The BBC has snapped up Ryan Murphy's 1980s drama Pose, an at-once hilarious and heartrending account of the LGBTQ community and ballroom culture in New York.

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The series boasts the largest-ever transgender cast in scripted TV history, and has already made stars of its leads over the pond.

For UK viewers, there are also a few faces you'll already be familiar with, including House of Cards' Kate Mara, Tony-winning Billy Porter, Dawson's Creek's James Van Der Beek playing a cocaine-snorting businessman, and Evan Peters (aka Quicksilver in the X-Men films) as a married man who falls for a transgender sex worker.

Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Pose...


MJ Rodriguez plays Blanca Rodriquez-Evangelista

Pose-1

Who is Blanca? Blanca is a HIV-positive transgender woman who decides to strike out from her overbearing "house mother", Elektra, and form her own House (a home and safe space for members of the LGBTQ community) to compete in New York's ballroom scene.

Click here for our guide to 'Houses', ballroom culture and voguing

Where have I seen MJ Rodriguez before? Transgender actress and singer MJ Rodriquez first became known for an off-Broadway production of the musical Rent, in which she played Angel.


Indya Moore plays Angel

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Who is Angel? Angel is a transgender sex worker and member of the House of Abundance, before she joins Blanca's House of Evangelista.

Where have I seen Indya Moore before? You've probably spotted model-turned-actress Indya Moore in various campaigns for high fashion brands, including Dior and Gucci.


Ryan Jamaal Swain plays Damon Richards

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Who is Damon Richards? Damon is a closeted small-town teenager who longs to become a dancer. After he's kicked out by his parents once they discover his sexuality, he moves to New York.

Where have I seen Ryan Jamaal Swain before? Homeless dancer Damon is Jamaal Swain's first on-screen role. After growing up in the US, he moved to the UK to study at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford.


Evan Peters plays Stan Bowes

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Who is Stan Bowes? Stan Bowes is a married businessman who at the start of the series starts a new job at Trump Tower. He has a secret and complex relationship with transgender sex worker Angel.

Where have I seen Evan Peters before? Evan Peters is probably best known for his roles on horror anthology series American Horror Story, of which he's been a central cast member since the first series, and for playing Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse. He's also had roles in Invasion, One Tree Hill and Kick-Ass.


Dominique Jackson plays Elektra Abundance

POSE

Who is Elektra? Elektra is house mother of House of Abundance, and is the reigning Queen Bee of New York's ballroom scene.

Where have I seen Dominique Jackson before? Media personality Dominique Jackson is best-known for her appearances on US modelling reality show, Strut.


Billy Porter plays MC Pray Tell

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Who is Pray Tell? MCPray Tell is a judge in New York's ballroom scene, well-known for his cutting quips and killer dress-making skills. He's also the only person who knows Blanca is HIV-positive.

Where have I seen Billy Porter before? The Grammy and Tony-winning actor and singer has appeared in The Get Down and American Horror Story.


James Van Der Beek plays Matt Bromley

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Who is Matt Bromley? Matt Bromley is the fast-living, cocaine-snorting businessman who hires Stan at Trump Tower.

Where have I seen James Van Der Beek before? Probably best-known for his breakout role in Dawson's Creek, Van Der Beek has had a stint on One Tree Hill and played himself in the sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.


Kate Mara plays Patty Bowes

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Who is Patty Bowes? Patty is the wife of Stan Bowes and the mother to his young children.

Where have I seen Kate Mara before? The television and film actress starred in House of Cards as journalist Zoe Barnes, as has starred in films including Brokeback Mountain and Fantastic Four.


Pose will air on the BBC later in 2019

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t4YuPXdLZw

Authors

Flora CarrDrama Writer, RadioTimes.com

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