Van Barnes is best recognized as a transgender actress and a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community. Like most of her peers, Barnes had a rocky road to stardom while trying to carve out a niche for herself in the industry, but she found success and is now like an easily recognizable face for fans thanks to popular shows Transparent and This Is Me . More recently, Barnes made the following headline allegations of sexual misconduct against her former boss and veteran actor Jeffrey Tambor. Here are facts you should know about actress, director, former model and dancer.
Van Barnes – Biography
There is no information available about Van Barnes’ date of birth, parents, family, early life and elementary education. However, it’s no secret that the Hillsboro, Missouri actress honed her acting skills at the Chicago Academy of Arts.
Before her acting career, Barnes lived in New York and made a living as a dancer and model. During this time, she struggled to make ends meet and lived in unfavorable conditions. In fact, she worked as a high-end escort/femdom/psycho-dramatist for two years. Although the actress has had to work extremely hard to carve out a niche for herself in the industry, she claimed things never really got that bad as she didn’t operate on the street but rather in expensive penthouses and hotels. Even as a call girl, she played it safe and didn’t do any hard drugs. A decision she believes has paid off.
In New York, Barnes reportedly lived at the Waldorf Astoria and worked for Neiman Marcus. After Barnes quit her call girl job, she took important steps in her transition to womanhood. Although she still held on to her escort, Van began hormone replacement therapy. Unsatisfied with her life in New York, the actress later gave up treatment and moved back to the Midwest.
As an actress, Van Barnes has credits on both the small and big screen. Notably, she starred in a 2014 episode of Transparent, alongside actor Jeffrey Tambor. She is also one of the trans women featured in the popular E! reality series, I Am Cait, chronicling Caitlyn Jenner’s transitional journey and struggles . Also in 2015, she was back on the show That’s Me , which also showcases the struggles of the transgender community.
Van Barnes has also stepped behind the camera as a director. She is responsible for co-directing the 2008 short film You’ll Never Be a Woman. You must live the rest of your days fully as a man, and you are becoming more manly with each passing year. There is no way out.
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Celebrity Facts and Profile of the Actress
Like many other transgender people, Van Barnes’ story is no different. According to a 2011 interview, the actress revealed that she grew up with little or no adult supervision and thus enjoyed unusual freedom from an early age. Barnes grew up mostly worried. For years she had struggled to come to terms with her true self as she had always believed in her femininity. While working and living in New York, she took the bold step of finally turning to her true self.
Van Barnes is happily married to a cisgender Rick Cibulka. Not much is known about their love journey, but we do know that the couple officially tied the knot in St. Louis in 2014. In an interview, Barnes once revealed that she and her partner faced discrimination at various points before and during their wedding. From the LGBT-friendly minister constantly “abusing” her throughout the ceremony, to discriminatory comments from a wedding registry clerk trying to obtain a marriage license, Barnes hasn’t had it any easier. Despite this, the actress, who had always pursued goals of being legally married since she was a child, remained undeterred.
Van Barnes and her husband live near St. Louis. The couple once starred on the reality TV show, I’m Cait with Caitlyn Jenner visiting Cibulka’s motorcycle shop.
- Barnes Tambor controversy
More recently, Barnes became embroiled in a controversy surrounding award-winning actor Jeffrey Tambor. The actress joined the #MeToo campaign on her Facebook page and became one of the women who accused Tambor of sexual misconduct on the sets of the series Transparent . According to Barnes’ Post, the actress claimed that while working as Tambor’s personal assistant on Transparent, she was sexually harassed, verbally abused and extremely humiliated by the veteran actor, whom she dubbed “Monster.”
Barnes wasn’t the only one with claims that Amazon promptly launched an investigation into the allegations against Tambor, while the actress also hired an attorney to represent her in the case. However, Tambor strongly denied Van’s claims, describing them as baseless.
- LGBT activist
Barnes believes she is a role model for transgender people. Having previously feared being fired for being trans, the actress is now working to make the workplace safer for women. Through her fight for justice against sexual harassment, Barnes is also part of the #MeToo movement, which she shares on her social media accounts.
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