According to Alexa she was nothing like Maddy in high school because she was “a loner,” didn’t go to parties, wasn’t a cheerleader, and kept to herself.
1.
Euphoria star Alexa Demie is a Los Angeles native who was born in East Hollywood, grew up in the Atwater Village neighborhood of the city, and went to high school in Los Feliz.
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2.
Though she appeared in shows like Ray Donovan and Love, her big-screen break came when she starred in Jonah Hill’s 2018 film Mid90s as Estee.
3.
If it seems like Alexa is mysterious on social media, it’s because she is. She told People En Español that she’s a very private person who likes her space and more-so uses her Instagram as a digital mood board to “create characters.” She said, “I think you can even see in my Instagram. You don’t really get to know too much of my personality.”
4.
She wasn’t like her Euphoria character Maddy in high school. She says she was “quite a loner,” didn’t go to parties, wasn’t a cheerleader, and kept to herself.
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5.
Speaking of high school, as a teen she started her own sunglasses line, called Mainframe. According to Dazed, she would purchase a box of wholesale sunglasses and then decorated them with jewels. This initially began as just a hobby for her.
Alexa had a friend who worked at a shop on Melrose Avenue in LA, who then connected her with the shop’s owner. She told comedian Nathan Fielder on The A24 Podcast, “She showed him the sunglasses, he showed his partner in Japan, and he ended up, like, making an order.”
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After that, her sunglasses were then sold by the partner’s boutique in Japan, where they later became a hit in Asia, as well as worn by A-list stars. “This huge artist over there, G-Dragon, he wore them. They made a doll of him wearing them. Then, I don’t know, J.Lo and Nicki Minaj, and all these people wore them. So I was traveling a lot to Japan and Taiwan and all of these places to show the glasses at trade shows and stuff like that.”
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Alexa told InStyle, “J.Lo wore them on SNL, which was incredible because I’m not only obsessed with J.Lo, but I’m also obsessed with SNL.”
She stopped designing them when she realized she was getting taken advantage of business-wise and not being paid for her work.
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6.
At one point she assisted Nicki Minaj’s stylist and helped design looks for some of Nicki’s earlier videos.
7.
As a kid, Alexa used to sketch designs and thought she’d grow up to be a designer. She even got into Otis College of Art and Design and went to orientation, but dropped out soon after when she realized school just wasn’t for her.
As it turns out, design is still in her DNA. She recently collaborated with Balenciaga on three custom looks for the night of the Season 2 premiere of Euphoria.
8.
Alexa describes her personal style as “more tomboy” and that playing Maddy pulls her out of her comfort zone.
She told InStyle, “It was fun with her because I got to really explore a more feminine side and wear a lot of skirts and little matching sets and stuff, which is not really how I dress in my real life.”
9.
Clothing design isn’t her only focus. She also designed a whole school for children that nurtures and honors their creativity, and she hopes to get it built one day in the future. She told Cultured Magazine, “I don’t want to just stunt on Instagram, I want to be a part of something that makes moves.”
10.
Her mother, Rose Mendez, is a makeup artist, writer, and producer and one Alexa’s biggest influences.
Alexa is in the process of producing a feature film about her mom’s life, who immigrated from Mexico to LA as a baby. The film will follow Rose’s life in the ’80s Hollywood club scene, with Alexa playing her mother.
As you know, Alexa’s Euphoria character Maddy is in an abusive relationship with Nate, so Alexa told the NY Times that she “[uses] [her] mom for a lot of things,” and “recalled growing up in a home with nonstop screaming and fighting.” She said, “I think I feel her pain really strongly. I tell my mind I’m releasing the pain, to heal it.”
11.
Due to her tumultuous relationship with her stepdad, Alexa left home as a teen and had to look for jobs to support herself. She told People En Español, “When I left home, I was sleeping on friends’ couches and living in an acting studio at one point.”
While speaking on her rocky past she told Cultured Magazine, “Everything from my music to acting, writing and how I carry myself in the world is all because of that.”
12.
Alexa almost quit acting before Euphoria because she hated the auditioning process and because it became increasingly difficult to land any roles.
She told The A24 Podcast, “It was really hard, especially because I feel like a lot of the lead roles I would go out for would go to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl. Even for Maddy, I think some people saw her as that. They didn’t really see her as me, so I had to go in and prove myself too.”
13.
She now avoids the stereotypical “spicy Latina” roles and says she had a long talk with her team about that and is very picky and selective with what she takes on.
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15.
On top of making her own music videos, Alexa has also appeared in music videos for artists such as Azealia Banks in “ATM jam (Kaytranada edition)“…
…and JMSN in “Love 2 U.” But Alexa didn’t just appear in JMSN’s music video; she directed the whole damn thing herself. 👏🏽
16.
Prior to landing Euphoria, Alexa auditioned for a role in the 2018 film Never Goin’ Back, which was directed by Augustine Frizzell. She didn’t get the role, but Augustine liked Alexa and told her they’d work together in the future. Augustine was later hired to direct the pilot of Euphoria, and was in the audition room when Alexa auditioned for the part of Maddy.
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Alexa actually ran into the actor who DID get the role in Never Goin’ Back during her Euphoria audition, except this time it was obviously Alexa who landed the part.
17.
That iconic black dress she wore in the Season 2 premiere episode of Euphoria was fully her idea. She told W Magazine that she wasn’t connecting to anything the stylist presented to her at the time, so she looked to her friend, designer Aidan Euan, and picked out the black dress herself. Kim Kardashian had pulled it first but hadn’t worn it, so it eventually made its way to Alexa.
Aidan, who owns the clothing brand Akna, also designed the matching outfits Maddy and Cassie wore in Season 2, Episode 3.
18.
Creating the makeup for Maddy on Euphoria was also a collaborative experience. She made three extensive mood boards for her look on the show, and the makeup artists were always receptive to the ideas Alexa brought to the table. She would also often do her own wing since it’s her “signature thing.”
19.
She sees Mexican actor María Félix as one of her first inspirations and would love to play her in a future biopic. She told Cultured Magazine, “She [María] was so beautiful and strong. She could play the stunning princess, and then she would be riding a horse in a cowboy hat and button-down, playing tough. Her strength was so inspiring.”
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20.
Alexa told the NY Times that while she keeps booking dark and dramatic roles, she goes to stand-up shows for laughs because “[her] soul and spirit crave comedy.”
Speaking on the same topic, she told People en Español, “If anyone could give me a comedy movie, I would love to do a comedy.”
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21.
And finally, when asked on The A24 Podcast where she sees herself in 50 years, she said she hopes to play a role like Gena Rowlands in the 1974 film A Woman Under the Influence.
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“I like really chaotic,” said Alexa. I’d really love to play just the most chaotic version of myself. It could be subtle, but crazy.”
