Josie Totah


Josie Totah, also known as J. J. Totah, is an American actress. She is known for her recurring role on the Disney Channel series Jessie and her starring role on the 2013 ABC comedy series Back in the Game. Totah received critical praise for her role as Justin in the 2016 film Other People. In 2018, she starred in the short-lived NBC comedy series Champions. Totah began her career playing male roles but publicly came out as a trans woman in August 2018, changing her first name to Josie.

Early life

Totah was born in Sacramento, California, the third child of Suheil and Christine Totah. She has one sister and one brother, and is of Palestinian and Lebanese ancestry.

Career

Totah began her acting career in 2012 when she was cast as the "Lil' Dictator" in the first production for AwesomenessTV. Beginning in 2013, she began appearing as Stuart Wooten, a boy with a crush on series regular Zuri Ross, in the Disney Channel Original Series Jessie. Totah has guest starred on the TV shows, New Girl, 2 Broke Girls, and Liv and Maddie.
Also in 2013, Totah was cast in a main role in the ABC comedy Back in the Game. In 2015, she was cast in 4 episodes of the sixth season Glee as the youngest member ever of the New Directions.
In 2016, Totah appeared as Justin in the film Other People, and received critical praise for her role with Variety, making her one of its Sundance Breakout Stars of the year. In October 2016, Deadline Hollywood reported that Totah would star in a new comedy for NBC that she helped develop where Totah was set to produce alongside executive producers Adam and Naomi Scott. In 2017, she appeared in the Netflix detective comedy ' and the Marvel Studios film '.
In January 2017, Totah joined Adam Devine in the Disney feature film Magic Camp. In February 2017 Totah was cast as Michael Patel, the son of Mindy Kaling's character, Priya Patel, in the new NBC comedy Champions, which was picked up to series in May 2017, and aired from March 8 to May 25, 2018 before being canceled. Totah was caset in a Saved by the Bell reboot that was ordered to series at NBC's streaming service, Peacock. She was cast as Lexi, a socially powerful cheerleader.

Personal life

On August 20, 2018, Totah wrote an article published in Time in which she came out as a transgender woman.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
2012Kroll ShowBirthday Party KidUnknown episodes, credited as J.J Totah
2013–2015JessieStuart WootenRecurring role, 7 episodes, credited as J.J Totah
2013–2014Back in the GameMichael LovetteMain role, credited as J.J Totah
2014Nina Needs to Go!FrankMain voice role, television shorts, credited as J.J Totah
2014The ExesCooperEpisode: "My Fair Stuart", credited as J.J Totah
2014Sofia the FirstPrince JinVoice role, 3 episodes, credited as J.J Totah
2014New GirlToddEpisode: "Dance", credited as J.J Totah
20142 Broke GirlsElliotEpisode: "And the Childhood Not Included", credited as J.J Totah
2015GleeMyron Muskovitz4 episodes, credited as J.J Totah
2016Tween FestStop the Preston4 episodes, credited as J.J Totah
2016–2017Skeeter Parham3 episodes, credited as J.J Totah
2018ChampionsMichael PatelMain role, credited as J.J Totah
2019The Other TwoElijahEpisode: "Chase Goes to a High School Dance", credited as J.J Totah
2019No Good NickLisa Haddad4 episodes
2020Saved by the BellLexiMain role