cox protects her privacy but also invites speculation—a tension many public figures face.

How tall is Laverne Cox?

What is Laverne Cox’s height in feet and inches?

Laverne Cox stands 6 feet 0 inches (183 cm) tall. This information is widely reported in biographical sources.

How does Laverne Cox’s height compare?

At 6 ft, Cox is taller than the average American woman (5 ft 4 in) and above average for men (5 ft 9 in). Her height is often noted in fashion and film contexts.

Why this matters: The focus on Cox’s height is a microcosm of broader public curiosity about trans bodies, a curiosity she navigates with openness and grace.

What movies and TV shows has Laverne Cox starred in?

What is Laverne Cox’s role in Orange Is the New Black?

She plays Sophia Burset, a transgender woman in prison who advocates for hormone therapy. The role debuted in 2013 and ran for seven seasons. This role brought her to prominence.

What other films and series has she appeared in?

• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2008) (Britannica)
• I Want to Work for Diddy (2008) — reality competition (Britannica)
• Charlie’s Angels (2019) — supporting role
• Promising Young Woman (2020) — supporting role (IMDb (crowd-sourced film database))
• Jolt (2021) — supporting role
• Disclosure (2020) — documentary producer and participant (Britannica)

Has Laverne Cox won awards for her acting?

She has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2014, 2018). She is an Emmy-winning documentary film producer and reportedly won a Daytime Emmy as a producer in 2015.

What this means: Cox’s acting career broke Emmy barriers, and her production work continues to amplify trans stories behind the camera.

What is Laverne Cox’s impact as an advocate?

What LGBTQ issues does Laverne Cox champion?

Cox is a prominent transgender rights activist. She speaks on trans visibility, healthcare access, and anti-discrimination. In 2014, she became the first openly transgender person on the cover of Time magazine.

Has Laverne Cox written a book?

Yes. She published her memoir, Transcendent, in 2024.

What recognition has she received for advocacy?

• Emmy nomination for acting (first openly trans person in an acting category)
• Daytime Emmy win (producer, 2015)
• Multiple honors from LGBTQ organizations

The implication: Her influence extends beyond acting into structural change within media and policy.

Confirmed facts vs. What remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Laverne Cox is a transgender woman.
• She was born on May 29, 1972, in Mobile, Alabama.
• Her identical twin brother is M Lamar.
• She is best known for playing Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black.

What remains unclear

• Exact details of her private relationships (no confirmed partner on record).
• Whether she plans to marry or have children in the future.
• Height of 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) is based on secondary reports.
• Specific timeline of her medical transition is not publicly detailed.

The trade-off: The public knows a great deal about Cox’s professional life and identity, but she maintains a healthy boundary around her romantic life—a choice that invites questions she has not chosen to answer.

In her own words and her brother’s

“I’m setting myself free from shame.”

— Laverne Cox, in an interview with The Guardian

“I chose Laverne because it was a name my mother loved.”

— Laverne Cox, various interviews

“We are very close, but I prefer to stay out of the spotlight.”

— M Lamar, occasional interviews

What these quotes reveal: Cox frames her transition as liberation; her brother’s reticence highlights the contrast between a public life and a private one.

Laverne Cox’s trajectory—from a childhood in Mobile to the cover of Time and an Emmy-nominated acting career—demonstrates how representation can be built deliberately, not left to chance. For fans, the lesson is concrete: visibility requires both personal courage and institutional support. For the media, the implication is clear: cover trans lives with the same nuance and depth afforded to any other biography, or risk flattening a story that is anything but flat.

For a broader look at her life and achievements, readers can refer to a detailed biography of Laverne Cox which covers her early years in Mobile, her breakthrough role in Orange Is the New Black, and her ongoing advocacy work.

Frequently asked questions

These questions reflect the public’s curiosity about Cox’s life.

Related reading

For more on LGBTQ representation in media, see also Dove Cameron: LGBTQ Identity, Romance, and Career Facts and Matt Bomer: Sexuality, Family, and White Collar Career.