Alexis Arquette
Alexis Arquette | |
|---|---|
 Arquette attending VH1's Daisy of Love' premiere party at My House, Hollywood, CA on April 26, 2009. | |
| Born | Robert Arquette July 28, 1969 |
| Other names | Eva Destruction |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1982-present |
Alexis Arquette (born Robert Arquette, July 28, 1969) is an American trans woman, actor, musician, and cabaret performer.
Early life
Arquette was born in Los Angeles, California to Brenda "Mardi" Olivia (née Nowak), an actor, poet, theater operator, activist, acting teacher and therapist, and Lewis Arquette, an actor and director.[1] Her paternal grandfather was comedian Cliff Arquette. Her mother was Jewish, the daughter of a Holocaust refugee from Poland,[2] and her father was a convert to Islam and a descendant of explorer Meriwether Lewis.[3][4][5][6] Arquette's siblings are actors Rosanna, Patricia, Richmond and David.
In 1982, at the age of twelve, Arquette's first job was as "this little kid who's on a ride with all these women and whatnot" in the music video "She's a Beauty" by The Tubes.[7] Four years later, Arquette debuted on the big screen with an uncredited bit part as Alexis, the white-faced friend and bandmate of the sexually ambivalent, angst-filled teenager Max Whiteman (Evan Richards)[8] in the comedy film Down and Out in Beverly Hills.[9]
Career
At twenty-two, Arquette landed her first significant acting role, playing a transvestite Georgette in Last Exit to Brooklyn. Sixteen years later, she went through her own transition from male to female, an experience that was documented in the film, Alexis Arquette: She's My Brother, which debuted at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.[10]
Lesser known than her siblings, the majority of her film work has been limited to low-budget or independent films. She also appeared in I Think I Do, Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror, Sometimes They Come Back... Again, and Killer Drag Queens on Dope,[11] among 40 other independent pictures.
Arquette has appeared in supporting roles in Pulp Fiction as well as mainstream films, including Threesome, Bride of Chucky and a memorable appearance as a Boy George fanatic in The Wedding Singer, singing "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" over and over. In 2001, Arquette played the Roman emperor Caligula in two episodes of the cult television show Xena: Warrior Princess. Also in 2001, Arquette guest starred in the Friends episode "The One with Chandler's Dad" as a waiter in drag, in the show's seventh season. She had a cameo appearance in Son of the Beach and in September 2005, VH1 announced her casting in an upcoming season of the reality show The Surreal Life.
On January 31, 2007, Arquette was a featured celebrity client and guest judge on the premiere episode of Bravo's television show Top Design, where she was described by one of the contestants as "Iggy Pop in drag". Arquette also made a cameo appearance in Robbie Williams' "She's Madonna" video. On February 26, 2007, Arquette was promoting the DVD Release of Killer Drag Queens on Dope[11] on The Adam Carolla Show. Danny Bonaduce, a co-host, asked Arquette if she had a penis. The question, and her refusal to answer, sparked an argument between Carolla, Bonaduce, and Arquette, ending in Arquette storming out of the studio.[12]
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Down and Out in Beverly Hills | Alexis | Uncredited Role |
| 1989 | Last Exit to Brooklyn | Georgette | |
| Death of a Schoolboy | Milan | ||
| 1990 | High Score | Yago/Freddie | |
| 1992 | Jumpin' at the Boneyard | Dan | |
| Miracle Beach | Lars | ||
| Terminal Bliss | Craig Murphy | ||
