How Laverne Cox Landed a Cameo in Elizabeth Banks’ ‘Charlie’s Angels’

Angelique Jackson

Click here to read the full article.

Laverne Cox officially earned her wings, scoring a role in Sony’s “Charlie’s Angels.” But she revealed her cameo almost didn’t happen.

When the Emmy-nominee heard that Elizabeth Banks was directing the film, the longtime fan of the franchise (and of Banks herself) reached out about being part of the project. Cox had previously worked with Banks on two pilots.

More from Variety

“I emailed Elizabeth and I’m like, ‘If you need me for anything in ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ I’m here for you,” Cox told Variety at the film’s premiere in Los Angeles. “She [replied], ‘Your ears must be burning ’cause we were just talking about you for something.’”

An excited Cox alerted her team and waited for word she’d be joining the “Angels” on set. Cue crickets.

“I run into [Banks] in December of last year, and she’s like ‘We just wrapped and it was so intense’ and I was like, ‘Oh great…[mumbles] like where was my call?’” Cox continued, saying that at that point, she’d accepted she wouldn’t be part of the new film. “I was like, ‘It’s not for me, it’s fine.’”

Fortunately, Cox didn’t waste time being too disappointed. “Six months later I get an email, [saying] ‘Are you in town next week? Can you come and shoot like a little cameo?’ And I said, ‘I’m in town, let’s do it,’” she recalled

After a “really quick and amazing” shoot, Cox is ultimately credited as “bomb-instructor” in the film, which stars Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska as the new trio of super spies.

“It just means so much to me. Dreams do come true,” Cox gushed. “I always think about the kid maybe like 9 years old watching ‘Charlie’s Angels’ in Alabama in like the late seventies…The hair flip in the like opening sequence — I wanted to be Jaclyn Smith and I was obsessed. And then the Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore movies came out and I was obsessed. And now I get to like be — just a little moment — but be in it.”

And Cox has nothing but praise for “incredible human” Banks. “She is a full on boss. She wrote, directed, produced and starred in this. Girl, I’m just exhausted saying it!”

Of the updated (and notably diverse) world the director created for this version of the “Angels,” Cox added, “It is such a feminist movie without being didactic, without hitting you over the head. It’s just telling the stories of these amazing women, and what they deal with, and they kick ass.”

And Cox’s isn’t the only cameo in the latest edition of the franchise. The film boasts surprise appearances by Hailee Steinfeld, Lili Reinhart, Aly Raisman, Chloe Kim, Ronda Rousey, Danica Patrick, Michael Strahan and original angel Jaclyn Smith.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.