Development Maya Avant

1 development

1.1 casting , creation
1.2 archetypes , characterization
1.3 transgender reveal , advocacy
1.4 relationships , disclosure

development
casting , creation

michael logan of tv guide announced casting of karla mosley , former guiding light co-star, lawrence saint-victor in december 2012. mosley got start on emmy nominated children s program hi-5 part of band of same name. mosley made first appearance on january 22, 2013 on contractual basis. mosley s character woman skid row shares past dayzee forrester (kristolyn lloyd). mosley revealed in los angeles , set return new york city thanksgiving in november 2012 when contacted agents series producer , head writer brad bell , director christy dooley s interest in her. praised mosley s work christina on guiding light , offered chance play s little edgier. mosley jumped @ chance.

archetypes , characterization

unlike of archetypal portrayals of transgender characters on television @ time, maya has completed transition , living life. while maya third transgender character in daytime history preceded supermodel azure (carlotta chang) of city , children glam rocker zarf/zoe (jeffrey carlson) falls in love resident lesbian bianca montgomery (eden riegel) -- first transgender character featured series regular on american daytime television. british soap coronation street established first regular transgender character in serialized drama in 1998 when series introduced hayley cropper (julie hesmondhalgh). 1991 film soapdish famously satirized world of daytime featured exposure of transgender actress live on camera. though scripted television featuring gay, lesbian , bisexual characters had become common in recent years, transgender characters continue lag behind according glaad s director of communications, nick adams. @ time of reveal, maya avant transgender character on broadcast , cable television. adding character s unique position, maya trans woman of color working in fashion industry. stories transgender characters featured character coming out , transitioning. shows orange new black , transparent regularly featured transgender characters neither series on aired broadcast network television. meanwhile, fox s glee introduced storyline in final season featured character coming out transgender , making transition. mosley first actress in transgender role touted show s leading lady. maya , rick s split after reveal leads many question character s longevity. however, showrunner bradley bell declared karla mosley has emerged leading lady of b&b, , ll remain so. maya becomes first transgender bride in american daytime television history when marries rick forrester (jacob young) in august 2015.

in interview soap opera digest in april 2013, mosley said maya force of nature. maya has big dreams s naive in lot of ways said actress. maya trusting, or has been. however, maya s achilles heel these men come life. falls in love , gets burned. mosley described maya being rational person, part. s much, have make sure read scripts in advance, because lot of times, ll read them , stomachache decisions s make. ll like, oh, maya! feel in own life, cant avoid drama. , play character literally walks around starting fires every goes counterintuitive. mosley questioned if maya s transgender status should affect portrayal revealed daily news has given me more layers , has deepened understanding of is. according brad bell, after being shunned family, maya became ornery , self-absorbed. had become real fighter.

transgender reveal , advocacy








bradley bell on story s purpose.

in december 2014, soap opera digest exclusively reported reign edwards had been cast in role of nicole avant — maya s little sister. nicole s january arrival displays quite bit of tension between estranged siblings because nicole feels abandoned , maya s secrets start unravel. there initial speculation among viewers nicole have been maya s daughter. meanwhile, others had jokingly guessed transgender angle. on march 18, 2015, without prior announcement storyline, revealed maya born myron , transgender.

a thrilled karla mosley revealed informed of character s big secret shortly after christmas in 2014. first reaction surprise mosley said usa today noting 10 or 20 years ago, not story telling, , not in way s truthful , not sensational. mosley expressed gratitude opportunity portray such storyline. story took shape, mosley did own research reading transgender activist janet mock s memoir , going straight firsthand experience; have couple of friends have transitioned mosley revealed. actress wanted educated on subject possible portray maya in truthful , authentic way. during interview on-air on-soaps, mosley admitted being bit more protective on story development because of importance of topic. have had more firm on things have been in past, because want tell story, , want tell right mosley stated. many others, mosley herself questioned why series didn t hire transgender actress portray maya. mosley concluded having viewers come know , love or love hate in role helped because there emotion comes viewers may turned off maya being transgender. forced @ why? while maya main focus of story, s not maya s story karla mosley insisted. story examines reactions of maya has formed relationships including rick, nicole , ex-boyfriend carter walton (saint-victor), , later maya s own parents. if people have trouble relating maya going through, might able see in reaction of maya s loved ones. in june 2015, michael logan announced veteran actors anna maria horsford , obba babatundé had been cast in role of maya s estranged parents, vivienne , julius avant , have come rescue nicole maya s influence. arrival of avants makes way viewers see how maya became woman today amidst many obstacles , prejudices. reunion first time maya has contact parents since before surgical transition myron.

executive producer , head writer bradley bell revealed story came because wanted present [mosley] dramatic, timely , topical, , wanted have secret , thought if transgender beginning , got excited. though admitted being little bit concerned potential backlash, bell said, need take minds have been closed , open them little. bell seemed relish in touching on transgender story such fresh perspective. s new story, because ability wasn t around 20 years ago said. big part of story being transgender man loves bell said. continued, m curious see how reacts. story provides in-depth @ disclosure: right , appropriate time something. when waiting long, when early? producers partnered glaad organization craft story. representatives organization sat in on story meetings , helped review scripts. glaad director nick adams hands-on in writing process far helping terminology correct. after reveal when maya reclaims position face of forrester creations, fictional company holds fashion show featuring transgender models. bell said episodes aired on july 16 , july 17, speaks our continued commitment maya s story , transgender community. brad bell insisted mosley front , center star of our show. not going doing story around edges. continued, re digging deep in story, every facet , avenue. bell described experimental tv . whether s done right or wrong, people object it. story features transgender actors in recurring , guest-star roles. lead-up maya s confession rick , public exposure feature trans actor scott turner schofield in role of nick, maya s close friend , mentor.

relationships , disclosure

the character first develops romance rick forrester (young), volunteering waiter @ local coffee house dayzee s. maya assumes homeless. think maya brings out in rick fans aren t used seeing mosley said of relationship. in march 2013, announced series had cast ricky paull goldin maya s jealous ex-boyfriend, jesse. rick s ex-girlfriend caroline spencer (linsey godfrey) still pursuing him, rick , maya start dating , jesse threatens new relationship. s absolutely last person maya expects see. according mosley, maya sacrificed jesse lost freedom. though should angry jesse still man fell , had child with. relationship plagued maya s insecurities. maya, rick fairy tale. maya in love rick feels insecure him working closely caroline. rick not supportive enough. @ same time, falls carter walton (lawrence saint-victor) consistently supportive mosley said. maya, carter guy , friend first. first time, maya reminded how different , rick when isn t there her. maya , carter become engaged in september 2013 when maya tries hold off wedding plans, split because still loves rick.

love each other comes them both being victims in life mosley said of rick , maya s relationship. described couple open-hearted people, have had guard hearts being disappointed. continued, connected, because assholes! mosley spoke people magazine disclosure episode aired on may 15, 2015, in maya confesses rick transgender. scene, think, ve been preparing – both actors , audience. being first time maya has chosen disclose loves heightens stakes. though being vulnerable scares her, maya trusts rick , loves him enough risk -- including letting down of walls s built protect herself -- in order him healthy way. mosley explained maya s trepidation revealing transgender stemmed being afraid lose rick—fearing leave caroline. of rick , maya s reunion after maya discloses transgender status, brad bell said fresh , unique love story, , re beginning. while soap couples not last forever, bell said right re concentrating on developing strong foundation rick , maya 1 can respected , admired. trouble come. does. rick s unconditional love softens maya s hardened persona.