218:. 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 was set to premiere sometime in 2019. Due to his Southern background, Swain had never heard of or been exposed to the ball culture depicted in
431:
BIRTH DATE: 03/13/1999 BIRTH PLACE: Birmingham, AL WDE" "Where are you from? I'm from
Birmingham, Alabama. I was born in Orlando, Florida, but I moved to Birmingham when I was six." "I was going to public high school and had been training to become a professional tennis player." "What's next? Writing
253:
Although Swain's family has been largely supportive of his artistic endeavors, he has still experienced his share of adversity. During Swain's childhood, his stepfather became physically and emotionally abusive towards him due to his sexuality. Swain's sister, Raven
Lynette Swain, was shot and killed
228:
during his college years. He also drew upon his experience of moving to New York City with just "50 dollars in his pocket" in order to pursue his dreams. Swain's character returned for the first episode of the third and final season, but was written out for the second half of the episode, which was
122:
Whereas his family members geared towards the healthcare field, Swain showed an affinity for the arts at a young age. He began tap dancing lessons at the age of four and expanded his repertoire to include ballet, jazz, modern and hip-hop dancing. During his childhood, Swain worked with the
Alabama
199:
in New York. Despite his small screen debut, Swain still gives back to the theater community. In 2018, it was reported that he hosted an impromptu acting workshop at the Forma Arts + Wellness studio in
Birmingham.
813:
985:
1035:
1025:
505:
645:
908:
138:. At the time, Swain was initially seeking an internship—as he was training to become a professional tennis player. He would go on to earn his B.F.A. from
990:
755:
821:
1005:
975:
923:
1030:
1010:
1020:
93:(born March 13, 1994) is an American actor and dancer. He is known for his role as Damon Richards-Evangelista, a gay dancer, in the
179:
128:
143:
1000:
262:
and his character being written out of the series after the first episode of the third season. Swain identifies as queer.
859:
845:
628:
674:
134:
He began catalog modeling at the age of eight, and did not pursue acting until his freshman year of high school at the
135:
481:
995:
376:
603:
792:
684:
529:
432:
my teen fiction book about a young man finding his voice in the south—love and experience get mixed up there.
224:
1015:
209:
196:
782:
980:
255:
116:
787:
679:
883:
168:
139:
57:
448:
335:
214:
112:
99:
45:
948:
242:
94:
229:
filmed during Swain's exit from the series due to the death of Swain's real-life sister.
124:
646:""Pose" Actor and Birmingham Native, Ryan Jamaal Swain, hosts Pop-Up workshop in city"
969:
924:"'Pose' Star Ryan Jamaal Swain on Abuse, Fame, LGBT History, and Defining as 'Queer'"
173:
151:
188:
675:"FX's 'Pose': Ryan Murphy Sets Largest Transgender Cast Ever For Scripted Series"
415:
555:
237:
Swain's first major foray into writing was in 2014 when he wrote and starred in
909:"'Pose' actor mourns sister killed in Birmingham: 'We will have swift justice'"
860:"Alabama's Ryan Jamaal Swain earning rave reviews for breakout role on 'Pose'"
245:. He announced plans to write a teen fiction book about a Southern teenager.
705:
846:"Pose Showrunner Breaks Down Damon's Sudden Exit in the Season 3 Premiere"
506:"'Pose' Star Ryan Jamaal Swain Urges Madonna to Appear on Second Season"
884:"Ryan Jamaal Swain On How 'Pose' Helped Him Heal From Personal Trauma"
115:, on March 13, 1994. He is the eldest of four children and grew up in
730:
222:. Swain based his performance on his viewing of the 1990 documentary
147:
258:, on July 28, 2020, which precipitated Swain's desire to exit from
756:"New Ryan Murphy Musical Dance Series POSE Gets Full Season Order"
814:"'Pose' Star Says Show Is 'Art Mirroring Reality': 'I Was Broke'"
579:
604:"'Anything Goes' at Howard University - DC Metro Theater Arts"
111:
Ryan Swain was born to a single-mother household in
482:"Ryan Jamaal Swain as Damon Richards in POSE on FX"
241:, a one-man show about the life of American writer
80:
63:
53:
28:
21:
556:"All Hail the Beautiful, Black Gay Love on 'Pose'"
449:"Ryan Jamaal Swain on the Universality of 'Pose'"
208:In 2017, Swain was cast as Damon Richards in
8:
986:Alumni of the British American Drama Academy
668:
666:
840:
838:
177:. He has also performed in plays including
354:
313:
274:
18:
629:"FX's Pose - TCA Winter 2018 panel bios"
171:, Swain appeared in productions such as
410:
408:
406:
404:
402:
400:
396:
385:Syracuse Stage, Baltimore Center Stage
142:in Washington, D.C., and study at the
673:Andreeva, Nellie (October 25, 2017).
