Chris Sarandon
Dog Day Afternoon (1975): The first film on our list that is considered a masterpiece, Sidney Lumet’s film is definitely of its time in terms of its trans portrayal. Chris Sarandon was nominated for an Oscar, arguably starting the CIS playing trans equals awards love phenomenon we are still living with. The film is based on the true story of Vietnam vet John Wojtowicz robbing a bank to pay for the sex-reassignment surgery of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Eden. At a time when Warhol superstars Holly Woodlawn and Jackie Curtis were still with us and acting, it is heartbreaking to think of the missed opportunity of casting one of these fabulous New York transwomen in a truly New York story.