The transgender American actress and alluring Laverne Cox is at it again, and her next role will be a gender-bending extravaganza like no other when she takes on the iconic role of Dr. Frank N. Furter in Fox's upcoming remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
In the two-hour event special, the “Orange is the New Black” actress has been casted as the sexually ambivalent and blatantly flirtatious alien mad scientist Frank-N-Furter . The film is said to be a re-imagination of the cult classic.
In the film version of the musical, which turned 40 this year, the part is most famously played by a leather-corseted, Tim Curry.
With Kenny Ortega of "High School Musical" on board to direct, choreograph and executive produce the film, Fox's version was announced earlier this year.
Rocky Horror will be produced by Lou Adler, who was also an executive producer of the original film. He's partnering with Gail Berman for the reimagining, and this project has been in development since 2014.
Through her Jackal Group with Fox 21 Television Studios, Gail Berman is producing the two-hour special. In addition, Lou Adler, who previously executive produced the movie, is also on board to to do the same. ( When Berman was president of Fox, she attempted to get a similar production on the air.)
Cox after becoming the first transgender person to receive a primetime Emmy nomination (for Orange Is the New Black), winning rave reviews for her performance opposite Lily Tomlin in the big-screen comedy Grandma and taking home a Daytime Emmy Award for her documentary Laverne Cox Presents.
The 31-year-old actress will step in the stiletto heels of Tim Curry, who originated the role of the cult musical's "sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania" on stage and in the Classic 1975 film.
With Cox on board, the The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which had been gestating for a while, is getting a formal green light for a premiere in fall 2016.
In January, Fox will stage a live adaptation of another beloved musical: “Grease.” Julianne Hough, Aaron Tveit and Vanessa Hudgens are slated to star in that production.
