Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniielle Alexis.
Hi Daniielle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
When anyone asks me about my life story, I feel every time in my soul, “This is why I need to start writing a book about my life”. Like a rollercoaster, my life has had many ups, downs and arounds and with this much darkness, there is always light. I grew up in a country town, Bunbury Western Australia, and I had one older sister at the time; my parents divorced when I was six and both re-married. The divorce was hard and created issues instantly, but my parents did their best.
I was always special, and by special, I mean I had a certain “Je ne sais quoi”. Whilst being extremely feminine, I still had the energy and spirit of a performer, so a lot of that was overlooked by the public. When you’re a child, sexuality and gender doesn’t really matter. I remember knowing instantly that I was who I was, I knew from age five that I was born into the wrong body, and then it was more of a strategic waiting game for the right time.
When you’re a young kid and you listen and learn so fast, you also learn what’s wrong in the world and hear all the hatred everyday towards things your family and friends don’t like. Trans and Gay were some for me. You listen to how they’re weird or freaks or laughable and it was internally heartbreaking to know how I felt inside was going to be judged so harshly by the world. Luckily for me, my mother was a beauty queen and stunning and kind-natured and I knew no matter what, she would support and love who I grew to be.
As I got older, I learned and grew even more as I discovered more of myself, and with that, I hid more and more. It’s like the more you figure yourself out, the more you fear your own shadow. Primary school to be honest was a breeze for me, I was popular as hell and even played Posh Spice in my year seven graduation and the crowd roared for me. High school on the other hand was a struggle from day one of grade 8. I never forget the depressive cloud that swallowed me as I rocked up to first day and all the boys of my primary school dispersed almost immediately and didn’t want to be associated with me. I asked myself “WHY?” but I knew why my femininity would cause issues for them, and young boys can’t be bothered with that. Luckily for me, I was smothered with love by a fierce group of girls. Each one of them had their own struggles, so they loved I was different and some of them being from different cultural backgrounds, embraced my femininity massively, protecting me from gang crime and abuse coming my way daily by older kids.
That kind of environment takes its toll on one’s soul. I remember as the years went on, my identity issues got worse and worse. I would swap and change my hair, my weight, my clothes, etc. anything to fit in a while still standing out, being asked if I was a girl or a boy, daily. Not calling myself old but back then things were so different, kids and youth of 2022 have no idea how hard it truly was back then. It was brutal.
Clutching onto hope, I ended up completing my high school studies at a local Christian school, knowing it was far more of a softer crowd and religious so I could fly under the radar and just get out of school and find myself. Almost instantly when I graduated, I went out to Perths top LGBTQ+ clubs Connections and Court Club and found myself for the first time. I stared into the crowds of sequins, feathers, glitter, and strobe lights and watched people dancing like they were in a movie and as I stood there like I was on a set of Moulin Rouge, I knew who I was and what I needed to do. I met a stunning woman one night on the door of the club and she said, “You remind me of me when I was a boy”. My jaw hit the floor and I scurried away. She later came up to me and told me she knew what I was going through internally and would offer me any help she could. Within a week, Kandi (Ash) took me to a Perth hormonal specialist, and I began hormone therapy. I told my family instantly and to be honest they weren’t surprised. Mum said she was waiting for this day till I was comfortable to open up.
That decision and moment brought on the brightest darkest rollercoaster I could imagine. Within six months, I was almost completely passable to the public and gaining massive attention from men and respect from people I never had before. My body changed so fast my mind could barely keep up! I strongly remember a moment where a group of guys swerved and pulled over at a gas station screaming out at me. I froze because of past traumas and then they yelled, “YOU’RE F$%KING HOT” and drove off. I couldn’t believe it!!! “Wow am I really that girl now I thought?”
When I say the darkest rollercoaster, I mean with the twists and turns of life, as much beautiful moments of love, beautiful identity, and friendships there was physically, mental and sexual trauma, friends passing away, taking their lives, men causing me trauma, physical and mental pressures to myself daily and then after all of that, surgical complications. There were many times I wanted to give up, that’s how truly bad it got but then somehow months later, my life would peak to extreme blessings and high moments. That’s what always got me through.
