Laverne Cox reveals Frank-N-Furter’s new look for Rocky Horror remake

The first photo has been released of Laverne Cox as Frank-N-Furter.

The Orange is the New Black star, who is transgender, has signed on to play Dr Frank-N-Furter in the upcoming remake – a role that is traditionally played by a cross-dressing man.

Cox will put a new spin on the new self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania”, revamping the role for the modern age.

Ahead of the remake’s release this summer, the first picture of the actress in the role has been released in Entertainment Weekly.

Speaking to EW, she said: “I get tweets from people, ‘Please don’t fuck up Rocky Horror Picture Show!’.

“I showed my brother pictures of me in character and he was like, ‘You were preparing your whole life for this’.”

She added “We were on set and a reporter saw me and said I looked like the love child of Grace Jones and David Bowie. I said ‘That’s exactly right.’ I think we mix up the look more than they did in the original.

“It’s inspired by the original but it’s really our own take. It’s way more elaborate and couture. [Director] Kenny Ortega had this vision that Frank was at this old theater and found these old burlesque costumes and is, like, using them and wearing them now but has altered them a bit.”

Queen singer Adam Lambertpreviously explained why he turned down the role and recommended it go to Cox.

Speaking to Idolator, he said: “I kind of felt like in 2016, to be cis and playing the role of a trans character, it felt inappropriate to me. In the ’70s, it was different.

“But nowadays we have such an amazing conversation that’s started about trans and gender in this world. I think casting Laverne [Cox] was so brilliant. It’s so appropriate, you know what I mean?

“And to re-imagine [the character], as well, because she’s entirely different.

“So I said no, but when they started announcing the cast, I said, ’Wait a minute — what about Eddie? I wanna play Eddie! I could do that — that’s like one song. Let me just come in and do a bit part!’ – because I really, really wanted to be a part of it.

“I’m a big fan of the original movie, and [director] Kenny Ortega’s a lovely guy. And then I heard that Cisco Adler was producing the music and thought, oh, this is gonna be good.

“So, I went in and I recorded my songs already. I did my vocals, and they turned out really cool. Now I’m going in for a week in April, in Toronto, to film.”

He added of turning down the role: “You know, I thought to myself, my friends that are trans — how are they going to feel about casting a non-trans person saying, ‘I’m a sweet transvestite from transexual Transylvania?’ It’s dicey.

“I think they made a really bold, refreshing choice on that. It’s very forward-thinking and it feels very right now, which is going to make this remake really interesting.”

Rocky Horror creator Richard O’Brien –who wrote the original musical and screenplay – has spoken about how his gender identity influenced the show previously, saying: “I believe myself probably to be about 70% male, 30% female.”

However, he stirred controversy recently by suggesting that trans women can never truly be women.

Rocky Horror creator Richard O’Brien has caused controversy by speaking out against transgender women.

The veteran actor is best known as the presenter of gameshow The Crystal Maze, and for creating The Rocky Horror Picture Show – as well as originating the role of Riff-Raff.

The 73-year-old has previously spoken about his own fluid gender identity, labelling himself the “third sex” and explaining: “I believe myself probably to be about 70% male, 30% female”, adding he “ticks the ‘M’ box” for gender but “would quite like to have Other to tick.”