Alexis Michelle

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.

Alexis Michelle
Michelle at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023
Born
Alexander J. Michaels[1]

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

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

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.

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

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (contestant) Season 9, 5th place [13]
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked Herself Season 9
2019–20 Dragnificent! Herself Also 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/Bartender Episode: "Guardian Angels" [26]
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Herself (contestant) Season 8, 4th place [27]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked Herself Season 8
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Herself Guest [28]

Web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 Drag Queen Carpool Herself Guest, hosted by RuPaul [29]
Drag Makeup Tutorial Guest [30]
Whatcha Packin' Guest [31]
COSMO Queens Guest [32]
Queen To Queen Guest, with Charlie Hides [33]
How To Makeup Guest [34]
2018 Hey Qween Guest [35]
Transformations Guest; Episode: "Alexis Michelle" [36]
Out of the Closet Guest, Episode 4 [37]
The Pit Stop Guest, Episode: "The B*tchlor" [38]
2019 Bootleg Opinions Guest; Hosted by Yuhua Hamasaki [39]
2020 The Pit Stop Guest [40]
2023 Meet the Queens Stand-alone special
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8
[41]
EW News Flash Guest [42]
BuzzFeed Celeb Guest [43]
React to TikTok Trends by Allure Guest [44]

Music videos

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

Discography

Albums

Year Title
2018 Lovefool

Singles

Year Title
2017 C.L.A.T. (featuring Sasha Velour, Aja and Peppermint)
2018 Lovefool
Year Title
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

