A Bronx native, Indya Moore is of Haitian, Puerto Rican, and Dominican ancestry. At the age of 14, they left their parents' home due to their parents' transphobia, and entered into foster care. They moved around frequently during this time, eventually living in all five boroughs of New York City. After being frequently bullied, Moore dropped out of high school during their sophomore year. They began working as a model at the age of 15, and eventually earned their General Equivalency Diploma.
Career
Early work
Moore became a model at the age of 15, and began working shoots for Dior and Gucci, despite the fashion industry's initial treatment of them as a risky choice. Although Moore was booking modeling gigs, they became increasingly disenchanted with the fashion industry and its emphasis on body image. Moore met legendary dancer and ballroom veteran Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza while doing background for the television series The Get Down. He encouraged them to pursue acting and sent Moore to an audition for the independent film Saturday Church. Moore landed the role of Dijon, and the film was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. The Hollywood Reporter called it "sweet and soulful". The film was later released on January 12, 2018 by Samuel Goldwyn Films. In early 2017, Moore walked in New York Fashion Week and was photographed for Vogue España. That year, Moore appeared in Katy Perry’s music video for the single “Swish Swish”, and performed live with Perry on the May 20, 2017 episode of Saturday Night Live, where they were credited as a member of the House of Xtravaganza.
In late 2017, Moore was cast in Pose, Ryan Murphy's FX television series about New York City ball culture in the late 1980s. Moore portrays Angel Evangelista, a transgender sex worker who joins the House of Evangelista after leaving the House of Abundance with her friend Blanca. While working at the piers, she meets Stan, a yuppie played by Evan Peters, and becomes his mistress. The series premiered on June 3, 2018, and attracted critical acclaim. The first season boasted the largest cast of transgender actors ever for a scripted network series with over 50 transgender characters. On July 12, 2018, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a second season, which premiered on June 11, 2019.
Present projects
In 2018, Moore signed a contract with IMG Models and William Morris Endeavor. Moore was WME's first signed contract with a trans actor. Moore also started the production company Beetlefruit Media, which provides a platform for stories about disenfranchised groups. Moore has appeared in J.View's 2017 "Don't Pull Away" music video, and in Blood Orange's 2018 "Saint" video. In May 2019, Moore became the first transgender person to be featured on the cover of the U.S. version of Elle magazine. In December 2019, Moore debuted as the voice of Shep on the animated limited series Steven Universe Future. The character is also non-binary.
Upcoming projects
Moore will appear in the upcoming horror television series, Magic Hour, a gender-bending recreation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, directed by Che Grayson and filmed in Tokyo, on which they also serve as an executive producer. Moore is set to appear in the short filmSpot. Moore has been cast in the sequel to the 2019 psychological thriller filmEscape Room which is scheduled to be released on January 1, 2021. In June 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ Pride parade, Queerty named them among the fifty heroes “leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people”.
Personal life
Moore is transgender and non-binary and goes by they/them pronouns. Moore has spoken openly about their lifelong struggles with the bullying and transphobia that caused them to leave home at 14 and drop out of school in the 10th grade. In an interview with Pose co-star, Mj Rodriguez, Moore discussed how, despite identifying as non-binary, being seen as a woman means they are still subjected to the same "surveillance and scrutiny" as women, and to a desire to use fashion to take back that power:
MOORE: I feel like that about fashion. I feel like that about us having the autonomy to express ourselves. I'm non-binary but I don't really talk about it that much. I don't feel like people really are there yet for understanding it, which I don't mind, but I also acknowledge the way people see me as a woman. And because I'm seen as a woman, a cis woman or binary presenting, people are going to hold me up to those same standards that women are held up to. RODRIGUEZ: Which you're saying you shouldn't be, right? MOORE: Which I'm saying women should not be.
