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Hung's New Transgender Actress: "It's All Really Good the More People See Us"

Get the scoop on Jamie Clayton's upcoming gig playing Ray's love interest on the hit HBO series

By Marc Malkin Nov 03, 2011 9:14 PMTags
Jamie Clayton, HungHBO

Jamie Clayton has been called a trailblazer, a trendsetter and a role model.

Why?

Because she's a transgender actress who has never hid who she is.

And guess what? She's appearing on two upcoming episodes of Hung. Clayton plays Kyla, a transgender love interest for Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane).

Not only do they lock lips, but...

One scene shows Kyla orally pleasuring Ray.

"Fantastic," Clayton says of working with Jane. "He's a gentleman."

I won't tell you anymore because I don't want to spoil it, but Clayton's performance is outstanding, emotional and at times, heart-wrenching.

Clayton declined to give her age, but said she was 19 when she began transitioning, followed by gender reassignment surgery six years later. She cohosted VH1's makeover show TRANSform Me.

She was offered the role on Hung after the casting department read about her in an article about an acting class for gay thespians.

"I'm really hoping for a really diverse career," Clayton said. "At the end of the day, I just wanted to be judged for my work and not for my past. I'm auditioning for a variety of different types of roles."

Chaz Bono's turn on Dancing With the Stars can only help. "I think we're moving in a really positive direction and getting exposure," Clayton said. "With him being on Dancing With the Stars and then with me on Hung, I think that it's all really good the more people see us...Hopefully, people will just become sort of numb to the fact that we have this past."