Charmed reboot casts trans actor Mareya Salazar in magical new role
Trans actor Mareya Salazar has been cast for the third season of Charmed. (The CW)
Charmed has added a new trans cast member, actor Mareya Salazar, who will star in the third season of the series’ reboot.
Salazar, who has Canadian and Venezuelan heritage, will join the magical CW series midway through season three, which began in January this year.
She will play the recurring character of Joséfina, second cousin of the Charmed Ones, according to Deadline.
She will first appear in season three’s ninth episode, titled “No Hablo Brujeria”, on 11 April.
Her character is described as opinionated and strong, and will show up unannounced on the witches’ doorstep with secrets and a personal mission.
Salazar’s role in Charmed, announced on Trans Day of Visibility, marks her first TV part, having recently starred in the Dutch film Verliefd Op Cuba.
According to IMDb, the trans actor was raised in a Jehovah’s Witness family, but has since left the religion to “live her life as her authentic self”.
Mareya Salazar is the second trans actor to be cast in the Charmed reboot
Mareya Salazar is the second trans actor to be cast in the reboot of Charmed, after JJ Hawkins was cast in a recurring role as a transgender student last year.
Hawkins was cast as the character Kevin, a transgender college student who “inspires one of the Charmed Ones to take on a very formidable opponent”.
The actor, who uses he/him and they/them pronouns, was also raised in a mostly anti-LGBT+ religion like Salazar.
Speaking about growing up queer and Mormon, he told Out: “People get put into one box but it’s exciting that the Mormon box is getting expanded.
“There are people who grew up and believe in this religion and not be one thing.
“One can be queer and grow up and have these conflicting feelings… it was and still is exceptionally difficult.”