Speed forward, I made an oath to myself that all I’ve ever wanted to do was be an actress. I stopped training and trying around my transition because I wanted to focus on myself, but now it was time to come back with a vengeance and do what I was born to do. I got an amazing job in mining in Western Australia where I literally worked in mining camps in the Australian desert, and on my breaks, I would find any Aus directors, producers, and casting agents I could find. I reached out to each one of them personally. I would say after 300 emails I got a few replies from some very big names who were blown away with my story and courage. At the time, I was telling them I’m still in the closet living stealth and the world had no idea I was trans. The reason I was telling these industry professionals my truth was that I knew as soon as I became successful in the public eye, I would be outed in some kind of vicious way, and I wanted to own my story in my own way.
After almost a year of networking, I was invited to audition for two iconic Australian TV shows, Neighbors and Wentworth. After multiple auditions and hard work, I landed my first big role on Wentworth Season 5, playing Dana Malouf. At the time, Wentworth was airing worldwide in 140 countries. I thought to myself, “OMG you have made it”. After a flood of media productions, I came out publicly as a proud trans woman to my entire country via magazine and TV interviews. I felt so inspired and truly proud of myself. In almost every interview, I would cry because it was so raw and real for me and people watching began to flood me with love and support. Of course, there was extreme hate and jealousy too, but mostly people were just so proud of me. As they say, when you get a taste of success you want more, so at this point, I knew I needed to raise the bar.
After wrapping Wentworth, I traveled to Los Angeles alone in search of an American management team to believe in me and sign me, so I could have international management. I met some incredible agents, some at the top of the US’s biggest companies, who gave me their time because of my inspiring story but all encouraged me to keep working hard and trying.
I remember like it was yesterday when I got a reply from ATN ENTERTAINMENT to come in for a meeting, and I was leaving L. A few days later. I went into the meeting with so much raw emotion inside of me, I felt like it was now or never. After an extremely detailed and real moment with CEO Jennifer DaRe, she told me that, in fact she will be signing me to her books and not only that but helping me start my journey to get an O1 working visa to live in LA. I could not believe this was happening, each hour and each day was my DREAMS IN REALITY, and I knew I had so much to live for. I knew it was going to be lengthy and extremely hard to get through the process whilst waiting. I did more acting projects in Australia and worked in the Australian mining industry earning top dollars to fund my lawyers and travels. Not only was I selected for a mining traineeship to drive 500 ton Haul trucks for BHP (Billion-dollar industry) but I was slowly preparing to move to LA to live my dreams.
On February 7th, 2021, at the peak of Covid, I jumped on a plane and moved country for the first time ever. It was so hard to say goodbye to my parents and friends. Tears flowed, but I knew I had a huge purpose. After hitting the ground running, LA embraced me and all my friends and management team were so happy to have me. Since arriving, I have worked on projects with huge names in the industry, pinching myself each night when I go to sleep, reminding myself I can achieve anything I put my mind to. I now have a team of four (a manager, theatrical agent, commercial agent and international Australian agents). I remind myself every week of my strengths and my achievements, one of them being that I am the first Australian-born Transgender women in history to work in the Hollywood Acting industry, and outside of my acting accolades, I have been invited as a member of the Underground Ballroom scene by Icon Jack Mizrahi, to be in the Gorgeous House of Gucci. I have walked ten balls in 2021 and won 7 trophies for Fem Queen Face and Realness and was titled the first Australian ever in American Ballroom Scene, another tick in history for my country and brought me to tears of joy.
All in all, as I said, my life has been a whirlwind, but somehow, I know it’s just the beginning. I’m not your conventional girl next door, I am real-life amazon filled with curves and glamor, and I am talented. I have heart. I am raw. I am ME. I know in every section of the acting world there are roles for women like me. I am now an important part of the US entertainment industry, representing not only trans women but women and showing the industry that we deserve a seat at the table. Also, that I can offer as much talent, if not more as anyone else in my peer group. I encourage anyone with a dream to go for it because if you dare to dream, you may just live your DREAM LIFE.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a tv and film actress specializing in tv, film, short film, advertisement history in personal training and mining, personal training certificate 4.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking.
So many major risks, but I would say my biggest risk was coming out worldwide and moving country with no guarantees.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @daniiellealexis
- Facebook: @daniialexis
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DaniielleAlexisyoutube
Image Credits
James DiPietro headshots
