How LA Inspired a Transmasculine Actor to Create His Own Comedy Show

It wasn’t Hollywood that called Marval Rex to Los Angeles. He moved from New York City in 2015 to pursue graduate studies in the arts at USC.

He lived in the Mid-South at the time and began connecting 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.

It was then that his journey would begin as a “chameleon” of entertainment and arts in the city, taking on different roles as a curator, artist, actor, astrologer and comedian.

His first solo comedy show, “REXODUS: Out Of The Closet Into The Tribe,” which will be shown at The Elysian on October 16th and 25th, is his autobiography that weaves intersections of faith, identity and gender as he chronicles his transformation as a “Catholic Student” to a proud transmasculine Jew.

The impact of LA neighborhoods on Rex

Living in the Mid-South and connecting with artists there allowed Rex to experience the non-Hollywood culture of Los Angeles. In 2018, he began curating exhibitions in East LA and Lincoln Heights, which had vibes of their own.

“There was a freedom, and it’s different from cities like New York, where there’s an expectation of… what art is,” Rex said. “LA because it’s so big and each neighborhood is so specific, you have these moments that I don’t know if they could happen anywhere else.”

It nods to the specific cultures of Southern California in the neighborhoods — hip hop music, Latinidad, immigrant experiences, the density of the area, and other distinguishing characteristics.

For Rex, the acceptance of Los Angeles’ diverse cultures was special. As a first-generation Catalan-American, he said he was not raised “American” and often associated with others who had similar experiences.

“The art world is still super white and male,” he said. “And I thought, ‘How do (I) make inroads as a trans person?’ I’m different. I’m unique and I identify with other people who aren’t ‘mainstream’.”

Rex has worked with Los Angeles artists San Cha, Rafa Esparza, Cade Moga and many people who may have “just appeared on the scene,” he said. The exchange between artists and people behind the scenes created a community for queer and other traditionally marginalized people, which was intentional for him. He found joy building bridges between people.

“I love it when I see different communities in Los Angeles starting to merge or share spaces,” said Rex. “It’s really like a twist for me. I’m like, ‘Oh, this is so exciting.'”

Being an Open Transmasculine Actor

After wearing artist and curator hats for some time, he said he became an actor by accident.

Someone who saw his artistic performances live suggested taking the route of professional acting, which he acknowledged paid more. Rex debuted his first feature film in early 2020, then the world slowed down.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood strikes have set back work for everyone in the industry, and many – including Rex – are still seeing it through. Last year, there were 20% fewer TV and film projects executed in the greater Los Angeles region compared to 2022, according to a study by LA Film.

New acting roles have been scarce, and if you break that down into LGBTQ jobs, it’s even fewer.

As studios announce layoffs, diversity, equity and inclusion departments are being downsized, which have often been the drivers of trans, LGBTQ and queer-affirming storytelling, according to the journalist, author — and my good friend — Tre’vell Anderson.

Model and actor Laith Ashley, who has been in major modeling campaigns since 2016 and starred in Taylor Swift’s “Lavender Haze” music video, talked about how difficult it is to break away from the mainstream, even with big opportunities like working with Swift.

“It feels like I constantly (have) 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 this community.

Still, some trans people are making sure their representation exists. Anderson highlights the career of Brian Michael Smith, who chose to become more visible as a trans actor after working for years in Hollywood. He’s a star on FOX 911: Lone Star series and in 2021 was featured on People’s “Sexiest Man in the World” list – the first for a transmasculine person.

“We’re in a beautiful moment where we’re seeing a lot more transmasculine people being able to carve out spaces for themselves in the mainstream, whether it’s Brian Michael’s story, whether it’s Marval’s story, whether it’s Elliot Page’s story,” Anderson said.

Rex continues to speak out about his (and his fellow transmasculine actors’) role in the industry, regardless of its current state.

“We are ready for roles, regardless of whether they are cis or trans, trans men are ready for roles where our identity is not the main focus,” he said.

A bridge for trans people

But for his hour-long comedy show, “REXODUS,” he’s opening up a conversation about his trans identity and his spirituality with audiences. Comedy, he said, is a revolution. His show is the culmination, or an extension, of all his art curation, live performance and acting. He is the main character and the sole focus of the act – something that is foreign to him as a community builder.

“I can reflect through humor and then invite people to join in on the joke,” Rex said. “Especially because a lot of people who might come to the show may have never met someone like me or seen someone like me on stage.”