16:American actor and dancer (born 1994)
7:
1036:21st-century African-American people
1026:Male actors from Birmingham, Alabama
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
442:
440:
783:"'Pose' Renewed for Season 2 at FX"
706:"Pose: Season 1 - Rotten Tomatoes"
14:
187:, as well as starring in several
922:Teeman, Tim (December 3, 2018).
127:, Red Mountain Theatre Company,
991:American male television actors
781:Otterson, Joe (July 12, 2018).
144:British American Drama Academy
131:and Virginia Samford Theatre.
1:
731:"Pose: Season 1 - Metacritic"
154:upon completing his studies.
129:Birmingham Children's Theatre
1006:African-American LGBT people
976:African-American male actors
820:. 2018-07-19. Archived from
791:. Los Angeles, California:
683:. Los Angeles, California:
554:Reign, Eva (20 July 2018).
447:Saxena, Jaya (2018-06-19).
136:Alabama School of Fine Arts
1052:
1031:American queer male actors
1011:LGBTQ people from Alabama
580:"ryan-jamaal-swain | BIO"
377:Thoughts of a Colored Man
185:Thoughts of a Colored Man
180:Six Degrees of Separation
1021:Howard University alumni
793:Penske Media Corporation
685:Penske Media Corporation
212:'s FX television series
510:The Hollywood Reporter
197:National Black Theatre
950:Engaged (2019) - IMDb
608:DC Metro Theater Arts
150:. Swain relocated to
1001:Dancers from Alabama
650:The Birmingham Times
191:productions such as
762:. December 27, 2017
530:"Ryan Jamáal Swain"
416:"RYAN JAMAAL SWAIN"
256:Birmingham, Alabama
117:Birmingham, Alabama
680:Deadline Hollywood
341:Damon Evangelista
193:Kill Move Paradise
97:television series
760:BroadwayWorld.com
584:ryan-jamaal-swain
389:
388:
348:
347:
307:
306:
169:Howard University
140:Howard University
91:Ryan Jamaal Swain
88:
87:
81:Years active
58:Howard University
23:Ryan Jamaal Swain
1043:
996:American dancers
961:
960:
959:
958:
945:
939:
938:
936:
934:
919:
913:
912:
905:
899:
898:
896:
895:
880:
874:
873:
871:
870:
856:
850:
849:
842:
833:
832:
830:
829:
810:
804:
803:
801:
799:
778:
772:
771:
769:
767:
752:
746:
745:
743:
741:
727:
721:
720:
718:
716:
702:
696:
695:
693:
691:
670:
661:
660:
658:
657:
642:
636:
635:
633:
625:
619:
618:
616:
615:
600:
594:
593:
591:
590:
576:
570:
569:
567:
566:
551:
545:
544:
542:
541:
526:
520:
519:
517:
516:
502:
496:
495:
493:
492:
478:
463:
462:
460:
459:
444:
435:
434:
428:
426:
412:
355:
314:
275:
225:Paris is Burning
167:While attending
113:Orlando, Florida
46:Orlando, Florida
42:
38:
36:
19:
1051:
1050:
1046:
1045:
1044:
1042:
1041:
1040:
966:
965:
964:
956:
954:
947:
946:
942:
932:
930:
928:The Daily Beast
921:
920:
916:
911:. 30 July 2020.
907:
906:
902:
893:
891:
882:
881:
877:
868:
866:
858:
857:
853:
844:
843:
836:
827:
825:
818:Alton Telegraph
812:
811:
807:
797:
795:
780:
779:
775:
765:
763:
754:
753:
749:
739:
737:
729:
728:
724:
714:
712:
710:Rotten Tomatoes
704:
703:
699:
689:
687:
672:
671:
664:
655:
653:
644:
643:
639:
631:
627:
626:
622:
613:
611:
602:
601:
597:
588:
586:
578:
577:
573:
564:
562:
553:
552:
548:
539:
537:
528:
527:
523:
514:
512:
504:
503:
499:
490:
488:
480:
479:
466:
457:
455:
446:
445:
438:
424:
422:
414:
413:
398:
394:
353:
312:
273:
268:
251:
243:Langston Hughes
235:
206:
165:
160:
123:Dance Academy,
109:
76:
54:Alma mater
49:
43:
40:
34:
32:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1049:
1047:
1039:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
968:
967:
963:
962:
940:
914:
900:
875:
851:
834:
805:
773:
747:
722:
697:
662:
637:
620:
595:
571:
546:
521:
497:
464:
436:
420:ISSUE Magazine
395:
393:
390:
387:
386:
383:
380:
373:
369:
368:
365:
362:
359:
352:
349:
346:
345:
342:
339:
332:
328:
327:
324:
321:
318:
311:
308:
305:
304:
301:
298:
293:
289:
288:
285:
282:
279:
272:
269:
267:
264:
250:
247:
239:A Negro Writer
234:
231:
205:
202:
164:
161:
159:
156:
125:Alabama Ballet
108:
105:
86:
85:
82:
78:
77:
75:
74:
71:
67:
65:
61:
60:
55:
51:
50:
44:
39:March 13, 1994
30:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1048:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1016:Living people
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
973:
971:
952:
951:
944:
941:
929:
925:
918:
915:
910:
904:
901:
889:
885:
879:
876:
865:
861:
855:
852:
848:. 3 May 2021.
