Transgender actor Isaiah Stannard got his big break from the NBC show Good Girls. The show has not only influenced his acting career but his personal life as well. 

Stannard plays the role of a transgender boy Ben on Good Girls. Ben was born a girl, Sadie. However, Ben comes out to his mother, Annie, in season 2, episode 8 of the series, to which Annie accepts her child wholeheartedly. 

The coming out of Ben/ Sadie was widely appreciated by fans and followers of the show. Something that is not commonly known is how Stannard’s character in Good Girls corroborates with his actual life. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Is Isaiah Stannard Transgender? 

Stannard was born a girl, but while on Good Girls, he realized he was a boy all along. His character’s storyline is similar to that of his real life, and that is because the show’s writers changed the plot according to Stannard’s actual journey. 

In an interview with Brut. in May 2021, Stannard shared his experience coming out as well as his experience as Ben on Good Girls. 

Stannard revealed that initially, instead of Sadie, a cisgender boy named Ben was to get bullied for exploring his feminine side. However, the actor’s agent changed the writers’ minds when they proposed to have a girl who gets bullied for being masculine. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Stannard did the audition and didn’t hear from the production for a long time. Soon, without getting a callback, the actor got the role and started filming.

Stannard was figuring out his gender orientation, but shortly after the audition and during the casting process, he realized he was transgender. 

Inspired by his real-life journey, the show’s writers changed the plot of Sadie and rewrote the character as a transgender person as well. The show’s creator Jenna Bans told Variety how good an opportunity to explore a gender-nonconforming character through Stannard actually was.

To do it correctly, Bans approached GLAAD’s Nick Adams, who is a transgender man himself. 

Stannard opened up how much the scene meant to him. To display his experience on a show like that was revolutionizing for him as well as the industry.

Just like how Annie openly accepts Ben in Good Girls, the actor’s parents also fully support his choices in life. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Isaiah Stannard’s Supportive Parents 

On June 7, Stannard and his mother, Kristin Johansen, sat down with People and discussed the actor’s coming-out journey. Johansen is exceptionally supportive of her son.

She revealed Stannard came out as gay before transgender. The actor was never worried about opening up to his mother since Johansen created an accepting environment for her son. 

Johansen loves the fact that her son, a transgender boy, enjoys dressing up in skirts and heels. All she wants is for her son to be happy with himself and what he does. Johansen is not only a strong supporter of her son but also an ally to the LGBTIQ+ community.

She revealed that they dress up and go to pride parades in New York City during Pride Month. 

Their family is also involved with the Ackerman Institute in New York, a family counseling institution, to help kids come out comfortably. Johansen’s partner Warren Marsh is also highly supportive of the actor and stands by him for his choices. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Isaiah Stannard’s Career 

Prior to Good Girls, he was involved in three small projects. This was before he identified as a transgender boy, hence he acted as a girl. Good Girls was his big break, and Stannard credits the NBC show for making him want to become an actor. 

While talking with Brut., Stannard revealed he enjoyed being on set and doing it every day. Now, he is looking for more projects to be involved in. According to his IMDb, he is involved in a short 5 Teenagers Walk Into a Bar as Sam. 

However, Stannard doesn’t exactly know which roles he wants to play yet.