You’ve probably seen her. Maybe it was her sharp-tongued timing as Lexi in the Saved by the Bell reboot, or perhaps you remember her from way back on Disney’s Jessie. Either way, the question is Josie Totah trans is one of those things people search for a lot, usually because they remember her earlier career and notice how much has changed.
The short answer? Yes.
But the "how" and the "when" are a lot more personal than just a Wikipedia headline. She didn't just wake up one day and decide to change her name for the sake of it. Honestly, it was a years-long process of feeling like she was being squeezed into a box that didn't fit.
The Time Magazine Moment That Changed Everything
In August 2018, Josie Totah wrote a piece for Time magazine. She was 17 at the time. It wasn't just a "coming out" post; it was a manifesto. Before that, the industry and the public knew her as J.J. Totah.
She was often cast as the "sassy gay boy." Reporters would ask her how it felt to be a young gay man in Hollywood. She’d go along with it because it was easier than explaining the truth when she wasn't ready. She even mentioned in that essay that she felt like she "owed" it to people to be that person.
But it wasn't her.
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"My pronouns are she, her and hers. I identify as female, specifically as a transgender female. And my name is Josie Totah," she wrote. That was the moment the world caught up to who she had always been.
A realization at fourteen
Interestingly, it wasn't a sudden epiphany. Josie has shared that she told her mom she wanted to be a girl as soon as she could speak in full sentences. She’d ask for dresses when she was five.
The "crystallization," as she calls it, happened when she was 14. She was sitting on the couch with her mom, watching the TLC docuseries I Am Jazz, which follows the life of Jazz Jennings. Seeing another trans girl going through medical transition made something click.
She looked at her mom and said, "This is me. I’m transgender. And I need to go through this."
Her mom’s response? "Okay, let’s do it."
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Three days later, they were at the pediatrician. Shortly after, she was on hormone blockers. This is a huge detail because it explains why her transition felt so seamless to the public—she was already taking steps privately while the rest of us were still watching her on Champions.
Transitioning in the Public Eye
The transition wasn't just about hormones or name changes. It was about her career. For a long time, Josie had a massive fear of male puberty. She dreaded waking up and finding hair on her face or hearing her voice drop. Those are "impossible to reverse" changes that would have fundamentally altered her ability to play the roles she wanted.
When she finally came out publicly, she was headed off to Chapman University. She wanted a "clean slate."
Career shifts after coming out
A lot of child actors disappear after they come out or transition. Josie did the opposite. She leaned in.
- Saved by the Bell (2020): She didn't just act in this; she was a producer. She played Lexi, the most popular girl at Bayside High. The cool part? Lexi is trans, but the show doesn't make it her only personality trait. She’s just a mean-girl cheerleader who happens to be trans.
- Big Mouth: She took over the role of Natalie, a trans character, in season 4.
- The Buccaneers: More recently, she’s been starring in this Apple TV+ period drama.
She’s been very vocal about the fact that she doesn't only want to play "trans roles." She told People in early 2024 that she "follows the story." If a character is cisgender and the story is great, she’s down. If the character is trans and it’s written with nuance, she’s down for that too.
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Why Visibility Matters to Her Now
Look, being "the trans girl" in Hollywood is scary. Josie has admitted that. There’s a lot of vitriol out there, especially in the current political climate. But she also knows she has a level of privilege most trans kids don't.
She has the money for healthcare. She has a supportive family. She lives in a place where she can be herself.
She co-hosts a podcast called Dare We Say where she talks about this stuff—privilege, hookup culture, and the "grave importance" of being visible. She’s essentially decided that if she has to be a public figure, she might as well be on the front lines.
Moving Forward with Josie Totah
If you're looking for the "takeaway" here, it's basically that Josie Totah isn't a "new" person. She’s the same actor who stole scenes in Other People and Glee, just without the mask.
She’s now a graduate of Chapman University, a producer, and a vocal advocate for the Human Rights Campaign. She’s proven that transitioning doesn't have to be the end of a career; it can be the actual beginning of it.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch her work: If you want to see how she’s navigated her career post-transition, check out The Buccaneers on Apple TV+ or the Saved by the Bell revival on Peacock.
- Read the source: Go back and read her original 2018 Time essay. It’s a masterclass in self-advocacy.
- Support the cause: Josie frequently mentions the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as a primary resource for LGBTQ+ rights if you're looking to get involved or donate.