The first image of Laverne Cox in her starring role as Dr. Frank-n-Furter in Fox’s TV remake of the Rocky Horror Picture Show has been revealed, showing a studded, strapped and buckled leather bodice dress and zebra print detailed jacket with a studded choker and spider web style tights and gloves.
“We were on set and a reporter saw me and said I looked like the love child of Grace Jones and David Bowie. I said ‘That’s exactly right.’ I think we mix up the look more than they did in the original,” Cox tells EW in a new interview. “It’s inspired by the original but it’s really our own take. It’s way more elaborate and couture,” she continues. “[Director] Kenny Ortega had this vision that Frank was at this old theater and found these old burlesque costumes and is, like, using them and wearing them now but has altered them a bit.” The costumes are definitely more stylized than those in the freaky 1975 film.
1975 film trailer
Rocky Horror is a musical, and Cox explains how the performance has helped her to own her ‘chest voice,’ or lower register: “When I started training again last year, I started working my chest voice,” she says. “As a trans woman with a low voice, I had been so afraid of those low tones. This is a character where it’s absolutely appropriate that I sing in the [bass] baritone register that I have. What’s also fun is playing with those higher notes in my register too. This is sort of my professional singing debut. But it’s been wonderful claiming my chest voice. It’s been really healing.”
Also on the cast list are musician-slash-actors Christina Milian, as Magenta, and Adam Lambert, as Eddie the biker delivery guy — played in the original film by Meatloaf. Susan Sarandon’s prissy character Janet Weiss is reprised by former child actor Victoria Justice and uptight Brad is played by Ryan McCartan. The original Dr. Frank-n-Furter (of both stage and screen) Tim Curry is also signed up for the remake, this time taking on the role of the Criminologist narrator. The “two hour television event” is expected to premiere in the fall.
Credits
Text Charlotte Gush
Image courtesy of Fox