Alexis Arquette was a popular transgender actress before her death. She was a strong activist for the LGBT community and was also known for her remarkable movie roles before and after her transition. Arquette played the character ‘Damien’ in Bride of Chucky and in other horror movies. The life and death of the popular actress remain one of the most talked about events in Holywood. Here is everything you need to know about Alexis Arquette.
Alexis Arquette – Early Life
She was born a biological male with the name Robert Arquette in Los Angeles, California. Acting and showbiz must have been a matter of heredity for the actress whose parents were known names in the industry. Her father, Lewis Arquette was an actor and also a director and her mother, Brenda Olivia was a poet, theatre operator, and an acting instructor.
It was not only her parents, Alexis became part of the Arquette acting dynasty which included her oldest sister Rosanna, an actress, her other siblings Patricia, David, and Richmond who toed the line of their parents and also landed themselves roles in popular movies.
Growing up, Alexis was always inclined and drawn to the feminine side of life, choosing to spend time with girls than with boys. She was also inclined to the performing arts, taking part in small plays. Her first appearance on TV was in 1982 as a character in the music video She’s a Beauty by The Tubes. She went on to make her debut on the big screen in 1986 in Down and Out in Beverly Hills. She earlier performed as a female impersonator with the name ‘Eva destruction’
Arquette soon made public her intentions of undergoing a sex reassignment surgery to change her gender from male to female. This was followed by an announcement that she had begun the process. Her next popular movie was the Last Exit to Brooklyn (1990), where she played ‘Georgette’, a trans sex worker. Alexis went on to appear in several independent films. She was most popular for Wedding Singer (1998), Pulp Fiction, and Threesome (1994), where she played a gay student.
She starred in over 40 movies, many of which were low budget. Another remarkable role played by Arquette was as a crack addict in the movie Jumpin’ at the Boneyard. Also, she starred in the comedy, Killer Drag Queens on Dope.
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In the early 2000s, Arquette starred in The Movie Hero, Lords of Dogtown and many other movies. In 2005, she appeared as a celebrity guest in the reality show The Surreal Life, the sixth season. In 2007, Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother, a documentary which showed the first steps of her sex-reassignment surgery was released and also starred Arquette. She also appeared as a celebrity guest judge on the premiere of Bravo’s reality show, Top design.
See Also: Biography of Shiloh Jolie Pitt, Angelina Jolie’s Daughter, and Her Transgender Moves
How Did She Die? Cause Of Death
Arquette started living with HIV in 1987 when she contracted the disease. While living with the disease, she suffered different forms of health issues resulting from her condition, but this did not deter her from wanting to change her sex from male to female. She held on to this decision until in 2004 when she made it known to the public.
After declaring her intentions, Arquette achieved her transitioning in 2006 when she was in her late 30s. After her transitioning she became an activist and ardent supporter for transgender people.
In her last years, Arquette suffered a lot of complications resulting from her HIV positive status. At some point, she began to identify as a man and later as a woman, admitting at a time that she was gender suspicious. Alexis died on September 11, 2016, after she was placed on a medically induced coma. Reports after her death confirmed she died of cardiac arrest resulting from her HIV status.
Alexis was surrounded by her family on the day she died. With David Bowie’s ‘Starman’ playing in the background, the family of the deceased gave their last respect to their beloved. Shortly after her death, her siblings took to different platforms to announce her passing, drawing tons of tribute from fans and friends.
Till date, Arquette’s family still hails her bravery and activism for transgender people when she was alive.