Gigi Gorgeous

Gigi Gorgeous
Born Gregory Allan Lazzarato
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Residence Los Angeles, California
Other names Gigi Gorgeous
Education Iona Catholic Secondary School
Alma mater George Brown College
Occupation YouTube personality, model
Years active 2008–present
Agent Select Management Group, Los Angeles
Religion Catholic
Parent(s) Judith Belding, David Lazzarato

Giselle Loren "Gigi" Lazzarato (born Gregory Allan Lazzarato), better known as Gigi Gorgeous,[1] is a Canadian actress, model, internet personality, and makeup artist. She is noted for publicly coming out as a transgender woman, and maintaining her public image and YouTube channel during and after her transition.[2][3] Along with being an internet personality, Lazzarato has also appeared on a number of television shows including Access Hollywood, Good Work, and Project Runway: All Stars, along with starring as herself in the popular online reality show The Avenue for three years. Lazzarato made her acting debut in 2013 on The Insider and has since gone on to star in three short films.

Early life

Lazzarato is the child of David and Judith Lazzarato (née Belding). She was assigned male at birth. Her family consists of Italian, Lebanese and French heritage and she was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.[4] She has two brothers, Adam and Cory Lazzarato.

As a young adult, Lazzarato was a nationally ranked diving champion.[5] She attended Iona Catholic Secondary School[6] and attended George Brown College. At George Brown, she studied fashion, but eventually left the college to focus on her YouTube career. Her mother, Judith, died of leukemia on February 3, 2012, at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto.[7]

Career

2008–14: career beginnings

Prior to her transition, Lazzarato was known as Gregory or Greg, and operated a makeup tutorial YouTube channel that was started in 2008. At the time, she identified as a homosexual male.[8] Since her transition, her YouTube channel started to include more vlogs, fashion, and lifestyle videos.[9] In January 2015, her YouTube channel reached over one million subscribers and over 130 million views.[10]

Lazzarato has appeared on Project Runway: All Stars and E! Celebrity Style Story and has been featured on other YouTube celebrity's channels. She was awarded the LogoTV Trailblazing Social Creator Award in 2014 for her advocacy on behalf of LGBT youth. She frequently attends BeautyCon conventions to meet with fans and sit in on panels about makeup techniques and the cosmetics industry.[11] She modeled for designer Marco Marco, and walked in the 2014 and 2015 Marco Marco Fashion Shows.[12]

2015–present: breakthrough and film career

Lazzarato has used her internet celebrity status to bring awareness to transgender issues, the LGBT community, and anti-bullying.[13][14] Her image was featured in a montage of transgender celebrities in the ABC 20/20 documentary about Caitlyn Jenner's transition.[15][16]

In early 2015, Lazzarato starred in fellow YouTuber Shane Dawson's debut short film "I Hate Myselfie" as Amber. She said she looked to Rachel McAdams' portrayal of Regina George while playing Amber. She has since reprised her role as Amber in I Hate Myselfie's sequel. In May, it was announced that Lazzarato would be partnering with Crest Canada to be the face of the new Crest 3D White Brilliance Line.

In June 2015, it was announced that Lazzarato had teamed up with singer Miley Cyrus and had joined Cyrus' Happy Hippie Foundation's Marie Claire "#InstaPride" campaign.[17] The campaign included a series of photos and an announcement by Cyrus that she and Lazzarato were working on a secret project. The project later turned out to be a spread in American magazine Marie Claire featuring them both.[18][19] Lazzarato signed a partnership with 'Too Faced Cosmetics' in which she starred in the cosmetic commercial film "Better Than Sex" which premiered on July 9, 2015. At the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards Lazzarato, along with a group of drag queens, introduced Miley Cyrus for her debut performance of Dooo It! from Cyrus's new album Miley Cyrus and her Dead Petz.

In September, 2015, Lazzarato had a two-page spread in People magazine.[20] She appeared on Entertainment Tonight as a special guest that same month.[21] Lazzarato was featured in Kylie Jenner's app "Kylie" where she filmed several make up tip videos.[22] On September 18, she won the Streamy Award for "Best Beauty Series".[23] It was announced on October 7 that Lazzarato would star in Adam Lambert's video for his song "Another Lonely Night".[24][25]

Personal life

Transition

Lazzarato announced that she was a transgender woman in December 2013. Since then she has undergone electrolysis, tracheal shave, hormone replacement therapy, facial feminization surgery, rhinoplasty, and breast augmentation.[26] She legally had her name changed to Gigi Loren Lazzarato on March 8, 2014.[1]

In a September 2015 issue of People Magazine, Lazzarato credited transgender model and performing artist, Amanda Lepore and her mother's death for sparking her transition.[27]

Filmography

Film

Key
dagger Indicates a film or show appearance that has not yet been released.
Title Year Role Director(s) Notes Refs.
I Hate Myselfie
2015
 Amber Michael J. Gallagher Short film [28]
Better Than Sex Gigi Short film [29]
I Hate Myselfie 2 Amber Michael J. Gallagher Short film [30]

