With her role on Dirty Sexy Money, Candis Cayne became the first transgendered actor to play a recurring character on a network TV show. “It made me realize this part was bigger than me, and actually pushing society forward,” she says of how the role was received.

Credit: Supplied

PRIDE: Breaking gender boundaries

Candis Cayne looks like a blonde Jessica Rabbit come to life; exaggerated curves, long legs, and plunging necklines are the signature surface weapons in her arsenal, but that wasn’t always the case. The actress and all-around entertainer, who for years was a fixture of the New York nightclub scene, got her big Hollywood break with a recurring role on the three-season run of Dirty Sexy Money, playing a character that was nothing short of groundbreaking for network television: the transgendered lover of a high-profile businessman. What makes that all the more remarkable is that Cayne herself was born a man.

Cayne, who’s bringing her acclaimed cabaret act to the city for Pride weekend, is also being honoured as a grand marshal at the Pride Parade. She spoke with WE from her home in L.A. about the transitions in her life: male to female, and cigarette girl to LGBT pioneer.

You grew up in Hawaii, which sounds idyllic. What was your childhood like?
Cayne: It was one of those storybook childhoods. I have really amazing, supportive parents, who are coming up to Vancouver for Pride as well. It was kind of one of those throw-up worthy stories where we had great parents and it was a peaceful, fun childhood.

What kind of life were you trying to make for yourself when you moved to New York?
I wanted to be an actor-dancer-performer. I knew that’s what I did best, but I didn’t really know how to go about doing that. I would go on dancing auditions, and I was a boy at the time, and it just didn’t feel right, and I didn’t get any work. It was more like a girl dancer trying to dance as a boy. (Laughs) I got a scholarship to Steps [on Broadway], the world-famous dance studio, and I started working at [legendary nightclub] the Roxy on Saturday nights, in drag, as a cigarette girl.

You were already out to your parents as gay at this point?
Yeah. But when I was in New York, I didn’t really date; I wasn’t feeling like myself, and I was trying to figure out what was missing. I would feel a lot more free when I was dressed as a girl, and I had a couple of girlfriends who were transitioning, and I realized, “Oh, this is what I’m missing.”

You must have had an amazing amount of certainty about yourself when you finally had that realization.
You have to have that. Of course, when you first decide to do it, you have a million questions, and you’re not sure. You know you’d probably be helping your life, but you don’t know because you don’t have that experience. And no one can tell you, even when they’ve gone through it, what exactly it feels like. When I started my hormone therapy, it was the happiest I’d ever been.

What’s the reality of transitioning?
It’s a daunting task. Your first thought is “Am I going to be pretty enough?” “Am I going to be passable enough?” “Am I gonna be able to handle such an intense hormone process?” For everybody it’s different, you know? But once you start, you want these surgeries, and it’s not a daunting thing. Like, every dollar you save towards an implant or getting your SRS [sex reassignment surgery], you’re just happy to do it because it makes you feel better about who you are.

You broke through a significant Hollywood barriers with Dirty Sexy Money. What did that experience mean to you?
At first, I was like, “Yay, I got a job!” It wasn’t until I went to some event that showed clips of gay, lesbian, and transgendered people in the media, and they showed a clip of me and Donald Sutherland in one of our scenes, and everybody stood up and applauded. It made me realize this part was bigger than me, and actually pushing society forward. The whole idea of a transgendered actress was never really a reality until this role happened. It was kind of awe-inspiring. It made me feel very honoured.

Why is it important for you to participate in Pride events around the world?
I’m very proud, and I wear the transgender badge with honour... But, as much as society’s moved forward, there’s always an old set of views, and there’s nothing you can really do about it. But the longer people are out and open, the more acceptance there will be.

Candis Cayne performs as part of Rainbow Night, Saturday, July 31, at Five Sixty (560 Seymour), 11pm. Tickets $20 from Priape (1148 Davie). Cayne is also a Grand Marshal in the Pride Parade on Sunday, August 1, beginning at noon.