'Pose' Star Drops 'Mj,' Now Known Professionally as Michaela Jaé Rodriguez

"Pose" star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez opened up about the change in her professional name in an interview, explaining where "Mj" came from and why she's now moved past it in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

"People have called me Mj ever since I was a child because I got it from Spider-Man," Rodriguez explained, "but at this point in my life, becoming a grown woman, I need people to see the person that is behind Mj."

That person –�a talented actor who was part of the "Pose" cast, joining a remarkable number of trans professionals who worked on the series in front of and behind the camera – scored an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Blanca, becoming the first out transgender actor to be nominated in the category of Best Actress in a Drama Series.

Now Rodriguez is ready for new challenges, having signed to start in a comedy for Apple TV+. THR noted that Rodriguez will "star opposite Maya Rudolph" in the new show.

"It's time to get to know me as an artist," Rodriguez went on to add. She has plenty of work by which her fans can become familiar with her wide-ranging capabilities: THR took note of her slate of projects, including a role in the upcoming Lin-Manuel Miranda big screen adaptation of Jonathan Larson's "tick, tick... BOOM!," as well as having recently released a new single, "Say Something."

In the midst of all that, Rodriguez has also been "named Advocate's Person of the Year" and "posed for the mag's cover and is also featured on the cover of the new issue of Latina."