Hunter Schafer

Summary

Hunter Schafer (born 31 December 1998) is an American model, actress, director and activist. She came to public attention as a plaintiff in legal challenges to North Carolina's 2016 "bathroom bill" and later made her acting debut as Jules Vaughn in HBO's teen drama Euphoria (2019–). Schafer has modelled for luxury fashion houses, co-written for television, directed music videos and continued to use her platform for LGBTQ+ rights.

Body (writing shorthand)

Ethereal, statuesque, androgynous-glamour with a finely articulated wardrobe sensibility—think porcelain skin, angular bone structure and garments that read like movable art.

Why she matters

Schafer's presence matters on several levels: she normalises trans visibility in mainstream prestige television; she brings an artist's eye to costume, direction and publicity; and she has been an outspoken young activist who converted early visibility into ongoing cultural influence. Her Jules Vaughn is notable for being a trans character played by a trans actor whose storylines avoid one-note victimhood and instead depict agency, style and complexity.

Biography (concise)

Born in Trenton, New Jersey and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Studied visual arts and clothing design; attended Needham B. Broughton High School and the North Carolina School of the Arts (High School Visual Arts programme).
First came to national attention in 2016 as a plaintiff in Carcaño v. McCrory, challenging North Carolina's HB2 "Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act"; wrote about the experience for Teen Vogue.

Career highlights

Modelling: Signed with Elite Model Management (2017) and has modelled for Prada, Dior, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Helmut Lang, Versace, Alexander McQueen and others. She has appeared in major fashion campaigns and runway shows.
Acting: Made her acting debut as Jules Vaughn on HBO's Euphoria (2019–), a role that received critical praise for nuance and authenticity. Schafer co-wrote the Jules-centred special episode "Fuck Anyone Who's Not a Sea Blob" (2021).
Film & other work: Voice role in the English dub of the animated film Belle (2022); roles in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) and the horror film Cuckoo (2024). She has also directed music videos (e.g. Girl in Red's "hornylovesickmess").
Brand partnerships: House ambassador for Prada and global makeup ambassador for Shiseido; face of campaigns including Mugler's Angel fragrance.

Activism & public positions

Schafer began public activism as a teenager opposing HB2 and has continued to engage in LGBTQ+ and broader political causes. She has written and spoken about trans rights, the complexities of representation, and the burden of visibility placed on trans artists. In 2024 she was arrested at a Gaza ceasefire protest; in 2025 she publicly criticised changes to a passport gender marker following a US executive order.

Personal notes (public)

Schafer has described her sexuality variably as closer to lesbian, or bi/pan. She has discussed wanting to be seen as a girl while also recognising how public identity has shaped the offers she receives; in interviews she has expressed ambivalence about being labelled primarily as an activist.

Writing tips for fiction and craft

Emphasise interiority as well as physical detail: Schafer's public image mixes high-fashion distance with intimate vulnerability—use both.
Avoid tokenism: if you write trans characters inspired by public figures, centre their agency, varied desires and contradictions rather than reducing them to a single topic.
Use wardrobe and make-up as character shorthand: Schafer and her character Jules are defined as much by clothes and styling as by dialogue—describe textures, cuts, colour palettes and how they change with mood.
Keep British spelling and SI units in the body of the wiki; mirror the wiki's tone (sex-positive where appropriate, factual where necessary).

Keywords (for tagging)

trans visibility
porcelain glamour
fashion-activist
androgynous femme

Sources & suggested further reading

Hunter Schafer — Wikipedia (summary used to source facts)
Teen Vogue essay by Schafer on HB2
New York Times, Variety, Vogue and other profiles cited on Wikipedia