Michaela Jaé Rodriguez has an important lesson on body image.
"I'm human—I have insecurities, judging myself on my body," the Pose alum told E! News in an exclusive interview. "You know, a lot of trans women go through that. Women in general go through it."
However, she was inspired to reflect on her body struggles and re-frame her mindset after hearing Halle Bailey's heartfelt speech at Essence's Black Women in Hollywood Awards last month.
"Halle mentioned something that really spoke true to me," Michaela explained, "She said, 'I learned what it's like in this space to know how to hold agency over my body, because I don't owe anyone anything when it comes to my body, especially the rights of my body now being a mother.' I took that, and put it to myself."
The 33-year-old continued, "I'm not a mother yet, but I know that I have a strengthened guard over my body and no one else does."
For the Loot actress, the path to self-acceptance has started with setting limitations. As she put it, "The only way we can be kind of ourselves is if we draw a boundary."
One of the ways Michaela is embracing the skin she's in is by working on projects that conveys this message. That's partly why she's a brand ambassador for Charlotte Tilbury and helped launch its new Pillow Talk Party campaign.
"It makes me feel empowered," Michaela said about her role in the beauty industry. "It's more of an accentuation and elevation than just hiding behind makeup. Makeup was never that [for me]. And I feel even more uplifted in the space."
There was a time, however, when she didn't think she'd be welcomed into the makeup community.
"I was nervous as any girl would be," Michaela recalled of her first Charlotte Tilbury campaign. "As a trans woman of color, there's added flair to that. So, I was feeling like, 'Am I going to be ostracized? Am I going to be seen as different?' None of that. That was the best part about that [campaign], I felt safe, I felt seen."
Although it's taken time for the American Horror Story star to get to this place, she's proud of her journey.
"That's my learning lesson," she said, "I have to have more control over myself. I've also learned that I have to really smell the roses, look outside and see how blessed and thankful I am. That carries me on through the day."