Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon says Marvel should cast trans woman in Jennifer Lawrence’s old X-Men role
Jinkx Monsoon says Mystique, the shapeshifting antihero, is her favourite Marvel character, adding: "I think a lot of trans people do"
By Aaron Sugg
RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon has said Marvel should cast a trans woman as X-Men‘s Mystique, even putting herself forward for the role.
Mystique has previously been portrayed by Rebecca Romijn in the original X-Men trilogy (2000) and by Jennifer Lawrence in X-Men: First Class (2011) and its sequels.
Romijn is confirmed to reprise the role in the upcoming 2026 film Avengers: Doomsday.
“I think it would be a really cool idea to have a trans woman be Mystique” – Jinkx Monsoon on her hopes for the X-Men franchise
On a recent episode of the Good One podcast, Monsoon said: “Can I manifest something? Marvel now has regained the rights to the X-Men. I think it would be a really cool idea to have a trans woman be Mystique.”
The drag artist is no stranger to acting. Beyond her performances in the mini and maxi challenges set by RuPaul, she also portrayed the music deity Maestro in the 2024 season of Doctor Who.
She spoke about Marvel regaining the rights to the franchise from 20th Century Fox, saying it was the right time and place for a trans actor to take on the shapeshifting character.
Monsoon said: “Can I manifest something? Marvel now has regained the rights to the X-Men. I think it would be a really cool idea to have a trans woman be Mystique.”
“She’s my favourite Marvel character of all time” – Monsoon on wanting the role for herself
She explained her personal connection to the character: “She’s my favourite Marvel character of all time, and I relate to her so much. I think a lot of trans people do. Think about how nice it would be to be able to just blend in and not have everyone pay attention to us if we don’t want.”
In 2023, Zoe Terakes made Marvel history as the first out trans actor cast in a key role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Ironheart.
Mystique will next appear in Avengers: Doomsday, which features a star-studded lineup – including returning Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and iconic X-Men actors Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen as Magneto.
The picture will be released on 18 December 2026.