Mya Taylor, star of the acclaimed indie film Tangerine, visited Bowdoin last week as part of Black History Month. During her day at Bowdoin, Taylor visited two classes, had dinner with students, screened her film, and gave a lecture.

Tangerine depicts the friendship of two transgendered women of color in Los Angeles who make their living as sex workers. The New York Times describes the movie as “a fast, raucously funny comedy about love and other misadventures,” and two of the paper’s critics thought that Taylor should have been nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress.

Taylor found a little time to sit down with Bowdoin’s communications staff to talk about her film and the film industry. She said she hopes Tangerine raises awareness generally about transgendered people and in particular opens the filmmaking world up to “trans talent.”

Before making the movie, Taylor struggled to make a living, facing discrimination for being transgendered. Since being discovered by Tangerine filmmaker Sean Baker and being recognized for her acting and singing abilities, she has launched a busy career. She recently finished working on two short films, Happy Birthday, Marsha! and Diane From the Moon, and is about to start working on another film, Aviva Diva, as well as her own television show.

Taylor’s visit was sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center, the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, BQSA, African-American Society and Student Activities. She is represented by OUTMedia.