Alexandra Grey
Alexandra Grey | |
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File:Alexandragreyactress.jpg | |
Born | Alexandra Elisha Grey January 4, 1991 (age 33) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Education | Crete-Monee High School[citation needed] |
Alma mater | California State University, Northridge |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
Years active | 2011–present |
Known for |
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Alexandra Elisha Grey (born January 4, 1991) is an American actress and musician, best known for her roles as Elizah Parks on Amazon's Transparent and Denise Lockwood on the NBC TV medical drama Chicago Med. She has since landed guest roles on Code Black, Doubt, Drunk History and the ABC mini-series When We Rise.[1]
Early life and education
Grey was born in Chicago.[2] She grew up in foster care.[3][2] Grey, a trans woman, stated in an interview, "I knew as early as 4 that I wanted to be a girl," but didn't know how to discuss this with her foster parents, stating "In the African‑American community, this stuff is not even up for discussion."[3]
After graduating from community college, Grey initially came out to her foster parents as gay. They were reluctant to accept her sexuality.[4][3] Once she told them she was transgender, they threw her out of the house.[4][3] She moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, and lived in an LGBT homeless shelter until she saved enough money to get her own place.[4] She attended California State University Northridge and studied theater.[2]
Career
Grey moved to Los Angeles with the hopes of beginning a career in singing or acting.[5] In 2016, she was cast as Elizah Parks in the third season of Transparent. Grey played a troubled foster youth living in South Central Los Angeles, California whom calls Maura played by Jeffrey Tambor on the LGBT suicide hotline for help. The season went on to win the GLAAD Media Award for Best Comedy Series and later earned seven Primetime Emmy Nominations in 2017.[3]
Grey also guest-starred on Season 2 of the CBS TV medical drama Code Black as Beth Jensen a young queer woman battling cancer.[6] She then guest-starred on Season 4 of the Comedy Central series Drunk History where she portrayed gay rights activist Marsha P. Johnson. Upon its release, the episode trended on Facebook for two days and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual TV Episode. The same year the episode was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards. Grey was even considered for an Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series nomination. On June 3, 2016, it was announced that she was cast alongside Michael K. Williams and Phylicia Rashad to play trans activist and pioneer Seville Anderson in the new ABC mini-series When We Rise. In the fall of 2016, she was cast in a recurring-guest role on Chicago Med, in which she plays Denise, the older sister of head charge nurse Maggie Lockwood.[7] She appeared as a guest star on the legal drama Doubt in 2017 with co-star Dule Hill. Grey played Delilah Johnson, a woman on trial for the murder of a famous athlete. The storyline was based off the real life story of CeCe McDonald.[8]
As a singer, Grey opened for singer-songwriter Zara Larsson in October 2016. As well as completed a 12 city summer music tour the same year.[5][9]
In 2017, transgender actors and actresses including Grey (with the help of GLAAD and ScreenCrush) were part of a filmed letter to Hollywood written by Jen Richards, asking for more and improved roles for transgender people.[10][11] In the fall of 2018, it was announced that she would star as Gossamer Bryant in the new coming of age drama Gossamer Folds alongside Shane West, Yeardley Smith, and Sprague Grayden. The drama tells the story of a friendship between a black midwestern transwoman and a 10 year old kid Jackson Robert Scott in 1980's Kansas City.[12][13]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | K-11 | Xandra Kayden | |
2012 | I Do | College Student | |
2013 | Baggage Claim | Kiele | |
2015 | The Fix | Alexis | |
2015 | Between The Miles | Dana Fields | |
2015 | Straight Outta Compton | News Reporter | Uncredited |
2016 | This Holiday | Erica | |
2018 | The Blue Sky | Lisah Blue | Post-production |
2019 | Gossamer Folds [14][15] | Gossamer Bryant | Lead |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Jess Like Me | Lisa Knight | 22 episodes (main role) |
2012 | DTLA | Eva | Episode: "Pilot" |
2015 | Glee | Erica | Episode: "Transitioning" |
Chasing Life | Kenya Martin | Episode: "As Long as We Both Shall Live" | |
2016 | Transparent | Elizah Parks | Episode: "Elizah"
Won - GLAAD Media Award for Best Comedy Series (2017) Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical (2017) Nominated - OFTA for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2017) Won - Dorian Award for LGBTQ TV Show of the Year (2017) |
Code Black | Beth | Episode: "Life and Limb" | |
Chicago Med | Denise Lockwood | Episode: "Natural History" | |
Drunk History | Marsha P. Johnson | Episode: "Bar Fights" Nominated - GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual TV Episode (2017) Nominated - Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series. (2017) | |
2017 | When We Rise | Seville | 2 episodes |
Doubt | Delilah Johnson | Episode: "Faith" | |
2018 | Palomino & Swissy | Rhonda Jordan | Recurring |
Razor Tongue | Ariel Adams | Series regular |
References
- ^ O'Shaughnessy, David (2016-04-02). "The Glaad Media Awards 2016". Entertainment.ie. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ a b c "Alexandra Grey: Celebrity Impressions and Seeing More Diverse Women on TV". AfterBuzz TV. January 16, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Stacey Wilson Hunt (September 28, 2016). "The Trans Talent Behind Transparent". Vulture. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ a b c Dawn Ennis (November 15, 2016). "Trans Actress Alexandra Grey's Journey From Homelessness To Prime Time: "We're Not Just Doing This To Be Famous"". Logo TV. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ a b Alex Schmider (October 5, 2016). "Alexandra Grey is the trans actress taking over fall TV". GLAAD. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ Petski, Denise (July 20, 2016). "Code Black: Camryn Manheim, Eric Roberts & Alexandra Grey To Guest Star In Season 2". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
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(help) - ^ Hearon, Sarah (2016-07-20). "TVLine Items: Code Black Guest Stars, The Rock Hits Muscle Beach and More". TVLine.com. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
- ^ Maria Elena Fernandez (September 8, 2016). "Alexandra Grey Cast in Guest Role on CBS's Doubt". Yahoo News. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ John Walker (September 27, 2016). "Meet Alexandra Grey, the breakout star of 'Transparent' season three". Fusion. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
- ^ "New Video Breaks Down Why Hollywood Needs Transgender Actors | HuffPost". Huffingtonpost.com. 2017. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
- ^ Reynolds, Daniel. "Trans Actors Ask Hollywood for Roles With Dignity and Depth in Open Letter". Advocate.com. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
- ^ https://deadline.com/2018/11/yeardley-smiths-paperclip-ltd-gossamer-folds-alexandra-grey-lisa-donato-lgbtq-diversity-inclusion-1202502237
- ^ https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Yeardley-Smiths-Paperclip-Ltd-and-Mill-House-Motion-Pictures-Announce-Gossamer-Folds-Drama-Begin-Principal-Photography-20181115
- ^ https://deadline.com/2018/11/yeardley-smiths-paperclip-ltd-gossamer-folds-alexandra-grey-lisa-donato-lgbtq-diversity-inclusion-1202502237
- ^ https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Yeardley-Smiths-Paperclip-Ltd-and-Mill-House-Motion-Pictures-Announce-Gossamer-Folds-Drama-Begin-Principal-Photography-20181115
External links
- African-American actresses
- LGBT African Americans
- LGBT entertainers from the United States
- LGBT people from California
- LGBT people from Illinois
- Transgender and transsexual actresses
- Transgender and transsexual women
- Living people
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from Chicago
- California State University, Northridge alumni
- 1991 births