Television

Year Title Notes Refs.
2010 MTV'S The After Show [31]
2011–
13		 The Avenue 21 episodes
2012 The Campus 7 episodes
2013–
15		 Celebrity Style Story 5 episodes
2013 The Listener Episode: "The Blue Line" [28]
Project Runway All Stars Episode: "#Nina'sTrending" [28]
2014 Trailblazers Award ceremony [28]
Shane and Friends Episode: "Gigi Gorgeous"
PopSugar TV Episode: "Talks Beauty Tips and Fashion At BeautyCon LA"
2015 About Bruce TV Special
Good Work [28]
Access Hollywood 3 episodes
Daily Share [32]
MTV Video Music Award Award ceremony
Entertainment Tonight
VH1's Streamy Awards Award ceremony
FOX News 1 episode [33]
The Marco Marco Show 3 episodes
Beauty TV Episode: "Glowing with Gigi Goregous
Bro'Laska Episode: "Cory's Tips for Getting Swole"
What's Trending Episode: "Gigi Gorgeous Talks Trans Rights and LGBT Equality" [34]
Help, My Face Is Fucked! 2 episodes
PerezHiltonTV Episode: "Behind The Scenes of Gigi Gorgeous' Photoshoot"
GLSEN Respect Awards Award ceremony
2016 Gigi Gorgeous's Love Letter

Music videos

Year Title Artist Role Notes
2015 "Another Lonely Night" Adam Lambert Lead

Awards

Year Category Award Recipient Result
2014 Trailblazing Social Creator Logo TV Awards
Herself
 Won
2015 Best Beauty Series The Streamy Awards

References

  1. 1 2 https://files.ontario.ca/gazette_docs/gazette_march_8_ont06_028206.pdf
  2. ↑ "Gender Reassignment Surgery: Gigi Gorgeous Shares His Story "I Want To Be Female" -Video - MTF Breast Augmentation forum". Realself.com. 2015-03-09. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  3. ↑ Klee, Miles (2015-05-06). "How WCW Gigi Gorgeous has changed the trans community for the better". Dailydot.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  4. ↑ Kristin Tice Studeman. "Trans YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous: Friends Learned About My Transition Through My Videos". Cosmopolitan.
  5. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/14/fashion/gigi-gorgeous-transgender-youtube-makeup-tips.html?smid=tw-nytstyles&smtyp=cur&_r=0
  6. ↑ "Bustle". bustle.com.
  7. ↑ "Judy Lazzarato: obituary and death notice on InMemoriam". Inmemoriam.ca. 2012-02-03. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  8. ↑ Adam Auriemma. "‘The Avenue’ Star Gregory Gorgeous: Trapped in the YouTube Closet?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  9. ↑ "10 Gorgeous Women (Who Were Born Male)". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  10. ↑ "Gigi Gorgeous". YouTube. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  11. ↑ "At First Blush : BeautyCon Puts on a Colorful Show With Bethany Mota, Gigi Gorgeous and Other YouTubers". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  12. ↑ Adam Asea (2014-10-31). "Watch Now: The Marco Marco Show – That's A Wrap". World of Wonder. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  13. ↑ "Gigi Gorgeous- I can’t wait to watch Bruce’s docuseries! | Celebrity Videos". TMZ.com. 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  14. ↑ "Famous Trangendered YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous Reacts to Bruce Jenner Interview | RTM". RightThisMinute. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  15. ↑ Russell, Stacey (2015-04-29). "YouTube Star Gigi Gorgeous on Beauty, Boys, and Bruce Jenner". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  16. ↑ "Gigi Gorgeous on Access Hollywood, More | SELECT". Select.co. 2015-05-03. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  17. ↑ July Favorites 2015 + Marie Claire Magazine! - Gigi. YouTube. 30 July 2015.
  18. ↑ "Instagram". Instagram.
  19. ↑ Samantha Leal. "Gigi Gorgeous Marie Claire September 2015 Cover". Marie Claire.
  20. ↑ "Instagram". Instagram.
  21. ↑ "Gigi Gorgeous Talks Miley Cyrus, Kylie Jenner and Collab-ing With Britney Spears!". Entertainment Tonight. 11 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "Gigi Gorgeous to the Rescue: Under-Eye Concealer". Kylie. 11 September 2015.
  23. ↑ Gigi Gorgeous Wins Best Beauty Series - The Streamy Awards - VH1. YouTube. 17 September 2015.
  24. ↑ Lambert, Adam (6 October 2015). Adam Lambert - Another Lonely Night [Music Video Teaser]. Adam Lambert's official YouTube channel (YouTube). Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  25. ↑ Nissim, Mayer (7 October 2015). "See trans YouTube superstar Gigi Gorgeous in the teaser for Adam Lambert's new video". Digital Spy. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  26. ↑ "From Gregory to Gigi, but Always Gorgeous | The Odyssey". Theodysseyonline.com. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
  27. ↑ "Transgender YouTube Star Gigi Gorgeous: How My Mom's Death Inspired Me to Transition". People Magazine. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 Gigi Gorgeous at the Internet Movie Database
  29. ↑ BETTER THAN SEX - Gigi. YouTube. 7 July 2015.
  30. ↑ "Instagram". Instagram.
  31. ↑ Gregory Gorgeous on MTV's The After Show. YouTube. 20 January 2010.
  32. ↑ Gigi Gorgeous Off Youtube And On My TV 062515. YouTube. 1 July 2015.
  33. ↑ https://instagram.com/p/81rga4nPcI/?taken-by=gigigorgeous
  34. ↑ Gigi Gorgeous Talks Trans Rights and LGBT Equality - VidCon 2015. YouTube. 2 August 2015.

External links

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