Alexander J. Michaels (born October 16, 1983), stage name Alexis Michelle, is an American drag queen and singer who came to international attention on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. As of 2019, she stars in the TLC transformational makeover television series Dragnificent as the makeup and body image expert. She released her debut album, Lovefool, in 2018.
Early life Michaels was raised in SoHo, New York and on Long Island, New York. His cousin is singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb, and he is of Romanian-Jewish descent. After high school, he attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Green Lake Township, Michigan. He later received a BFA in musical theatre from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Michaels began doing drag when he was 10 years old, and began booking paid, professional gigs in 2003, by the time he was 20 years old. He was mentored by the same drag mother as season 10 contestant Dusty Ray Bottoms, and was seen wearing a "Dusty" T-shirt in the workroom during an episode of season nine. Later, on season ten, Dusty Ray Bottoms could be seen wearing an "Alexis" T-shirt. Michaels auditioned for RuPaul's Drag Race eight times, beginning with the show's earliest seasons, before being selected for season nine.
Career
As Alexis Michelle, Michaels originated a role in the one-act campy comedy show Rags to B***hes: A Battle of Wits & Wigs. Michelle was announced as one of the fourteen contestants selected to compete on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race on February 2, 2017. She was the winner of the celebrity impersonation and improv challenge, "Snatch Game" (based on classic game shows Hollywood Squares and Match Game), in which she portrayed actress Liza Minnelli. Two episodes later, she was in the bottom-two for her performance in the comedy roast challenge, but ultimately sent-home Farrah Moan to a lip sync-battle of Dolly Parton's "Baby I'm Burning". In episode eleven, she was in the bottom, again, with Peppermint; Michelle lost the lip sync to Peppermint, performing to the Village People's "Macho Man". This ultimately put Michelle in fifth place for her season.
Michelle still frequently performs at the Feinstein/54 Below cabaret with her show about Broadway, Alexis, I Am!. She also appeared with fellow Drag Race alumni BeBe Zahara Benet, Jujubee and Thorgy Thor in the TLC show Drag Me Down the Aisle which aired on March 9, 2019. The special was subsequently given a full series-order under the new name Dragnificent! which premiered in April 2020. In 2023, she was chosen to return and compete on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, in which she placed fourth overall.
In 2024, Michelle performed the role of Albin in the Barrington Stage Company production of La Cage aux Folles.
Michelle is the drag-mother of Jan Sport, who placed eighth on the twelfth season (2020) of Drag Race. The next year, Jan returned for the sixth season (2021) of All Stars, placing seventh overall.
Music Michelle teamed with Sasha Velour, Aja and Peppermint for the single "C.L.A.T." in April 2017.
Michelle released her ten-track debut album, Lovefool, on May 11, 2018. A music video for the single of the same name, a cover of the 1996 song by The Cardigans, was available on May 17, 2018.
Filmography Theatre Year Production Role Venue 2024La Cage aux FollesAlbinBarrington Stage Company
Television Year Title Role Notes 2017 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (contestant) Season 9, 5th place RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked Season 9 2019–20 Dragnificent!Herself Also known as Drag Me Down the Aisle 2019 The Rachael Ray Show Guest 2020 Hot Ones: The Game Show Contestant 2021 Blue Bloods Oscar/Bartender Episode: "Guardian Angels" 2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Herself (contestant) Season 8, 4th place RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked Herself Season 8Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenGuest
Web series YearTitleRoleNotesRef.2017Drag Queen CarpoolHerselfGuest, hosted by RuPaulDrag Makeup TutorialGuestWhatcha Packin'Guest, hosted by Michelle VisageCOSMO QueensGuestQueen To QueenGuest, with Charlie HidesHow To MakeupGuest2018Hey QweenGuestTransformationsGuest; Episode: "Alexis Michelle"Out of the ClosetGuest, Episode 4The Pit StopGuest, Episode: "The B*tchlor"2019Bootleg OpinionsGuest; Hosted by Yuhua Hamasaki2020The Pit StopGuest2023Meet the QueensStand-alone special RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 EW News Flash Guest BuzzFeed Celeb Guest React to TikTok Trends by Allure Guest
Music videos Year Title Artist Ref2017"Too Funky"Peppermint featuring Ari Gold 2018 "LOVEFOOL"Alexis Michelle2019"Rocking Around The Hanukkah Bush"Alexis Michelle
Discography Albums Year Title 2018 Lovefool
Singles Year Title 2017 C.L.A.T. (featuring Sasha Velour, Aja and Peppermint) 2018 Lovefool
As featured artist Year Title2023"Money, Success, Fame, Glamour" 2023 "Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical"(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8)
See also Drag culture in New York City LGBTQ culture in New York City List of LGBTQ people from New York City NYC Drag March NYC Pride March Transgender culture in New York City
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