Even though Hari Nef is not yet a household name, millions of people now know her face because of her role in the massively successful film Barbie. In the film, she played the character Dr. Barbie — needless to say, she broke so many bounds. A trans woman playing the role of a doll that represents the epitome of femininity made for a profound pop culture moment.
Nevertheless, Nef has done so much more than bring a doll to life. She has appeared in countless campaigns to raise awareness for her cause. Nef doesn’t allow her identity as a transgender actress to define who she is as an artist. Altogether, she is one celebrity worth knowing about, and here are some interesting facts about her.
1. Hari Nef Is A Libra
The star was born on October 21, 1992, to Jewish parents in Philadelphia. Her father, David Neff was an advertising executive, and her mother, Robin Clebnik‘s profession is unknown. What is clear is that her parents split when she was just two years old. So, she spent her childhood in Newton, Massachusetts, with her mother.
2. She Played A Major Role In Transparent
Nef’s role in i no doubt added more depth to the show as a whole. She played the character of Tante Gittel an ancestor of the Pfefferman family who was apparently, she spent her life in Berlin, Germany, during the Weimar Republic. She was eventually killed during the Holocaust. Needless to say, her part really drove the narrative of the award-winning show. For her part in the Transparent, she was considered for a SAG Award in 2016.
3. She Made Her Runway Debut At New York Fashion Week
What can we say, Nef is a bit of a record-breaker in her own right. She made her debut during New York Fashion Week Spring 2015, walking the runway for both Hood By Air and Eckhaus Latta. That feat made her the first openly transgender woman to sign an IMG Models contract. She equally made history by becoming the first openly transgender person to grace the cover of a major British magazine. When Nef became the first transgender model to grace the cover of Elle UK, she once again made headlines.
4. Hari Nef Made History By Being IMG’s First Transgender Female Model
This point was so iconic that it deserved a heading of its own. Nef made headlines in 2015 when she became the first transgender woman to land a contract with IMG Worldwide. She joined the ranks of Gigi Hadid, Gisele Bundchen, and Hailey Bieber.
5. She Spent Hours Playing Barbie Video Games As A Kid
A lot of people would consider playing the role of Barbie the opportunity of a lifetime. Well, that’s completely true in Hari Nef’s case. Apparently, the model cum actress was a huge fan of the doll way before she embodied her. She confessed to spending hours at end playing Barbie’s Magic Hair Styler.
6. Hari Nef Follows A Strict Vegan Diet
Hari Nef, like many public figures, adheres to a healthy routine as far as her diet is concerned. She’s a strict vegan and its clear that she works out to keep fit as well. Nevertheless, she has some reservations about the concept of wellness. in her own words, “At my most cynical, I think ‘wellness’ is a thing that upper-class white women in their 30s invented to battle invisible demons that don’t exist“. According to her, she listens to her body and head and does what feels good. For her, that’s a plant-based diet.
7. Hari Nef Kicks Against The Binary Gender System
Though the model isn’t shy about talking about her life as a trans woman, she believes that her gender is one of the least intriguing aspects of her identity. She stated to the press, “I believe that oftentimes my work is obscured by the fact that I am a female. Identity is a road that leads nowhere, and I don’t want it to become a major concern. It’s a complete and utter bore.” That does not mean that Nef isn’t a huge advocate for transgender rights. Rather, she wishes that she lived in a world where issues like gender were not a huge deal. She often frowns upon being referred to as a “trans actress” rather being simply an actress.