Wild Wanderer

Known for slaying ballrooms with grace and style, trans actress Leyna Bloom readies for her big-screen debut

- Raquel Willis

When Leyna Bloom walked the 25th annual Latex Ball, one of the most anticipated fashion and dance competitions among transgender women and gay men in New York City, the crowd went wild. Wearing a sexy little sculptural number embellished with faux foliage, she was greeted by shouts of “Miyake!” and “Mugler!”—a nod to her newly minted status as “mother” of the house named for iconic designers​ Issey Miyake and Thierry Mugler.

“Ballroom hadn’t seen her in five years,” recalls Yusef Williams, house “father” and celebrity hairstylist. “No one saw her transition. She came back as this beautiful blossomed woman. That was probably one of the most memorable moments in ballroom history because it was her return in a new house. It was a very big deal.”

Indeed, Bloom’s return was much bigger than the trophy she would win for the good face and flair she brought to the stage. During her time away she had matured, become more confident in her talents and started to set her sights on opportunities beyond the balls. Her determination paid off. This year, as lead actress in the Martin Scorsese–produced film Port Authority, Bloom made history as the first trans woman of color to star in a movie that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.