First Look At Laverne Cox As Dr. Frank-N-Furter In TV’s New Rocky Horror Picture Show

Laverne Cox is certainly rocking a different look here, swapping the Orange Is The New Black prison clothes for the fishnets and leather of Fox’s new take on The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Although some have been nervous about the transsexual Cox playing the ‘sweet transvestite’, and whether it would underline trans prejudices, it seems they’re going for a less sexually ambiguous look than Tim Curry in the 1970s film.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show follows sweethearts Janet (Victoria Justice) and Brad (Ryan McCartan), who stumble upon Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s (Laverne Cox) bizarre abode. Frank-N-Furter, a sexually ambiguous, flirtatious alien mad-scientist – with the help of his faithful servants, Riff Raff (Reeve Carney) and Magenta – is holding an annual, Transylvanian science convention to showcase the birth of “Rocky Horror” (Staz Nair) – a fit, attractive man created solely to fulfill Frank’s desires.

Executive-produced by Lou Adler (Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee), Gail Berman (TV, film and Broadway producer) and Kenny Ortega (“High School Musical” franchise, “This Is It,” “Descendants,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Newsies”), The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a reimagining of the cult classic, which is celebrating 40 years of theatrical distribution – longer than any other film in history. One of the most popular films of all time, it still plays in movie theaters around the world.’

Unlike some other recent TV event musicals, this one won’t be broadcast live. Instead it’ll be a TV movie take on the classic Richard O’Brien show, which is due to air this autumn, having recently been filming in the US south.