Josie Totah Bio
Josie Totah (born 2001 or 2002) is an American actress who began her career portraying male characters before publicly coming out as a transgender woman in August 2018, changing her first name to Josie. She rose to prominence with a recurring role on the Disney Channel series Jessie and a supporting part in the 2013 ABC comedy Back in the Game. Totah received critical praise for her performance in the 2016 film Other People and later starred in NBC’s Champions and the Saved by the Bell revival, where she played Lexi. Totah was born in Sacramento, California, and studied at Chapman University, graduating in 2022, continuing to pursue diverse roles across film and television.
Early Life and Background
Josie Totah was born in Sacramento, California, United States. She is the third child of Suheil Totah and Christine Totah, and she has a sister and brother. Totah is of Palestinian and Lebanese ancestry. She attended a Catholic school while growing up and considers herself semi-religious. From a young age, Totah showed interest in performing and acting, which led her to pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry as a child.
Path to Acting
Totah began her acting career in 2012 when she was cast as the “Lil’ Dictator” in the first production for AwesomenessTV. This early role provided her with foundational experience in front of the camera and helped launch her professional acting career. Her talent was quickly recognized, leading to additional casting opportunities in television and film. In 2013, she began portraying Stuart Wooten, a boy with a crush on Skai Jackson’s character Zuri Ross, on the Disney Channel Original Series Jessie. This recurring role marked her first major exposure to a wider audience and established her as a rising young talent in children’s entertainment.
Josie Totah Career
Early Career (2012–2015)
Following her debut with AwesomenessTV, Totah quickly expanded her television presence. In 2013, she was cast in a supporting role in the ABC comedy series Back in the Game. That same year, she and her mother appeared in an episode of Family Game Night. She also guest-starred on popular television shows including New Girl, 2 Broke Girls, and Liv and Maddie, demonstrating her versatility across different comedy formats and genres.
In 2015, Totah was cast in the sixth season of Glee as a guest character, becoming the youngest member ever of the New Directions, appearing in four episodes. This role connected her to a new generation of viewers and showcased her musical and dramatic abilities within a beloved musical comedy series. Her growing body of work during this period established her reputation as a reliable young performer capable of handling both comedic and dramatic material.
Breakthrough (2016–2020)
2016 proved to be a pivotal year for Totah. She appeared in the film Other People, which earned her critical praise from Variety, which named her as one of its Sundance Breakout Stars of the year. This recognition marked her transition from television work to more substantial film roles and demonstrated her ability to handle emotionally complex material. In October 2016, Deadline Hollywood reported that Totah would star in a new comedy for NBC, which she also helped develop and was set to produce, alongside executive producers Adam and Naomi Scott.
In 2017, Totah continued to build her filmography with high-profile projects. She appeared in the Netflix detective comedy Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie and the Marvel Studios film Spider-Man: Homecoming, joining the expansive Marvel Cinematic Universe. That same year, she was cast alongside Adam Devine in the Disney feature film Magic Camp, further expanding her work with major studios. In February 2017, she was cast as Michael Patel, the son of Mindy Kaling’s character Priya Patel, in the NBC comedy Champions, which was picked up to series in May 2017. The series aired from March 8 to May 25, 2018, before being canceled.
In August 2018, Totah publicly came out as a transgender woman in an article she wrote that was published in Time magazine, changing her first name from J.J. to Josie. This was a significant personal milestone that she shared with the public. Following this, she was cast in the Saved by the Bell reboot for NBC’s streaming service Peacock, playing the character Lexi, a socially powerful cheerleader. The revival ran for two seasons and introduced her to a new audience while demonstrating her range as a comedic actress.
Notable Works and Milestones
Throughout her career, Totah has demonstrated remarkable versatility across multiple platforms and formats. Her roles have spanned Disney Channel productions, network comedies, streaming series, and major blockbuster films. The critical recognition she received for Other People established her as a serious dramatic performer, while her work in Champions and Saved by the Bell showcased her comedic talents. Her participation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Spider-Man: Homecoming further expanded her profile in Hollywood.
Josie Totah Education
Totah attended Chapman University, where she pursued studies in acting and performance. She graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. During her time at Chapman, she was a member of a sorority, participating in campus Greek life while balancing her academic responsibilities with her professional acting career.
Josie Totah Recent Work
In August 2022, Totah started a podcast titled Dare We Say, which she co-hosted with Yasmine Hamady and her Saved by the Bell co-star Alycia Pascual-Peña. This venture into podcasting represented a new creative direction, allowing her to engage with audiences through a different medium and discuss topics relevant to her experiences and interests. Her continued work across film, television, and new media platforms demonstrates her commitment to building a sustainable and diverse career in entertainment.
Josie Totah Family
Josie Totah is the daughter of Suheil Totah and Christine Totah. She has one sister and one brother. Her parents have been supportive of her career, with her mother Christine appearing alongside Josie in a 2013 episode of Family Game Night. The Totah family is of Palestinian and Lebanese descent.
Personal Life
On August 20, 2018, Totah publicly came out as a transgender woman in an article published in Time magazine. In this piece, she changed her first name from J.J. to Josie, marking a significant moment in her personal journey. She has been open about her experiences and identity, using her platform to advocate for transgender representation in entertainment. Totah grew up attending Catholic school and describes herself as semi-religious. She continues to reside in California while pursuing her acting career and other creative projects.