Kelly Mantle, a performer who identifies as “gender fluid,” has made Oscar history.
The 40-year-old, who was born a male and is best known as a contestant on the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, plays the supporting part of a transgender prostitute in Miguel Ali’s Confessions of a Womanizer, an indie starring Gary Busey that is in the midst of its Oscar-qualifying run this week.
The film’s backers, when filling out the paperwork required by the Academy to confirm Oscar eligibility, arrived at the acting submissions section and faced a conundrum: The organization asks for performers to be listed under “male” or “female.” Mantle was submitted under both, the Academy confirms to THR, and “can be nominated in either category.”
The 89th Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 24.
