BEING THE CHANGE
Karla sees her role as the transgender Maya in The Bold as an important step in promoting tolerance
IT’S easy to see why she caught the eye of one of the most eligible bachelors on The Bold And The Beautiful – none other than Rick Forrester, he of the iceblue eyes and jaw so chiselled you could cut cheese on it. When Maya Avant, a raven-haired, doe-eyed model, marched into Forrester Creations – and into its boss’ heart – the scene was set for a sizzling romance. But there was just one catch: she was born male.
As fans of the soapie know, she was eventually forced to confess all to Rick (whom she went on to wed) after her younger sister, Nicole, arrived in town and threatened to expose her as her former brother, Myron.
It’s been hailed as one of the most groundbreaking storylines in soapie history – and one that’s “totally necessary” in this day and age when LGBT issues are so relevant, says Karla Mosley (35), who plays Maya.
“This is the kind of opportunity I’ve prayed for – to make change in the world through my art.”
As Bradley Bell, Bold’s executive producer and head writer, explains, “The transgender story we’re telling is important because it’s about tolerance, it’s about respecting other people’s differences. In the end we all want to be loved, it doesn’t matter if you’re transgender, gay, straight – this is a love story.”
To add to the drama the writers threw in another twist: Maya asked her sister to be a surrogate for her and Rick’s baby.
“Interestingly, in researching surrogacy I learnt about how common it is for actresses and professional women to consider surrogacy,” says Maya, who has no children – yet – with husband Jeremiah Frei-Pearson, a lawyer and civil rights advocate. “I personally plan to either carry a child or adopt – but never say never, right? Beyond that, I completely understand surrogacy. For many couples it’s a necessity.”
As for her character, Karla’s younger sister plays a big part in her life. Alexandra (31) is an animal rescue worker she calls her best friend.
The two recently featured together in a photoshoot along with their mother, Shirley, and Karla’s niece, four-year-old Lilia Sophia, who suffers from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning she was born with half a heart.
“Family is incredibly important to me,” Karla says, chatting to us from her home By NICI DE WET