Tommy Dorfman | |
|---|---|
 Dorfman in 2022 | |
| Born | May 13, 1992 |
| Education | Fordham University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Spouse | Peter Zurkuhlen (m. 2016;div. 2022) |
| Relatives | Andi Dorfman (cousin) |
Tommy Dorfman (born May 13, 1992) [1] is an American actress, best known for playing Ryan Shaver in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (2017). [2]
Dorfman was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia to a Jewish family. [3] [4] Her cousin is Andi Dorfman, a former contestant on The Bachelorette . Dorfman graduated from Fordham University's drama program in 2015 with a B.A. in theatre arts. [5] [3]
After graduating from university, Dorfman was cast in the role of Ryan Shaver on the Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why , which premiered in 2017. [6] Also that year, she helped design a fashion collection with ASOS, [7] and in October was honored with the Rising Star Award by GLAAD. [5]
In the spring of 2019, Dorfman made her New York theatrical debut in The New Group's production of Jeremy O. Harris' play Daddy, directed by Danya Taymor.
Dorfman is queer. [8] Dorfman and Peter Zurkuhlen became engaged in April 2015 and married in Portland, Maine on November 12, 2016. [9] In July 2021, Dorfman revealed she and Zurkuhlen had divorced but remain friends. [10]
In November 2017, Dorfman came out as non-binary and began using they pronouns. [11] On July 22, 2021, Dorfman came out as a transgender woman and began using she pronouns. [10] She revealed in an interview that she had already been "privately identifying and living as a woman" for almost a year. [10] [12] She chose to retain her birth name of Tommy, to which she feels "very connected" and which honors her mother's brother who died when Dorfman was a month old. [10] In April 2022, Dorfman identified as a lesbian. [13]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Foreign Exchange | Student | Short film |
| 2013 | In My Skin | Julian | Short film |
| 2016 | i-Witness | Rob Jr. | Episode: "The Smith Sisters" |
| 2017–2018; 2020 | 13 Reasons Why | Ryan Shaver | Recurring (seasons 1–2) Guest (season 4); 18 episodes |
| 2019 | Jane the Virgin [14] | Bobby | Recurring role |
| American Princess | Nick | Recurring role | |
| Fluidity | Daniel | ||
| Insatiable | Jonathan | 2 episodes | |
| 2020 | Love, Victor | Justin | Episode: "Boys' Trip" |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Guest judge | Episode: "Snatch Game of Love" | |
| Love in the Time of Corona | Oscar [15] | Main role | |
| 2021 | The Shuroo Process | Mark | |
| 2022 | Sharp Stick | Tali | |
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The depiction of LGBTQ characters in Western animated series in the 2000s changed significantly from the previous decade. This included series such as Queer Duck, the first animated TV series with homosexuality as a predominant theme, The Boondocks, American Dad, bro'Town, W.I.T.C.H., The Venture Bros., Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World, Moral Orel, Lizzy the Lezzy, and many others would include LGBTQ characters.
The depiction of LGBTQ characters in animated series in the 2010s changed significantly from the previous decade; especially in Western animation. This included Rebecca Sugar's Steven Universe which aired on Cartoon Network and praised for going "above and beyond when it comes to inclusive storytelling" The 2010s also brought with it shows such as Adventure Time, The Legend of Korra, BoJack Horseman, OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, Amphibia, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and The Bravest Knight, among others, all of which had strong LGBTQ characters. Representation of LGBTQ characters would only continue to grow in the 2020s.
Netflix has contributed substantially to LGBTQ representation in animation. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual and transgender characters have appeared in various animated series, and some animated films, on the streaming platform. GLAAD described Netflix as a company taking "impressive strides in viewership and impact," when it came to LGBTQ representation. Scholars have stated that LGBTQ characters on streaming services, such as Netflix, "made more displays of affection" than on broadcast networks.
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I love him so much, but we've been learning that as a trans woman, what I'm interested in is not necessarily reflected in a gay man. So we've had incredible conversations to redefine our relationship as friends.
"Growing up, I hated the idea that clothing was gendered. I identify as non-binary," she reveals.
Media related to Tommy Dorfman at Wikimedia Commons