Gigi Gorgeous
Gigi Gorgeous Getty | ||||||||||
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 Lazzarato speaking at the Trans Day of Visibility celebration in San Francisco, March 2017 | ||||||||||
| Born | Gregory Allan Lazzarato April 20, 1992 Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |||||||||
| Other names |
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| Education | Iona Catholic Secondary School | |||||||||
| Alma mater | George Brown College (dropped out) | |||||||||
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2008–present | |||||||||
| Agent | Select Management Group (LA) | |||||||||
| Spouse(s) | ||||||||||
| YouTube information | ||||||||||
| Years active | 2008–present | |||||||||
| Genre | Fashion, makeup, vlogs | |||||||||
| Subscribers | 2.79 million | |||||||||
| Total views | 502 million | |||||||||
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Updated: March 2, 2021 | ||||||||||
Gigi Loren Lazzarato Getty[1] (née Lazzarato, born April 20, 1992),[2] known professionally as Gigi Gorgeous Getty,[1] is a Canadian YouTuber, socialite, actress, and model.
In 2008, Lazzarato began uploading video blogs onto streaming platform YouTube as Gregory Gorgeous.[3] Her videos achieved popularity and established an online following. During the following years, Lazzarato uploaded regularly to the channel along with creating and starring in the reality program The Avenue (2011–13). Following a brief hiatus, she gained media attention after coming out as a transgender woman in 2013, and began going by Gigi Gorgeous.[4][5] During 2014, Lazzarato personally documented her gender transition through social media profiles, notably through videos revolving around cosmetic procedures, which obtained viral status. In 2016, an incident involving Lazzarato being deported from Dubai due to her status as a transgender woman, resulted in widespread media coverage. Lazzarato was the subject of This is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous (2017), a Barbara Kopple-directed documentary that followed life going through gender transition. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to have a limited theatrical release and several accolades including a Streamy.
Besides personality work, Lazzarato has dabbled in acting and modeling work. Her performance credits include starring in fellow YouTuber Shane Dawson's short film I Hate Myselfie (2015) and its sequel, along with guest appearances in television series Project Runway All Stars, Me and My Grandma, Good Work, and Trailblazers, amongst others. Through modeling, Lazzarato has appeared on the covers of Paper and FASHION, been featured in spreads for Galore, Kode, Refinery29, and Out and served as a frequent muse of August Getty Atelier. In 2019, she authored the book He Said, She Said: Lessons, Stories, and Mistakes From My Transgender Journey.
Early life[]
She was born Gregory Allan Lazzarato,[6][7] the child of Judith Lazzarato (née Belding) and David Lazzarato, a business executive who served as independent director of The Stars Group, chief executive officer of Craig Wireless, and chief financial officer of Alliance Atlantis.[8] She is of Italian, Lebanese, English and French heritage and she was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.[2][9][10]
As a young adult, Lazzarato was a nationally ranked diving champion.[9][11][12] She first attended St. Francis of Assisi School and later Mississauga's Iona Catholic Secondary School,[13] as well as George Brown College. At George Brown, she began to study fashion, but eventually left the college to focus on a YouTube career. Lazzarato's mother, Judith, died of leukemia on February 3, 2012, at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto.[14]
Career[]
2008–13: Beginnings on YouTube[]
Lazzarato operated a makeup tutorial YouTube channel that began in 2008 while in the eleventh grade, when a friend mentioned seeing a makeup video by Michelle Phan on YouTube.[15] Lazzarato first came out at age 16, identifying at the time as a gay male.[3][16] Since transitioning, her YouTube channel started to include more vlogs, fashion, and lifestyle videos.[17][18]
On January 18, 2011, Lazzarato announced The Avenue, a YouTube-based reality series. The show premiered on March 15 of that year on YouTube with distribution by Blip. The show's last episode aired on April 14, 2013.
