Aahana Swrup
Hulu’s ‘All’s Fair’ sports a powerhouse of an ensemble cast as it transports the viewers into a world of prenups and couture power suits. The central narrative revolves around three lawyers, Allura Grant, Liberty Ronson, and Emerald Greene, who are blazing a path of their own as an all-female firm that specializes in representing female clientele during divorce proceedings. While their client list, which changes with every episode, remains captivating on its own, there’s no shortage of drama to be found in their personal lives. For instance, Allura’s marriage with football player, Chase Monroe, seems to be headed toward a messy end, in the wake of the latter’s multiple extramarital affairs. One of these affairs involves Maria Coulatis, a transgender ex-sex worker, who decides to stick by Chase for a quid pro quo arrangement. Maria’s character adds an exciting turn to Allura’s divorce storyline, bringing an inevitable intrigue to her actress, Hari Nef.
Hari Nef is Transgender Model, Actress, and Writer
Hari Nef, a transgender woman, started out in the entertainment industry as a model. Although the artist always felt like she was a woman, she only began expressing this interest in her feminine identity in her teenage years. Initially, this brought on some complications from her peers and her mother. However, instead of intolerant bigotry, their concerns came from a place of well-intentioned worry. Regardless, Nef remained steadfast in her self-expression. Her official transition journey started after high school when she moved to New York to attend Columbia University in pursuit of a degree in theater. During her graduation in 2015, she got scouted by IMG (International Management Group), a global media agency.
In a conversation with Vogue in 2015, Nef spoke about her experience as the first transgender model to be signed with the company. She said, “I could have hid in Boston and lived at home for three years, gone through my transition, taken voice lessons to make my voice more feminine, gotten gender reassignment surgery, and spent time to complete my transition before I made my debut in fashion or film, but I didn’t want to wait! I wanted to be in the world.” Once Nef began her journey as a model, appearing on various magazine covers, runways, and more, other opportunities knocked on her door. She made her debut as an actress with ‘Transparent,’ wherein she plays the role of Gittel in season 2.
Nef’s exceptional performance as Gittel earned her a SAG Award nomination in 2016. Over the years, she has continued to star in memorable projects, including the Netflix show ‘You,’ the 2023 show ‘The Idol,’ and Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie.’ Additionally, she also works as a writer, with profiles, writing credits on series, as well as an advice and experience column in the Adult magazine. Notably, Nef deems her professional career and image key political expressions alongside expressions of her artistry. Over the years, she has advocated for transgender rights and the dangers of society’s obsession with gender constructs. She spoke about the same in a 2015 talk ‘Free the Femme: The Aesthetics of Survival.” Nef said, “It’s time for the aesthetics of upwardly mobile feminist respectability to make room for the aesthetics of survival, particularly trans survival.” With her role as Maria Coulatis in ‘All’s Fair,’ the actress continues to build upon her artistry. Simultaneously, she makes sure to shine a spotlight on transgender voices and stories.
Read More: Is All’s Fair a True Story? Is Allura Grant Based on a Real Lawyer?
