With 90k followers on Instagram and an appearance on Ellen already under his belt at the age of 18, it's safe to say that Alexander is a public figure, especially for LGBTQ young people who avidly watch his . The casting of out gay actors Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz paved the way for del Barrio and Alexander. Alexander was born in Salt Lake City, Utah,[7] to an American father and a Vietnamese mother. This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. The ID is used for targeted ads. He is especially active with his fan base on Twitter where he often retweets and replies to their messages. This doesnt only apply to cisgender peoplethere are certainly others within the LGBTQ community that still have a limited understanding of gender identity and expression. That's something I've come to the realization of very, very recently, like within the past few months. This Transgender Teen is On Netflix's New Show "The OA" CMPS cookie is set by CasaleMedia for anonymous user tracking based on user's website visits, for displaying targeted ads. "In a way, to put on that wig and to put on that costume, it. Now, at the ripe old age of 19, the out transgender actor the first out trans. [12][13][14][15] As of late 2020 Alexander adopted the use of they/them,[16] shortly thereafter identifying as non-binary and preferring the use of they/them while accepting the alternative use of he/him. Ian Alexander Jr., the son of Oscar-winner Regina King, died by suicide on Friday night. Here are five things to know about Alexander, according to themself: Watch the full interview, in which Alexander answers questions from fans, below: Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I mean, we've always existed and we've always existed everywhere. Ian also retweets posts from other members of the LGBT community to help raise awareness. Co-showrunner Paradise has the last word on that: "After getting a new body and settling into it over the course of the season, Gray is finally ready to restart his training so he can fulfill his dream of becoming a Guardian. TPM: How has that definition changed throughout your transition? The interdimensional sci-fi Netflix series The OA from Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij is, like many of their projects, unapologetic when it comes to having a complex narrative that would make . You don't have to engage. Will the show always hold a special place in your heart for that reason? Discovery respectively, engineer Paul Stamets and Dr. Culber. Meanwhile, Alexander spent time with his grandparents in Utah, taking a break from Twitch and playing Dungeons & Dragons with other members of the cast. [31], As of late 2020 Alexander adopted the use of, "Transgender Actor Ian Alexander, The Newest 'Star Trek' Star, Didn't Get The Part He Auditioned For", "Star Trek Discovery | Interview with Gray, Ian Alexander | Transgender Rep & More", "Actor Ian Alexander blazes a cosmic trail as 1st transgender 'Star Trek' character", "Logo Live interview with Star Trek Discovery's Ian Alexander | Logo", "Star Trek's Blu del Barrio & Ian Alexander Transgalactic Heroes", "16-Year-Old Trans Actor Ian Alexander Is Bringing Queer Power to the Big Screen", "The OA's Ian Alexander on His Big Acting Debut and Trans Representation", "Everything In My Life Changed When A Hit TV Show Cast Me As A Transgender Teen", "The OA Part II | Ian Alexander on Becoming Buck Vu", "People Can't Handle This Trans Teen's Response To This Viral Anti-Trans Photo", "Casting Call: Netflix series seeks Asian Transgender Teen", "How Netflix's Newest Teen Actor Landed His Job on Tumblr", "Ian Alexander is Lev. Ian Alexander (born April 20, 2001) is an American actor, known for their [a] roles as Buck Vu on The OA, Lev in The Last of Us Part II, and Gray Tal on Star Trek: Discovery . Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. I dont have to have everything figured out now, and neither does anyone else. Ian had his first acting career through a role in Netflix's mystery drama, The OA. Important enough that the creator of the trans Pride flag, Monica Helms, personally shipped two pink, white, and blue banners to del Barrio and Alexander to acknowledge their impact. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Trans men think a lot about masculinity because we have to: We are socialized later than cis boys into our gender identities, and can clock gendered expectations with a unique awareness. Few Americans know a transgender man. This week, like last week, the series writers did not introduce either Adira or Gray as LGBTQ. Maybe, like his own career, it was all one big, marvelous beginning. Much of this weeks episode centers on the crews effort to help Adira recall repressed memories that could hold the key to their future, now that the U.S.S. Actor Ian Alexander played Buck Vu on The OA on Netflix Netflix Sci-fi fans saw Ian Alexander grow up before their [] It humbles me every single time I get a message or see a comment that says, I came out because of Ian Alexander or I saw Ian Alexander and realized I was trans. It warms my heart. Continue reading for 10 things you didn't know. I want to see trans people every day in the film industry. Season two of The OA is streaming on Netflix now. I think she just hadnt tried referring to me that way before because she was scared to. I can also be defensive of the people I love, not in an aggressive way where Ill initiate unnecessary conflict but in the sense that Im willing to stand up for them if they cant defend themselves. Published on January 24, 2022 01:47 PM A week before the death of Regina King 's son, Ian Alexander Jr., by suicide, the deejay reflected on his relationship with social media. The __qca cookie is associated with Quantcast. Ahead of the seasons release, them. I love that I am really letting go of my last little bits of self-judgment., Im fully wearing and doing whatever I want, whatever makes me happy. This information is then used to understand when and how often users will see a certain banner. But especially for people who are trans, they are so happy to finally see our stories being reflected in mainstream media. ", Del Barrio, 24, credited both the team in front of the camera and behind the scenes. This cookie is set by the provider Media.net. It also helps in fraud preventions. All trans people have this past self, and I think of Michelle as sort of a resurrection of Bucks past self. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Ian is very active on social media. In Netflixs critically acclaimed show The OA, the titular Original Angel recruits a league of high school outcasts for a mysterious project. There is nothing wrong with crying or expressing your frustrations in a way that doesnt damage yourself or others. The Untold Story Behind Lev's Voice in The Last of Us Part II - Wired