2014–16: Gender transition and appearances[]
Lazzarato was awarded the LogoTV Trailblazing Social Creator Award in 2014 for being an advocate 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.[19] Lazzarato has modeled for designer Marco Marco, and walked in the 2014 and 2015 Marco Marco Fashion Shows.[20]
Lazzarato has used internet celebrity status to bring awareness to transgender issues, the LGBT community, and anti-bullying.[21][22] Her image was featured in a montage of transgender celebrities in the ABC 20/20 documentary about Caitlyn Jenner's transition.[23][24]
In early 2015, Lazzarato starred in fellow YouTuber Shane Dawson's debut short film I Hate Myselfie as Amber. Lazzarato later reprised the role of Amber in I Hate Myselfie 2.[25]
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.[26] The campaign included a series of photos and an announcement by Cyrus that they were working on a secret project. The project later turned out to be a spread in the magazine Marie Claire featuring them both.[27][28] Lazzarato signed a partnership with 'Too Faced Cosmetics' in which Lazzarato 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 the 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.[29] She appeared on Entertainment Tonight as a special guest that same month.[30] Lazzarato was featured in Kylie Jenner's app "Kylie" that feature several make up tip videos.[31] On September 18, Lazzarato won the Streamy Award for "Best Beauty Series".[32] It was announced on October 7 that she would star in Adam Lambert's video for her song "Another Lonely Night".[33][34]
2016: Dubai incident[]
On August 9, 2016, Lazzarato was detained in the United Arab Emirates. Her passport taken by airport officials and immigration officers at the Dubai International Airport. She was denied entry to Dubai for "imitation of women by men", as the government does not recognize Lazzarato's identification as gender, even though, according to Lazzarato, "The gender on my passport states female and not male." The "imitation of women by men" is illegal in the UAE, and violators can face up to a year in jail.[35] She was released after being detained for five hours.[36][37]
The "#JusticeForGigi" hashtag surfaced on Twitter, with fans and supporters calling for Lazzarato's release and a reform in anti-LGBTQ laws.[38] It was not the first time a transgender person was detained in Dubai. In 2014, two Brazilian transgender women were also detained and had their passports taken.[39] Lazzarato, before leaving Dubai for Sweden, responded to the incident by calling for equality and legal protections for LGBTQ people.[40]
2017–present: This is Everything[]
In January 2017, the documentary This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous, starring Lazzarato, directed by Barbara Kopple premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[41] On June 11, Gorgeous watched the documentary with Katy Perry on Perry's four-day livestream event, Katy Perry Live: Witness World Wide.
In June 2017, Lazzarato was named to the Time Magazine list of the 25 most influential people on the Internet.[42]
In 2019, Lazzarato published a memoir, titled He Said, She Said: Lessons, Stories, and Mistakes From My Transgender Journey.[43][44] In October 2019, Lazzarato announced a makeup collection coming out with Ipsy in November 2019. The collection features various beauty products related to makeup.
Personal life[]
In October 2014, Lazzarato began dating Cory Binney, the half-brother of drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck. They met at a club and started dating from then on. They were on and off and broke up in around May or June 2015, which inspired one of Lazzarato's most viewed videos titled "Single Life (My Break Up)", a music video to "What the Hell" by Avril Lavigne. It is now one of Lazzarato's top 5 most viewed videos of all time with 7.5 million views. They got back together in July 2015 before officially breaking up in November 2015.[45][46] Lazzarato, who had previously identified as a gay man[3] and then later bisexual,[47] came out as a lesbian in a YouTube video on September 14, 2016.[48] Lazzarato began dating Nats Getty, an heir and member of the Getty family, shortly after meeting him at Paris Fashion Week while working as a model for Getty's brother, August Getty.[49] In March 2018, Getty proposed to Lazzarato at the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte in France.[50] On July 12, 2019, Lazzarato and Getty married in a private ceremony at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California.[51] Guests at the wedding included Ariadne Getty, Caitlyn Jenner, Teri Hatcher, Moj Mahdara, Justin Tranter, Bonnie McKee, Grace Helbig, Hannah Hart, and Trisha Paytas.[7] The couple were given toasts by Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and Governor Gavin Newsom of California.[7] On April 9, 2021, Lazzarato identified herself as pansexual, after releasing a YouTube video, explaining how she "didn't fall in love with Nats because of his gender, but the person that he is."[52]
