Abigail Thorn is a British actress, writer, and prominent YouTube creator, best known for her channel Philosophy Tube. Since launching the channel in 2013, she has gained widespread acclaim for producing high-quality, theatrical video essays that explore complex philosophical, political, and social issues. In 2021, Thorn publicly came out as a transgender woman, a transition she documented through her work, which significantly amplified her platform and impact as an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Beyond her online presence, she has established a career in traditional acting, appearing in stage productions such as 'The Prince' and television series like 'Django.' Thorn is recognized for her ability to bridge the gap between academic philosophy and accessible digital entertainment, using her platform to challenge systemic inequality and promote progressive social discourse. Her multifaceted career highlights her influence as both a creative storyteller and a dedicated voice for trans advocacy within the modern cultural landscape.
1944: Original Publication of No Exit
The year 1944 marks the historical release of the play No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre, which served as a primary thematic and stylistic inspiration for Thorn's later video work Men. Abuse. Trauma.
1966: Original Django film release
In 1966, the original Western film titled Django was released, which later served as the source material for a remake television series announced in 2021.
April 1993: Birth of Abigail Thorn
Abigail Thorn was born in April 1993 in England, eventually becoming a prominent YouTuber, actress, and playwright.
2012: Increase in university tuition fees
In 2012, university tuition fees in England increased, an event that served as the primary motivation for Thorn to start her educational channel.
2012: UK University Tuition Fee Increase
In 2012, university tuition fees in the United Kingdom tripled, an event that directly motivated Abigail Thorn to create her educational channel to offer free philosophical education.
May 2013: Launch of Philosophy Tube and First Video
In May 2013, Abigail Thorn launched her YouTube channel, Philosophy Tube, and uploaded her inaugural video titled "I think therefore I am," which focused on the work of René Descartes.
2013: Creation of Philosophy Tube
In 2013, Abigail Thorn launched the YouTube channel Philosophy Tube to offer free educational philosophy content following tuition fee hikes.
2015: Graduation from University of St. Andrews
In 2015, Abigail Thorn graduated from the University of St. Andrews with a Scottish Master of Arts in Philosophy, achieving the top ranking in her year.
2016: Participation in YouTube NextUp
In 2016, Abigail Thorn participated in YouTube NextUp, which was an intensive week-long training program designed specifically for content creators who had fewer than 100,000 subscribers at the time.
2017: Completion of Acting Training
During 2017, Thorn completed her training at the East 15 Acting School, earning a Master of Arts degree awarded by the University of Essex.
2018: Evolution of Philosophy Tube aesthetic
During 2018, the content on Philosophy Tube underwent a significant transformation, incorporating theatrical elements like professional studio sets, intricate lighting, costumes, and makeup.
2018: Release of Suic!de and Ment@l He@lth
In 2018, Abigail Thorn released the video titled Suic!de and Ment@l He@lth, which provided an examination of societal perspectives on mental health and shared her own experiences with self-harm and suicide attempts.
2018: Shift in Content Creation Strategy
In 2018, Abigail Thorn underwent a significant transformation in her creative process, transitioning to filming in a professional studio environment while incorporating costumes, makeup, props like snakes and horses, characters, and music. This shift in 2018 was fueled by her experiences at the 2018 VidCon conference, the influence of the ContraPoints channel, and her departure from an abusive relationship.
January 2019: Inspiration for charity stream
In January 2019, content creator hbomberguy conducted a video game stream that successfully raised £278,000 for the British transgender charity Mermaids, an event which later served as the inspiration for Abigail Thorn's own fundraising efforts.
July 2019: Release of Men. Abuse. Trauma.
In late July 2019, Abigail Thorn released the YouTube video titled Men. Abuse. Trauma., at the conclusion of which she announced her plans to read the Complete Works of Shakespeare to raise funds for the Samaritans charity.
October 2019: Coming out as bisexual
In October 2019, Abigail Thorn publicly shared her sexuality in her YouTube video titled 'Queer', where she officially came out as bisexual.
2019: Impact Assessment of Mental Health Content
By mid-2019, Abigail Thorn reported receiving daily correspondence from viewers stating that her 2018 video had successfully saved their lives.
2019: Twitch Livestream for Samaritans
In 2019, Abigail Thorn hosted a five-day livestream event on Twitch where she performed readings of plays from the Complete Works of Shakespeare to raise funds for the mental health charity Samaritans, ultimately collecting over £100,000.
