Caitlyn Jenner to join cast of ‘Transparent’

Two powerful influences in transgender activism are joining forces. Olympian-turned-TV-personality Caitlyn Jenner is joining the cast of Transparent, the Amazon series about a transgender woman and her family.

The union is a “dream come true” for Transparent creator Jill Soloway, who was inspired to create the hit show after her own father came out as transgender. Soloway’s show premiered at a time considered to be a pivotal moment for transgender awareness; Jenner became a part of the movement in 2015 by coming out as transgender in an interview with Diane Sawyer. Since her debut as Caitlyn and the launch of her reality show I Am Cait, Jenner has become the international symbol of a transgender woman. She’s been criticized along the way for how she’s handled that role, but in joining Transparent, she aligns herself with a show that is widely considered to be sensitive and smart about the nuances of characterizing gender issues.

Soloway told the Associated Press that Transparent and I Am Cait are already closely aligned.

“We are all part of the same community. A lot of the trans women who work on our show are also in her show, ‘I Am Cait,’” Soloway said. “Lots of crossover. Lots of friends.”

Jenner will appear in Season 3 of Transparent. Soloway wouldn’t reveal who Jenner’s character will be or how large of a part she will play. There is no set date for the season’s debut.

Soloway and Jenner were together this weekend for the 27th GLAAD Media Awards, which honor individuals and programs that share the stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Transparent added a GLAAD award to its fast-growing list of accolades, including two Golden Globes and five Primetime Emmy Awards in 2015. Critics have praised the show’s ability to illustrate a complex experience long-ignored by mainstream media. Soloway has managed to please fans who are new to the idea of transgender parents just as much as longtime transgender activists. She has a policy of prioritizing the hiring of transgender actors and has already managed to involve high-profile trans actors, including model Hari Nef, and Alexandra Scott Billings, the first openly trans woman to have played a transgender character on television.

Now the show can claim Jenner, a household name whose influence is only growing: I Am Cait is currently in its second season; a Jenner-designed lipstick by MAC Cosmetics will go on sale this month; and a Jenner memoir, co-written by journalist Buzz Bissinger, is scheduled to be published in 2017.