Meet Hunter Schafer The Trans Actress Who Plays Jules On HBO's 'Euphoria'
We just can't get enough of her.
Getty Have you started watching HBO's Euphoria yet? Why not? Oh, are you waiting for a few episodes to build up? I get that, we're soooo spoiled by Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime dropping entire seasons of shows at once and allowing us to binge them deliciously. Not so with HBO (I'm looking at you Big Little Lies). One of the breakout stars of Euphoria is Hunter Schafer, who plays Jules, one of the most badass characters on any show. Hunter is brand-new to acting and we sure hope we get to see a lot more of her. She's already made a name for herself as a trans model and activist. Who plays Jules on Euphoria on HBO?
1. She's been an activist since high school
Hunter Schafer was born in 1999 in Raleigh, North Carolina to Katy and Mac Schafer. Her dad is a pastor at Hudson Memorial Presbyterian Church. She has three younger siblings. While Hunter was in high school she protested against the North Carolina Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, known as the "bathroom bill." The controversial bill required people to use the restroom for the sex they were assigned at birth. Hunter's preferred pronouns are she/her. She uses the ungendered Mx. as a formal title. In an interview, she said that the internet really helped her deal with her gender identity. She turned to YouTube and social media to learn about other trans people's transition experiences and timelines. She moved to New York after graduating from high school in 2017.
2. She's got serious modeling cred
Hunter told the New York Times: "Walking runway has been something I didn’t even think would be a possibility in my lifetime with my circumstances and my origins. Despite that, 5'10" Hunter has walked in shows for Versus Versace, Helmut Lang, Miu Miu, Dior, Rick Owens Tommy Holfiger, Maison Margiela, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, Emilio Pucci, Ann Demeulemeester and Erdem, among others.
3. When did she transition?
Hunter was assigned a male gender when she was born but always found herself searching for and expressing her femininity through fashion and art. She started transitioning in high school. She told the New York Times: “What I’m trying to do in all senses is deconstruct our idea of gender, and use the privileges that come with looking like a model to bring attention to that."
4. She wants to open an art gallery for trans artists
Hunter Schafer plans to open a studio and gallery in Manhattan for trans artists using the grant money she received when she was named on of Teen Vogue's 21 Under 21 winners. The annual contest honors and celebrates young trailblazers.
5. Euphoria is her first acting gig
Euphoria is Hunter's first acting gig. The teen drama stars Zandaya as Rue, a 17-year-old recovering drug addict who befriends Jules, a trans girl who recently moved to Rue's town. Hunter worked closely with the show's creators to make sure Jules' experience as a trans girl mirrored her own and rang true. Hunter told W Magazine: “I went to an arts high school and was surrounded by drama students who dreamed of working in the industry. I almost feel a sense of guilt because I didn’t go to acting school. I think I got the role because I was perhaps the best contender for telling Jules’s story.”
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based freelance writer covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. She is deeply devoted to her chocolate Labrador and an avid long distance runner. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.