Head's up: Netflix has just released the 2025 biographical drama film Queen of Coal, and it's a must-watch. The Spanish-Argentine production follows the true story of Carla Antonella Rodríguez, a transgender woman who became Patagonia's first trans miner—an occupation systemically vetoed for women. A description of the film reads: "A trans woman dreams of working the coal mines, but in a town steeped in superstition and patriarchy, Carla must fight to earn her place underground."
The movie stars transgender actor and activist Lux Pascal (Pedro Pascal's sister) as Carla, who was praised for playing the role with a "quiet determination." Overall, the movie has been described as "an ode to resilience."
So, in honor of Queen of Coal's (Miss Carbón in Spanish) Netflix premiere, let's take a look at the life of the real Carla Antonella Rodríguez and where she is now.
Who is Carla Antonella Rodríguez?
Carla Antonella Rodríguez was born 33 years ago in Mina 3, a village in Santa Cruz Province, in southern Argentina's Patagonian region. The town is situated next to the Río Turbio coal mine, the backdrop of Carla's story.
Despite dropping out of high school at 14 and working as a cleaner and hairdresser's assistant, Carla knew that deep down, she wanted to work in the mines. So, at 18, she submitted an application but was rejected. Two years later, she applied again—this time hiding her identity as a trans woman—and was accepted.
At the time, women were forbidden from working in the mines due to an 80-year-old myth. Legend has it that after a collapse, a woman went underground to search for her husband. However, she never returned home. Folkloric stories began to spread that her soul—known as the "Black Widow"—was trapped inside the mountain, and that she was responsible for the disappearances of other male mine workers.
The myth was passed down through generations of Río Turbio families, who believed that if women never entered the mine, accidents wouldn't happen. (Of course, accidents still happened.) The only time women were allowed inside was on December 4, known as the day of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners. Women would enter the mine and visit their husbands' place of work, while outside, dances and celebrations took place. During these parties, the town would crown "Miss Carbón," otherwise known as the Coal Queen.
On Carla's first day in the mine, she received a cold welcome from her co-workers. During a 2025 interview with El País, a Spanish daily newspaper, she recalled how, for years, she kept her head down and got on with her work. Eventually, Argentina passed the 2012 landmark Gender Identity Law, which made it the first country to recognize the right to self-perceived gender identity. As one of the world's most progressive laws for trans rights at the time, it significantly reduced marginalization for transgender people and improved their access to rights and services.
However, when Carla transitioned, the mine's Human Resources department told her she was no longer allowed to work underground and would be transferred to an administrative position. She told El País that when she questioned the decision, they replied, "Because you're a woman." Carla decided to fight back, and in 2015, filed a written statement accusing her colleagues of "discriminatory treatment," and that she would be returning to her original position in the mine.
"I hacked the system. I set the precedent. We changed history," she said during the interview.
In 2018, Carla met TV writer Erika Halvorsen, who would be a significant figure in her journey. After many interviews, Erika developed the story that would become Queen of Coal/Miss Carbón. Agustina Macri then joined as director, and the rest is history. Agustina also told El País, "Often, you choose a story. But then that same story begins to unfold, to spiral inward, to a certain depth—and that's how you discover there were many reasons you were drawn to it."
Where is Carla Antonella Rodríguez now?
Despite her newfound fame as a movie inspiration, Carla remains humble and committed to her cause. She is still a miner at the Río Turbio coal mine, and regularly shares content of her day-to-day work life on Instagram. Since the release of Queen of Coal/Miss Carbón, Carla has also taken part in panel talks and interviews promoting the movie. These highlights are also shared on her social media.
On a personal note—and after years of campaigning for equality in the workplace—Carla told El País that she has learned to look at herself in the mirror and "like" what she sees. "To stop constantly chasing the hegemonic ideals set by the system: pretty, thin, tall. No. I have a strong, firm face, the hands of a laborer, hardened here in Patagonia."
She concluded, "This is who I am. And I'm proud of who I am, of what I've been able to achieve."
Queen of Coal is now streaming on Netflix.
