Hunter Schafer is an American model, artist, LGBT activist, and actress, famous for her role as transgender character Jules in the series "Euphoria". Born in a male body, Hunter underwent a transgender transition during her school years and now prefers to be referred to as "she/her".
Model and actress Hunter Schafer
Childhood
Hunter Schafer was born in 1999 in Trenton, New Jersey, to parents Katy and Mac Schafer, a Presbyterian church pastor. However, most of her childhood was spent in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Hunter is the eldest child in the family: she has two younger sisters and a brother. She describes her family as "very open".
Hunter Schafer (right) with her sisters and brother
Hunter Schafer is a transgender woman; she was born in a male body. Her realization of her own gender identity began in middle school - a period in her life that Hunter describes as the most difficult.
Hunter Schafer was a boy in her childhood
To deal with this tough period, Schafer needed a psychotherapist. However, she strongly disliked that she had to convince the doctor of the necessity of taking hormone drugs. "It's just madness when some doctor determines your identity, while you've known the truth about yourself for many years," Hunter exclaims.
She couldn't expect much help or understanding from her classmates, so Hunter sought solace on the internet. On YouTube and social media, Schafer found like-minded people – and life became much easier. Their support helped Hunter understand that the fight for her rights was not meaningless.
Hunter Schafer with her parents
For example, in high school, she passionately spoke out against the so-called "bathroom bill", which implies restricting the rights of trans people to use public restrooms, changing rooms, and other gender-separated facilities. Under Barack Obama, trans individuals in all states were given the right to choose which restroom to use - male or female. In 2017, Donald Trump allowed states to independently determine "bathroom policy", after which several conservative states required transsexuals to choose a stall according to their passport data.
Nowadays, Hunter more often states that she is genderqueer - a person who embodies the entire spectrum of gender identities, both exclusively male and female. "I've abandoned the idea that I need to choose one thing and just allowed myself to live," Hunter shared.
Modeling Career
Art has always been Hunter's main passion. As a child, Schafer used to sketch clothes, and as a teenager, she began sharing her projects on social media. Her posts caught the attention of Tavi Gevinson, the creator of the fashion website Style Rookie. Soon, Hunter's drawings and photos were featured on the fashion blog, and she felt the warmth of the first rays of fame.
Hunter Schafer has loved art since childhood
In 2017, Hunter graduated from the School of the Arts at the University of North Carolina; in her final years, the school's photographer suggested that the unique girl approach a modeling agency. Schafer followed his advice and it paid off: she was offered a contract with Elite Models, a legendary modeling agency that has introduced the world to Cindy Crawford, Gisele Bündchen and Alessandra Ambrosio. With her first paycheck, Hunter bought tickets to New York to continue her career in the fashion capital of the USA.
Hunter Schafer | Runway Collection
People quickly noticed Schafer's unique beauty. The buzz around her name only boosted her popularity. And now, Hunter is gracing the runway at New York and London Fashion Weeks and in the spreads of ASOS and Vogue Japan. Collaborations with the brand Tommy Hilfiger and leading fashion designers Rick Owens and Marc Jacobs have brought her absolute success.
Hunter's achievements in the modeling business have earned her a prestigious spot on Teen Vogue's "21 under 21" list, and soon she had the chance to participate in an interview with the former senator and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Hunter Schafer at a meeting with Hillary Clinton
Acting Career
Hunter originally planned to enroll at Central Saint Martins in London, but fate presented her with a significant project that catapulted her to worldwide fame. Schafer landed one of the main roles in the series "Euphoria," which premiered on June 16, 2019.
Euphoria: Hunter Schafer on Jules Vaughn
The teenage drama revolves around a girl named Rue (Zendaya), who tries to overcome drug addiction with the support of her new friend Jules - played by Hunter.
The creators of the series didn't want to repeat the mistakes of the creators of the movie "Rub & Tug," who cast Scarlett Johansson as a transgender character. This decision caused outrage in the LGBT community. "It would be fair if a transgender person played a transgender character," were the accusations directed at the casting directors. Therefore, the creators of "Euphoria" set a condition - the actress playing Jules had to be transgender herself.
Hunter Schafer played a transgender character in 'Euphoria'
Friends rushed to tell her about the upcoming casting, but initially, she wasn't interested in the project. However, later, at the insistence of her agents, she attended the casting that would determine her fate. The actress' mother insisted that Hunter gain acting experience. She wasn't taken aback by the erotic scenes in the script: "What's the difference, it's art!".
Hunter's character is a transgender girl trying to find her place in life. She is a newcomer in town and tries to start fresh, quickly making a new friend in Rue.
Hunter Schafer as Jules
Hunter herself and the producers tried to incorporate the actress's complex story into the script to help Schafer fully immerse herself in the role. On set, Schafer met such talented young actors as Barbie Ferreira, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Maude Apatow, and others.
In July 2019, it was announced that the second season of "Euphoria" was in production. Hunter Schafer also returned for the sequel, having risen to stardom after the release of the first episodes.
Hunter Schafer's height is 5ft 10
The second season of "Euphoria" was released in 2022 and was renewed for a third season, expected to premiere in 2025.
Personal Life of Hunter Schafer
In real life, Hunter Schafer is primarily interested in men. In January 2018, she confessed on Instagram, "My gender identity has been greatly influenced by the need to be with men". However, in the summer of 2019, the actress admitted that she has been dating another trans woman, model Massy Dee (short for her pseudonym Massima Desire, which means "maximum desire"). They broke up in 2022.
Hunter Schafer and Massy Dee
For about a year and a half (from February 2022 to June 2023), Hunter was dating another "Euphoria" actor, Dominic Fike.
Hunter Schafer and Dominic Fike
Schafer is a member of the Arts Not Parts community. The organization releases posters calling for the fight against transphobia in public bathrooms and similar places. Nevertheless, in an interview with The New York Times, Schafer admitted that she does not consider herself a real activist. "When I think of activists, I envision serious organizers who work directly with community members and care for them every day. I don't think that's about me just because I sometimes speak publicly about my personality."
Hunter Schafer Now
In 2023, Hunter appeared in the prequel to "The Hunger Games". In the dystopian blockbuster "The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", she portrayed Tigris Snow, the cousin of future President Coriolanus Snow.
Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow
Additionally, Hunter will be involved in the development of Hideo Kojima's new game, OD. Additionally, she directed several music videos, such as Girl in Red's "Hornylovesickmess" and ANOHNI and the Johnsons' "Why Am I Alive Now?"