| Of Mice and Men | Whitt | ||
| 1993 | Ghost Brigade | Cpl. Dawson | Alternative titles: Grey Knight The Killing Box |
| Grief | Bill | ||
| Jack Be Nimble | Jack | ||
| 1994 | Frank & Jesse | Charlie Ford | |
| Threesome | Dick | ||
| Pulp Fiction | Man #4 | ||
| Don't Do It | David | ||
| 1995 | Paradise Framed | ||
| Days of the Pentecost | Mechanic | ||
| Frisk | Punk (Victim #3) | ||
| White Man's Burden | Panhandler | ||
| 1996 | Kiss & Tell | Amerod Burkowitz | |
| Sometimes They Come Back... Again | Tony Reno | Direct-to-video release | |
| Things I Never Told You | Paul | ||
| Never Met Picasso | Andrew Magnus | ||
| Scream, Teen, Scream | Lisa Marie | ||
| 1997 | Inside Out | Adam | |
| I Think I Do | Bob | ||
| Goodbye America | Paul Bladon | ||
| Close To | Deaf Mute | ||
| 1998 | Love Kills | James | |
| Fool's Gold | Mark | ||
| The Wedding Singer | George | ||
| Cleopatra's Second Husband | Alex | ||
| Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror | Greg | Direct-to-video release | |
| Bride of Chucky | Howard Fitzwater/Damien Baylock | ||
| 1999 | Out in Fifty | Kim | |
| Tomorrow by Midnight | Sidney | Alternative title: Midnight 5 | |
| She's All That | Mitch | ||
| Clubland | Steven | ||
| 2000 | Piccadilly Pickups | Henri de la Plus Ooh Arrgh | |
| The Price of Air | Willy | ||
| Boys Life 3 | Adam | Segment: Inside Out | |
| 2001 | The Woman Every Man Wants | Onix | Alternative title: Perfect Lover |
| Audit | Richard | ||
| 2002 | The Trip | Michael | |
| Spun | Moustache Cop | ||
| Boxer Shorts | Richard | Direct-to-video release | |
| 2003 | Killer Drag Queens on Dope | Ginger | Credited as Eva Destruction |
| The Movie Hero | Strange, Yet Attractive Woman | Alternative title: Frame of Mind | |
| Wasabi Tuna | Champagne Anna | ||
| 2005 | Lords of Dogtown | Tranny | Alternative titles: American Knights Dogtown Boys |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Alien Nation | John Barrymore | 1 episode |
| 1991 | The Hollow Boy | Werner Hauser | Television movie |
| 1994 | Lies of the Heart: The Story of Laurie Kellogg | Denver McDowell | Television movie |
| 1995 | Dead Weekend | McHacker | Television movie |
| Roseanne | Episode: "December Bride" | ||
| 1999 | The Strip | Cleo | 3 episodes |
| Beggars and Choosers | Larry | Unknown episodes | |
| 2000 | Felicity | Jim | 1 episode |
| 2000–2001 | Friends | The Customer The waiter in drag |
Episodes: "The One with Rachel's Sister" "The One with Chandler's Dad" |
| 2001 | Xena: Warrior Princess | Caligula | Episodes: "The God You Know" "You Are There" |
| Son of the Beach | Beverly | 1 episode | |
| 2005 | Wanted | Paula | 1 episode |
| 2008 | Californication | Lady In Jail | Episode: "The Great Ashby" |
References
- ^ "Rosanna Arquette Biography".
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (2002-10-08). "Arquette Reconnects". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved 2006-12-13.
- ^ Vallance, Tom (2001-02-16). "Obituary: Lewis Arquette". The Independent. Retrieved 2006-12-13.
- ^ "Patricia Arquette". Cranky Critic StarTalk.
- ^ "USA WEEKEND Magazine".
- ^ Hoggard, Liz (2006-08-18). "Patricia Arquette: The not-so-dippy hippie". London: Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
- ^ Lee, Chris (1998). "Interview with Alexis Arquette". indexmagazine. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
- ^ Alexis Arquette at IMDb
- ^ Down and Out in Beverly Hills at IMDb
- ^ Ali, Lorraine (May 13, 2007). "None of Us Are Safe". Newsweek.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b "Killer Drag Queen on Dope".
- ^ "The Official Adam Carolla Show Blog". 2007-02-26. Retrieved 2007-04-09.