January 2020: Academic Analysis of Philosophy Tube and BreadTube
In January 2020, researchers Dmitry Kuznetsov and Milan Ismangil published a report in tripleC identifying Abigail Thorn's channel, Philosophy Tube, as a prominent figure within the 'BreadTube' community. The study highlighted the channel's high production values, leftist themes, and use of academic citations. During this same period, Thorn released a video titled 'Climate Grief,' which analyzed climate change through various personas and referenced scholarly works including Timothy Morton's theories and Terry Eagleton's literature.
2020: Audiobook Narration of Axiom's End
In 2020, Abigail Thorn provided narration for the audiobook version of Lindsay Ellis's novel Axiom's End, working alongside Stephanie Willis. This performance earned her a joint nomination for an Audie Award in the Science Fiction category.
January 2021: Public Coming Out as Transgender
In January 2021, Abigail Thorn publicly announced that she is a transgender woman through the release of two distinct projects: the video titled Coming Out As Trans – A Little Public Statement and the theatrical piece Identity: A Trans Coming Out Story.
January 2021: Coming out as a trans woman
On 30 January 2021, Abigail Thorn publicly announced her transition and came out as a trans woman.
January 2021: Abigail Thorn comes out as a trans woman
On 30 January 2021, Abigail Thorn publicly announced her transition as a trans woman through a social media statement and an accompanying video titled Coming Out As Trans – A Little Public Statement. This event served as a feminist and anticapitalist appeal advocating for the legal rights, physical autonomy, and liberation of trans individuals in the United Kingdom, while also highlighting systemic issues such as healthcare barriers, media fearmongering, and the lack of transgender political representation.
February 2021: Launch of the Kill James Bond! podcast
In February 2021, Abigail Thorn joined hosts November Kelly and Devon to launch the film review podcast 'Kill James Bond!'. The podcast provides a socialist and feminist critique of the James Bond film franchise and eventually expanded to cover other spy series, becoming the number one film review podcast on Chartable in the UK.
May 2021: Casting announcement for Django
In May 2021, it was announced that Abigail Thorn would join the cast of the 10-episode television series Django, which serves as a remake of a classic Western film.
2021: BBC Interview Regarding Gender Transition
In 2021, Abigail Thorn participated in an interview with Ben Hunte for the BBC where she openly discussed the anxiety surrounding the public announcement of her transition. She expressed the feeling that keeping her transition private was no longer sustainable and reflected on the internal conflict she experienced while presenting as a man prior to transitioning.
2021: One Million Subscribers and Strategic Shift
In 2021, Abigail Thorn reached a milestone of one million subscribers on her Philosophy Tube channel. During an interview with Insider in 2021, she discussed the future of the channel, noting that its continuation depended on her acting career and that she had already conceptualized the final episode. She reflected on her success, citing her subscriber count, her status as a featured creator at the 2021 VidCon event, and her influence on other YouTube creators.
September 2022: Previews and Premiere of The Prince
In September 2022, Abigail Thorn's play 'The Prince' began preview performances on the 15th, followed by the official start of the performance run on 19 September 2022 at the Southwark Playhouse.
October 2022: Off West End run of The Prince
During September and October 2022, the play 'The Prince', written by and starring Thorn, completed its run Off West End. The production was a transgender-themed work that reimagined characters from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1.
October 2022: Conclusion of The Prince performance run
The performance run of the Off West End play 'The Prince', which centered on characters escaping Shakespeare's works, concluded on 8 October 2022.
2022: Performance in Ladhood series three
During 2022, Abigail Thorn appeared in the third series of the show Ladhood, released on BBC iPlayer, portraying the character Iona.
2022: Identifying as a trans lesbian
During an interview conducted in 2022, Abigail Thorn further clarified her identity by describing herself as a trans lesbian.
February 2023: Release of The Prince on Nebula
In February 2023, a filmed performance of the Off West End play 'The Prince', written by and starring Abigail Thorn, was released on the streaming platform Nebula.
November 2023: Announcement of Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend
In November 2023, it was announced that Abigail Thorn had written a short film titled Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend, which depicts a dinner conversation between two of the vampire's former romantic partners.
2023: Release of Django series
The 10-episode television remake of the Western film Django, featuring Abigail Thorn, was officially released to audiences in 2023.
February 2024: Production of Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend
The production phase for the short film Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend, featuring Abigail Thorn, Morgana Ignis, and Brandon Rogers, officially commenced in February 2024.
June 2024: Role in The Acolyte
In June 2024, Abigail Thorn appeared in the Star Wars television series The Acolyte, portraying the character Ensign Eurus.
August 2024: Role in House of the Dragon
In August 2024, Abigail Thorn played the character Sharako Lohar in an episode of the television series House of the Dragon.
September 13, 2024: Release of Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend
On September 13, 2024, the short film Dracula's Ex-Girlfriend was officially released to the public on the Nebula streaming platform.
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