With her latest role in Amazon's buzzy, time-traveling epic, 'The Peripheral,' Alexandra Billings proves she really can do it all: Sci-fi, drama, musicals, comedy-even gonzo stage shows like 'Vampire Lesbians Of Sodom' (yes, that's really the name of a play).
Not that we needed any further proof. Many may know her from 'Transparent'-a show with a complicated legacy that nevertheless changed the trajectory of her career-but Billings has been working steadily since the '80s. The legendary actress got her start in the Chicago theater scene, before moving on to work in film, television, and even on Broadway, including her history-making turn in 'Wicked.'
Along the way, Billings has remained a fierce advocate for trans representation, as well as a vocal AIDS activist. In her new memoir, 'A Time For Me,' she details many of her experiences with a raw vulnerability, recounting her struggles with addiction, being a long-term survivor of HIV, and paving a path of her own in Hollywood.
With her run on 'The Peripheral' coming to an end this week, Queerty saw it as the perfect opportunity to chat with Billings about her boundary-breaking career thus far, from her very first professional acting gig, to her latest. As ever, Billings was warm, witty, and willing to chat about it all, reflecting on the work that's changed her life, and sharing the wise words of wisdom she's learned along the way.
Video edited by Terence Krey.