Meet Victoria Bazúa: the talented trans newcomer playing Eva Longoria’s daughter in Land of Women

Victoria Bazúa may be new to acting, but she’s already making waves in brand-new TV show Land of Women.

In her first role, the 17-year-old transgender former model plays Kate, the granddaughter of Gala (Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria) in the new Apple TV+ series.

The show follows three generations of women facing unexpected challenges, which bring them together. 

Gala, Kate and Gala’s mother Julia (Carmen Maura) all flee to a wine town in northern Spain when their lives are turned upside down by Gala’s husband’s illegal financial deals and multi-million-dollar debt.

Kate, a trans lesbian often at odds with her mother, wrestles with the absence of her father and being apart from her girlfriend Maggie (Layna Sheppard). 

As Gala gets ready for the grand opening of her wine store, she is approached by a pair of thugs who let her know that unless this debt is repaid in very short order, her daughter and mother are as good as dead. The plot unfolds – and thickens – from there.

Who do we know about Victoria Bazúa?

Bazúa, like her character, is a trans teenager.

“I hope viewers take in that the trans community and trans people are human beings,” Bazúa said in an interview. “We deserve to be respected and treated with love. We’re just normal people living normal lives, our gender identity is just one per cent of who we are.”

And her Land of Women character’s identity is not just reduced to being a trans figure in the show. “She’s an artist, she’s a teenager, she’s a granddaughter,” the actress added.

When her casting was announced, Bazúa shared her excitement on Instagram, saying: “I can’t describe how happy and grateful I am to be part of this amazing cast. A dream come true. Thank you to everyone who made this possible and supported me all along.”

What more do we know about the plot of Land of Women?

The six-part romantic family comedy promises all sorts of twists and turns. The family’s secrets are quickly unravelled as gossip in the town quickly spreads, the show’s synopsis says.

As the the story continues, Gala undergoes a transformation in the summer sun while dealing with people after her family’s money. Meanwhile, Kate grows particularly close to a local female mechanic who dulls the pain of missing Maggie. 

The Guardian gave the show three stars, and highlighted Bazúa “doing well in her screen debut”.

Calling Bazúa a “gifted newcomer”, the Los Angeles Times said: “Its fairytale, feel-good elements are naturalistically framed, which makes it enchanting on the one hand and genuinely moving on the other, and keeps it from corniness. Even when it’s predictable, it isn’t obvious.”

The first two episodes of Land of Women are available to stream on Apple TV+ now.