Connect with us

Arts & Entertainment

Transgender actor Ian Alexander says ‘The OA’ helped his family accept his identity

The ‘OA’ star won the role after seeing an open casting call

Published

on

Ian Alexander on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’ (Screenshot via YouTube)

Transgender actor Ian Alexander opened up on how working on the Netflix series “The OA” helped his family accept his identity in an interview with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

Alexander, 17, shared how he first began to understand he was transgender through watching YouTube videos when he was younger.

“I was really just watching these videos on YouTube, like starting testosterone and top surgery videos and all this stuff. I didn’t really make the connection as to why I was so intrigued by these videos and so invested,” Alexander says. “It wasn’t until I was 13 when I met other trans people for the first time and I was like, ‘Wait, you’re allowed to do that? You’re allowed to change your pronouns and your name?’ That really gave me the courage to come out and accept who I was.”

Alexander says he comes from a religious family and they didn’t understand how he could be certain of his identity at such a young age. However, working on sci-fi series “The OA” helped them to better understand Alexander.

“They were kind of just like, ‘You’re too young. You don’t really understand what this means,'” Alexander says. “I think being on ‘The OA’ actually really helped them realize that I can be happy and I can be successful as a trans person and as a queer person,” he said. “Being on set for ‘The OA’was the first time I heard my mom use my correct name and pronouns, so that made my heart soar and made me realize they can accept this and other people can accept this and I can be just fully accepted for who I am in this environment.”

“The OA” creator, writer and co-star Brit Marling also appeared with Alexander and said she specifically wanted a 14-year-old Asian-American transgender actor to portray the role of Buck.

“They were telling us at the time, ‘You’re not gonna find all three of these things in the casting world,'” Marling recalled.

Marling says she put a notice for an open casting call online and received 400 submissions. Alexander, who is half Vietnamese and was 14 years old at the time, found the open casting call notice while scrolling through Tumblr and decided to audition.

Alexander revealed to DeGeneres that he hoped to see the Jordan Peele horror film “Us” for his 18th birthday but didn’t have enough money due to the high cost of living in Los Angeles and paying for health care.

“Living in L.A. is expensive, as you guys probably know. I also have a dog and a car, which have a lot of unexpected expenses,” he said. “I’m starting testosterones next week, which is something that I feel like I need in order to survive as a trans person, so I will be spending a lot of money on health care,” Alexander says.

In true DeGeneres fashion, the talk show host gifted Alexander a lifetime supply of move tickets from Fandago.

“The OA” season two is currently streaming on Netflix.

Watch the full interview below.

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Photos

PHOTOS: Helen Hayes Awards

Gay Men’s Chorus, local drag artists have featured performance at ceremony

Published

on

Members of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington as well as local drag artists joined hosts Mike Millan and Felicia Curry with other performers for a WorldPride dance number at the Helen Hayes Awards on Monday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 41st Helen Hayes Awards were held at The Anthem on Monday, May 19. Felicia Curry and Mike Millan served as the hosts.

A performance featuring members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and local drag artists was held at the end of the first act of the program to celebrate WorldPride 2025.

The annual awards ceremony honors achievement in D.C.-area theater productions and is produced by Theatre Washington.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Continue Reading

Photos

PHOTOS: D.C. Trans Pride

Schuyler Bailar gives keynote address

Published

on

D.C. Trans Pride 2025 was held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on May 17. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

2025 D.C. Trans Pride was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on Saturday, May 17. The day was filled with panel discussions, art, social events, speakers, a resource fair and the Engendered Spirit Awards. Awardees included Lyra McMillan, Pip Baitinger, Steph Niaupari and Hayden Gise. The keynote address was delivered by athlete and advocate Schuyler Bailar.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Continue Reading

a&e features

Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C

Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

Published

on

Gay Pride Day 1976 (Washington Blade archive photo)

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

D.C.’s Different Drummers march in the 2006 Capital Pride Parade. (Washington Blade archive photo by Adam Cuthbert)

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies. 

Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays. 

The 1995 Lesbian and Gay Freedom Festival was held on Freedom Plaza on June 18. (Washington Blade archive photo by Clint Steib)

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.

We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.

I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.

The D.C. Black Gay Men & Women’s Community Conference table at Gay Pride Day in 1978. (Washington Blade archive photo by Jim Marks)
A scene from 1985 Gay and Lesbian Pride Day. (Washington Blade archive photo by Doug Hinckle)
A scene from the 1988 Gay and Lesbian Pride Day. (Washington Blade archive photo by Doug Hinckle)
A scene from the Capital Pride Block Party in 2018. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)
Keke Palmer performs at the 2024 Capital Pride Festival. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Continue Reading

Popular