Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Knew She Was Going to Make It Long Before Hollywood Did

Long before Michaela Jaé Rodriguez earned an Emmy nomination and became the first trans actor to win a Golden Globe for her lead role in Pose, she knew she was destined to make it as a performer.

"Never worried about not making it ever. I always had the mindset of, like, achieving what I wanted to achieve," Rodriguez says on the latest episode of "Nice Talk". The conversation was recorded in September when the actor and singer joined editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike on stage at Marie Claire's Power Play summit in Philadelphia.

Rodriguez attended a performing arts high school and later studied at Berklee College of Music, where she says taking business courses alongside her music studies helped her better understand the entertainment industry.

"[They] made me more aware how the mechanism of the machine worked, so that when I went in, I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do and how I was going to move collectively in it," the 34-year-old says.

But beyond her training, Rodriguez credits her confidence and drive to her mother.

"I always go back to my mother, because she was always the person to achieve what she wanted to achieve. And she never stopped," the American Horror Story star says. "She was literally the vision that pushed me forward ... And I don't see it any other way, either. I'm gonna keep going."

And while she’s undeniably self-assured, Rodriguez admits that before landing her breakout role on Pose, there was a moment when doubt crept in. During a period when she was “auditioning like crazy” and feeling discouraged about her career, it was her mom who offered the words she needed most.

"I remember going into my mom's room with my stepdad, and I was just like, 'I'm giving up. I'm just gonna go and live my regular life, and I'm gonna get a nine-to-five, and we are gonna be okay, and we are gonna be alright'. And my mom said, 'I just don't see that for you. I see it. Something's right around the corner.' After my mom said that, literally, two days afterwards, I saw a breakdown and it was Pose."

Now, Rodriguez is continuing to push forward. She's woking on a new EP—her last album, 33, was released in 2024—and she's starring in the comedy series Loot alongside Maya Rudolph. The third season premieres on Oct. 15.

"The whole cast, we are fools," Rodriguez says. "We have so much fun on that set. It's a dream."

For more from Rodriguez—including how she felt about winning her Golden Globe and the celebrity whose closet she'd love to raid—check out this week’s installment of Nice Talk. The episode is available everywhere you listen to podcasts.