References

  1. "Alexander J Michaels". Ancestry Institute. Ancestry. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  2. Vilhena, Arthur. "Who's That Queen? Alexis Michelle". draglicious.com (in Portuguese). Draglicious. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  3. @AlexisLives (October 16, 2019). "🎂36🎂. #birthday #happybirthday #cake #alexismichelle #alex #rpdr #dragrace #dragme #libra #libraseason #october #halloween #nyc #newyork @ Chuck E. Che" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  4. "Check Out Alexis Michelle's Best Musical Moments Before She Competes on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  5. "Alex/Alexis | U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance". Archived from the original on June 15, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  6. "The WERRRK.com Interview: Alexis Michelle -". August 19, 2014. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  7. "Lisa Loeb on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on October 6, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  8. "Lisa Loeb". Cabaret Scenes. June 13, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  9. "5 Jewish drag queens slaying the competition". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  10. "Dusty Ray Bottoms Opens Up About Progress With Her Family and Her Brand-New Single". Hornet Stories. April 14, 2018. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  11. "'Drag Race' Season 9 Star Alexis Michelle on Drag, Activism & Boyfriends". March 20, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  12. Wild, Stephi (September 23, 2021). "AMITYVILLE '74 Comes to InterACT Next Month". Broadway World. Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  13. "RuPaul's Drag Race Cast | logotv.com". Logo TV. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  14. "Carson Kressley Dishes On Who's Coming Back To 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Next Season". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  15. Sava, Oliver. "RuPaul's Drag Race delivers an undercooked roast of Michelle Visage". TV Club. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  16. Transmitter (June 4, 2017), Alexis Michelle vs Peppermint – RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9, archived from the original on March 6, 2020, retrieved June 28, 2018
  17. "RuPaul's Drag Race's Alexis Michelle Returns to Feinstein's/54 Below With New Show Alexis, I Am! | Playbill". Playbill. January 23, 2018. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  18. "'Drag Me Down The Aisle' Is The New Drag Queen Wedding Show We All Need". scarymommy. February 15, 2019. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  19. "4 Beloved Drag Queens Help Fans with Life-Changing Makeovers in TLC's Dragnificent!". PEOPLE.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  20. Nolfi, Joey (April 20, 2023). "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8' cast of returning queens revealed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  21. DJ Mitch Ferrino (April 21, 2017), Aja, Alexis Michelle, Peppermint & Sasha Velour – C.L.A.T. (Feat. DJ Mitch Ferrino) [Official Video], archived from the original on August 2, 2018, retrieved June 28, 2018
  22. "Alexis Michelle: Lovefool". Broadway Records. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  23. Alexis Michelle (May 17, 2018), Alexis Michelle – LOVEFOOL (official music video), archived from the original on March 5, 2020, retrieved June 28, 2018
  24. "Makeup Tutorial: Contouring With Drag Queen Alexis Michelle". YouTube. March 6, 2019. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  25. Rudolph, Christopher (January 16, 2020). "Alexis Michelle Gets Messy in New "Hot Ones" Game Show Preview". Vulture. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  26. Byrne, Craig (April 9, 2021). "Blue Bloods Tonight: "Guardian Angels"". KSiteTV. Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  27. Nolfi, Joey (April 20, 2023). "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 cast of returning queens revealed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  28. "WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE WITH ANDY COHEN Episode 20155 Pictured: Scarlet Envy, Heather Gay, Tina Burner, Jackie Goldschneider, Alexis Michelle". Gettyimages.co.uk. September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  29. Logo (March 26, 2017), Drag Queen Carpool: Alexis Michelle | RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 | Now on VH1!, archived from the original on March 7, 2020, retrieved September 14, 2019
  30. WOWPresents (June 8, 2017), Drag Makeup Tutorial: Alexis Michelle's Iconic Look | RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 | Now on VH1, archived from the original on December 29, 2019, retrieved September 14, 2019
  31. Logo (June 5, 2017), Whatcha Packin' w/ Michelle Visage & Alexis Michelle | RuPaul's Drag Race (Season 9 Episode 11), archived from the original on June 5, 2017, retrieved September 14, 2019
  32. Cosmopolitan (July 19, 2017), Alexis Michelle | COSMO Queens | Cosmopolitan, archived from the original on April 20, 2023, retrieved September 14, 2019
  33. Logo (June 17, 2017), Queen To Queen: Charlie Hides & Alexis Michelle | RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 | Now on VH1, archived from the original on April 7, 2020, retrieved September 14, 2019
  34. WOWPresents (December 25, 2017), Alexis Michelle's Perfect Pouty Mouth: HOW TO MAKEUP, archived from the original on March 5, 2020, retrieved September 14, 2019
  35. Hey Qween (February 25, 2018), ALEXIS MICHELLE on Hey Qween! with Jonny McGovern | Hey Qween, archived from the original on April 20, 2023, retrieved September 14, 2019
  36. WOWPresents (March 6, 2018), Alexis Michelle: TRANSFORMATIONS with James St. James, archived from the original on April 20, 2023, retrieved September 14, 2019
  37. Logo (May 15, 2018), That Liza Life' Out of the Closet w/ Alexis Michelle Ep. 4 | Logo, archived from the original on January 17, 2020, retrieved September 14, 2019
  38. VH1 (February 12, 2018), The Pit Stop: Season 3 Episode 3: 'The B*tchelor' | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3, archived from the original on March 5, 2020, retrieved September 14, 2019
  39. YuhuaHamasaki (May 11, 2019), ALEXIS MICHELLE joins BOOTLEG OPINIONS: Season 11 Episode 11!, archived from the original on December 25, 2019, retrieved September 14, 2019
  40. RuPaul's Drag Race (May 11, 2019), The Pit Stop S12 E8 | Alexis Michelle & Bob The Drag Queen Kiki About Droop | RuPaul's Drag Race, archived from the original on April 22, 2020, retrieved April 18, 2020
  41. RuPaul's Drag Race (April 20, 2023), Meet the Queens of All Stars 8! 🌟 | QUEEN RUVEAL | RuPaul's Drag Race AS8 👠✨, archived from the original on April 20, 2023, retrieved April 20, 2023
  42. Alexis Michelle Reflects on Tamar Braxton and Green Pre-Drag Race All Stars 8 | Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly. April 26, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  43. The Queens Of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8" Play Who's Who. BuzzFeed Celeb. May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  44. RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars S8 Queens React to TikTok Trends | Allure. Allure. May 30, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  45. Peppermint (April 14, 2017), Peppermint | Too Funky (ft Ari Gold & the cast of Rupaul's Drag Race season 9), archived from the original on August 2, 2019, retrieved July 9, 2019
  46. Alexis Michelle (May 17, 2018), Alexis Michelle – LOVEFOOL (official music video), archived from the original on March 5, 2020, retrieved August 19, 2019
  47. XS Studios (December 5, 2018), Rocking Around the Hanukkah Bush (Alexis Michelle) [Music Video], archived from the original on March 7, 2020, retrieved August 19, 2019
  48. "Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical". Spotify. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
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