Alexis Michelle

Last updated

Alexis Michelle
DragCon 2023 @ DVSROSS Photgraphy -35 (cropped).jpg
Michelle at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023
Born
Alexander J. Michaels [1]

(1983-10-16) October 16, 1983 (age 40)
SoHo, Manhattan, New York, U.S. [2]
Education University of Michigan (BFA)
Occupation(s) Drag queen, singer
Years active2003–present
Television RuPaul's Drag Race (season 9) RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 8)
Relatives Lisa Loeb (cousin)

Alexander J. Michaels (born October 16, 1983), [3] stage name Alexis Michelle, [4] is an American drag queen and singer who came to international attention on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race . As of 2019, she stars in the TLC transformational makeover television series Dragnificent as the makeup and body image expert. She released her debut album, Lovefool, in 2018.

Contents

Early life

Michaels was raised on Long Island. He attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts and received a BFA in musical theatre from the University of Michigan. [5]

He started doing drag when he was 10 years old and had paid professional gigs starting in 2003. [6] His cousin is singer Lisa Loeb. [7] [8] He is of Romanian-Jewish descent. [9] He comes from the same drag mother as season 10 contestant Dusty Ray Bottoms. [10] He was seen wearing a Dusty T-shirt in the workroom in one of the episodes of season nine, and Bottoms wore an Alexis T-shirt in season 10. He auditioned for Drag Race eight times before being selected for season nine. [11]

Career

Alexis Michelle at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2018 Rupaul Dragcon 2018-175 (41356428824).jpg
Alexis Michelle at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2018

She originated a role in the one-act campy comedy show, Rags to B***hes: A Battle of Wits & Wigs. [12] Alexis Michelle was announced as one of fourteen contestants competing on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race on February 2, 2017. [13] She was the winner of the annual "Snatch Game" challenge in episode six, portraying Liza Minnelli. [14] She was in the bottom two in the comedy challenge two episodes later and eliminated Farrah Moan to a lip sync of Dolly Parton's "Baby I'm Burning". [15] In episode eleven, she was in the bottom two again with Peppermint, and lost a lip sync to the Village People's "Macho Man", placing Michelle in fifth. [16]

She frequently performs at the Feinstein/54 Below cabaret with her show about Broadway "Alexis, I Am!". [17]

Michelle appeared with BeBe Zahara Benet, Jujubee and Thorgy Thor in the TLC show Drag Me Down the Aisle which aired on March 9, 2019. [18] The special was subsequently given a full series order under the new name Dragnificent! premiered in April 2020. [19] In 2023, she competed on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars , and placed fourth overall. [20]

Michelle is the drag mother of Jan Sport, who placed eighth on the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[ citation needed ]

Music

Michelle teamed with Sasha Velour, Aja and Peppermint for the single "C.L.A.T." in April 2017. [21]

Michelle released her ten-track debut album, Lovefool, on May 11, 2018. [22] A music video for the single of the same name, a cover of the 1996 song by The Cardigans, was available on May 17, 2018. [23]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (contestant)Season 9, 5th place [13]
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked HerselfSeason 9
2019–20 Dragnificent! HerselfAlso known as Drag Me Down the Aisle [18]
2019 The Rachael Ray Show Guest [24]
2020 Hot Ones: The Game Show Contestant [25]
2021 Blue Bloods Oscar/BartenderEpisode: "Guardian Angels" [26]
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Herself (contestant)Season 8, 4th place [27]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked HerselfSeason 8
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen HerselfGuest [28]

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2017Drag Queen CarpoolHerselfGuest, hosted by RuPaul [29]
Drag Makeup TutorialGuest [30]
Whatcha Packin'Guest [31]
COSMO QueensGuest [32]
Queen To QueenGuest, with Charlie Hides [33]
How To MakeupGuest [34]
2018Hey QweenGuest [35]
TransformationsGuest; Episode: "Alexis Michelle" [36]
Out of the ClosetGuest, Episode 4 [37]
The Pit StopGuest, Episode: "The B*tchlor" [38]
2019Bootleg OpinionsGuest; Hosted by Yuhua Hamasaki [39]
2020The Pit StopGuest [40]
2023Meet the QueensStand-alone special
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8
[41]
EW News FlashGuest [42]
BuzzFeed Celeb Guest [43]
React to TikTok Trends by Allure Guest [44]

Music videos

YearTitleArtistRef
2017"Too Funky" Peppermint featuring Ari Gold [45]
2018"LOVEFOOL"Alexis Michelle [46]
2019"Rocking Around The Hanukkah Bush"Alexis Michelle [47]

Discography

Albums

YearTitle
2018Lovefool

Singles

YearTitle
2017C.L.A.T. (featuring Sasha Velour, Aja and Peppermint)
2018Lovefool
YearTitle
2023"Money, Success, Fame, Glamour" (Glam Rock version)
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8)
2023"Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical"
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8) [48]

See also

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References

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