It wasn’t Hollywood that called Marval Rex to Los Angeles. He moved from New York City in 2015 to pursue a graduate degree in the arts at USC.
He lived in South Central at the time and began to connect with nearby artists and their communities — attending “scrappy” underground art shows, live performances and consuming video art.
“I was immediately inspired by the energy,” he said.
That’s when his journey would start as a “chameleon” of entertainment and the arts in the city, wearing different hats as a curator, artist, actor, astrologer and comedian.
His first solo comedy show, “REXODUS: Out Of The Closet Into The Tribe,” which is showing at The Elysian on Oct. 16 and 25, is his autobiography that weaves intersections of faith, identity and gender as he chronicles his transformation as a “Catholic schoolgirl” to a proud transmasculine Jewish man.
LA’s neighborhoods’ impact on Rex
Living in South Central and connecting with artists there allowed Rex to experience L.A.’s non-Hollywood culture. In 2018, he began to curate exhibitions in East L.A. and Lincoln Heights, which had their own vibes.
“There was a freedom, and it's different than cities like New York, where there's like an expectation of… what art is,” Rex said. “L.A. because it's so big and every neighborhood is so specific, you have these moments that I don't know if they could happen anywhere else.”
He gives a nod to specific Southern California cultures in neighborhoods — hip hop music, Latinidad, immigrant experiences, the density of the area, and other distinct features.
For Rex, the embrace of L.A.’s diverse cultures was special to be in. As a first-generation Catalan American, he said he wasn’t raised “American” and often associated with other folks who had similar experiences.
“The art world is still super white and male,” he said. “And I was like, ‘How do (I) create inroads as a trans person?’ I'm different. I am unique and I relate to other people who are not the ‘mainstream.’”
Rex has worked with L.A.-based artists San Cha, Rafa Esparza, Cade Moga, and many folks who might’ve “just popped up into scenes,” he said. The exchange between artists and folks behind the scenes created a community for queer and other traditionally marginalized people, which was intentional for him. He felt joy building bridges between folks.
“I love when I see different communities in L.A. start to merge or share space,” Rex said. “It really is like a kink for me. I'm like, ‘Oh, this is so exciting.’”
Being an out transmasculine actor
After wearing the artist and curator hats for some time, he said he became an actor by accident.
Someone who saw his live art performances suggested taking the professional acting route, which he acknowledged pays more. Rex landed his first feature film at the beginning of 2020, then the world slowed down.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes in 2023 slowed work for everybody in the industry, and many — including Rex — are still seeing that. Last year, there were 20% fewer TV and film projects executed in the greater L.A. region compared to 2022, according to an LA Film study.
New acting roles have been scarce, and if you splice that into LGBTQ jobs it’s even less.
As studios announce layoffs, diversity, equity and inclusion departments are being slashed, which were often the drivers of trans, LGBTQ, queer-affirming storytelling, according to journalist, author — and my good friend — Tre’vell Anderson.
Model and actor Laith Ashley, who’s been in major modeling campaigns since 2016 and starred in Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze” music video, has spoken out about how hard it is to break through the mainstream even with huge opportunities like working with Swift.
“It feels like I’ve constantly [had] to push to say, ‘Hey, I’m here and I’ve been here,’” Ashley told LOGO TV host Johnny Sibilly last year.
Anderson also nods to the political climate that has spurred anti-trans legislation across the country; at least 45 laws have been enacted targeting that community.
Still, some trans folks are making sure their representation exists. Anderson highlights the career of Brian Michael Smith, who chose to become more visible as an out trans actor after working in Hollywood for years. He’s a star on FOX’s 911: Lone Star series and in 2021 was featured on People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” list — the first for a transmasculine person.
“We're in a beautiful moment where we're seeing a lot more transmasculine people be able to carve out spaces for themselves in the mainstream, whether that is a Brian Michael’s story, whether that is Marval, whether that is Elliot Page,” Anderson said.
Rex continues to be vocal about his part (and his fellow transmasculine actors) in the industry, regardless of the current state.
“We are ready for roles regardless of whether they're cis or trans, trans men are ready for roles where our Identity is not the main focus,” he said.
A bridge for trans folks
But for his one-hour comedy show, “REXODUS,” he’s opening up a conversation about his trans identity and his spirituality with the audience. Comedy, he said, is a revolution. His show is the culmination, or an extension, of all his art curation, live performance and acting work. He’s the main character and sole focus for the act — something that is foreign to him as a community builder.
“I get to reflect through humor, and then invite people in on the joke,” Rex said. “Especially because a lot of folks who might come to the show might not have ever met anyone like me, or seen anyone like me on stage.”