847:
841:
839:
835:
824:on 2018-08-16
823:
819:
815:
809:
806:
794:
790:
789:
784:
777:
774:
761:
757:
751:
748:
736:
732:
726:
723:
711:
707:
701:
698:
686:
682:
681:
676:
669:
667:
663:
651:
647:
641:
638:
630:
624:
621:
609:
605:
599:
596:
585:
581:
575:
572:
561:
557:
550:
547:
535:
531:
525:
522:
511:
507:
501:
498:
487:
483:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
465:
454:
450:
443:
441:
437:
433:
421:
417:
411:
409:
407:
405:
403:
401:
397:
391:
384:
381:
379:
378:
374:
371:
370:
366:
363:
360:
357:
356:
350:
343:
340:
338:
337:
333:
330:
329:
325:
322:
319:
316:
315:
309:
302:
299:
297:
294:
291:
290:
286:
283:
280:
277:
276:
270:
265:
263:
261:
257:
249:Personal life
248:
246:
244:
240:
232:
230:
227:
226:
221:
217:
216:
211:
203:
201:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
181:
176:
175:
174:Anything Goes
170:
162:
157:
155:
153:
152:New York City
149:
145:
141:
137:
132:
130:
126:
120:
118:
114:
106:
104:
102:
101:
96:
92:
83:
79:
72:
69:
68:
66:
62:
59:
56:
52:
47:
41:(age 30)
31:
27:
20:
955:, retrieved
953:, March 2019
949:
943:
931:. Retrieved
927:
917:
903:
892:. Retrieved
890:. 2018-06-07
887:
878:
867:. Retrieved
863:
854:
826:. Retrieved
822:the original
817:
808:
796:. Retrieved
786:
776:
766:December 27,
764:. Retrieved
759:
750:
738:. Retrieved
734:
725:
713:. Retrieved
709:
700:
690:November 16,
688:. Retrieved
678:
654:. Retrieved
652:. 2018-07-26
649:
640:
623:
612:. Retrieved
610:. 2015-03-09
607:
598:
587:. Retrieved
583:
574:
563:. Retrieved
559:
549:
538:. Retrieved
536:. 2012-07-04
533:
524:
513:. Retrieved
509:
500:
489:. Retrieved
485:
456:. Retrieved
452:
430:
423:. Retrieved
419:
375:
344:18 episodes
334:
295:
259:
252:
238:
236:
223:
219:
213:
207:
192:
189:Off-Broadway
184:
178:
172:
166:
133:
121:
110:
98:
90:
89:
84:2017–present
981:1994 births
933:December 4,
425:October 10,
303:Short film
266:Filmography
210:Ryan Murphy
148:Oxford, U.K
64:Occupations
970:Categories
957:2019-07-25
894:2018-08-02
869:2018-08-15
828:2018-08-16
735:Metacritic
656:2018-08-16
614:2018-08-15
589:2018-08-02
565:2018-08-15
540:2018-08-15
515:2018-08-02
491:2018-08-02
486:FXNetworks
458:2018-08-02
392:References
331:2018–2021
310:Television
107:Early life
35:1994-03-13
534:Real Talk
798:July 12,
740:June 21,
715:July 23,
788:Variety
634:. 2018.
351:Theater
300:Elliot
296:Engaged
233:Writing
195:at the
864:AL.com
367:Notes
361:Title
326:Notes
320:Title
287:Notes
281:Title
158:Career
73:dancer
48:, U.S.
888:NYLON
632:(PDF)
382:Love
372:2019
364:Role
358:Year
323:Role
317:Year
292:2019
284:Role
278:Year
163:Stage
70:Actor
935:2018
800:2018
768:2017
742:2018
717:2018
692:2017
560:them
427:2019
336:Pose
271:Film
260:Pose
220:Pose
215:Pose
204:Film
183:and
100:Pose
29:Born
254:in
146:in
972::
926:.
886:.
862:.
837:^
816:.
785:.
758:.
733:.
708:.
677:.
665:^
648:.
606:.
582:.
558:.
532:.
508:.
484:.
467:^
453:GQ
451:.
439:^
429:.
418:.
399:^
119:.
103:.
95:FX
37:)
937:.
897:.
872:.
831:.
802:.
770:.
744:.
719:.
694:.
659:.
617:.
592:.
568:.
543:.
518:.
494:.
461:.
33:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.