Lazzarato is a practicing Roman Catholic and describes herself as religious.[53]
Transition[]
Lazzarato came out as a transgender woman in December 2013. Since then, she has undergone electrolysis, tracheal shave, hormone replacement therapy, facial feminization surgery, rhinoplasty, and breast augmentation.[54] In March 8, 2014, Lazzarato legally changed her name to Gigi Loren Lazzarato.[6]
In a September 2015 issue of People, Lazzarato credited "transgender model and performing artist Amanda Lepore and the death of my mother for sparking my transition."[55]
Filmography[]
Film[]
|
Indicates a film or show appearance that has not yet been released. |
|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Hate Myselfie | Amber | Short film | [56] | |
| Better Than Sex | Gigi | Short film | [57] | |
| I Hate Myselfie 2 | Amber | Short film | [58] | |
| 2017 | This is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous | Herself | Documentary | [41] |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Campus | Lead role; 7 episodes | |
| 2010 | MTV'S The After Show | [59] | |
| 2011– 13 |
The Avenue | Lead role; 21 episodes | |
| 2013– 15 |
Celebrity Style Story | Host; 13 episodes | |
| 2013 | The Listener | Episode: "The Blue Line" | [56] |
| Project Runway All Stars | Episode: "#Nina'sTrending" | [56] | |
| 2014 | Trailblazers | Award ceremony | [56] |
| PopSugar TV | Episode: "Talks Beauty Tips and Fashion At BeautyCon LA" | ||
| 2015 | About Bruce | TV Special | |
| Good Work | [56] | ||
| Access Hollywood | 3 episodes | ||
| Daily Share | [60] | ||
| MTV Video Music Award | Award ceremony | ||
| Entertainment Tonight | |||
| VH1's Streamy Awards | Award ceremony | ||
| FOX News | 1 episode | [61] | |
| The Marco Marco Show | Recurring role; 3 episodes | ||
| Beauty TV | Episode: "Glowing with Gigi Gorgeous" | ||
| Bro'Laska | Episode: "Cory's Tips for Getting Swole" | ||
| What's Trending | Episode: "Gigi Gorgeous Talks Trans Rights and LGBT Equality" | [62] | |
| Help, My Face Is Fucked! | Recurring guest; 4 episodes | ||
| PerezHiltonTV | Episode: "Behind The Scenes of Gigi Gorgeous' Photoshoot" | ||
| GLSEN Respect Awards | Award ceremony | ||
| 2016 | Gigi Gorgeous's Love Letter | ||
| Nightcap | Episode: "The Horny Host" as Herself | [63] | |
| American Music Awards | Award ceremony | ||
| Thread of Man | Documentary short | ||
| 2017 | Me and My Grandma | Episode: "Elderboo" | |
| Access Hollywood | Guest appearance | ||
| Shane and Friends | Episode: "Gigi Gorgeous" | ||
| Daily Pop | Guest appearance | ||
| Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig | Episode: "Gigi Gorgeous" | ||
| Katy Perry Live: Witness World Wide | House guest | ||
| Last Week | Episode: "Last Week I Snuggled Puppers" | ||
| 2018 | Undivided Attention | Host | |
| 2020 | Upload | Vogue interviewer | |
| 2021 | Canada's Drag Race | Guest Judge - Season 2 Episode 6 "The Sinner's Ball" |
Music videos[]
| Year | Title | Artist | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "Another Lonely Night" | Adam Lambert | Priestess | |
| 2018 | "Aileen" | Willam Belli | Aileen Wuornos | |
| 2019 | "Do Not Disturb" | Steve Aoki, Bella Thorne | The Countess | |
| "God Control" | Madonna | Herself |
Awards[]
| Year | Category | Award | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Trailblazing Social Creator | Logo TV Awards | Won | |
| 2015 | Best Beauty Series | Streamy Awards | ||
| 2016 | Best Beauty Series | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | Youtuber of the Year | Shorty Awards | Won | |
| Best Feature | Streamy Awards | This Is Everything | ||
| Best Documentary | Nominated | |||
| Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary | Critics' Choice Awards | (for This Is Everything) |
Won | |
| 2019 | United Award | Streamy Awards | Won |
References[]
- ^ a b Reginato, James (January 14, 2020). "Outrageous Fortune: Nats, August, and Gigi Gorgeous Getty Are Not Your Typical Old-Money Scions". Town & Country. Hearst. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Gigi Gorgeous (April 30, 2013). "✎ DRAW MY LIFE: GIGI GORGEOUS ✎". Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c Auriemma, Adam (January 23, 2013). "'The Avenue' Star Gregory Gorgeous: Trapped in the YouTube Closet?". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on December 16, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ "Gender Reassignment Surgery: Gigi Gorgeous Shares Her Story "I Want To Be Female" -Video – MTF Breast Augmentation forum". Realself.com. March 9, 2015. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Klee, Miles (May 6, 2015). "How WCW Gigi Gorgeous has changed the trans community for the better". Dailydot.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ a b "The Ontario Gazette" (PDF). The Ontario Gazette = Gazette de l'Ontario. 147–10. Ministry of Government Services. Queen's Printer for Ontario. March 8, 2014. p. 572. ISSN 0030-2937. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c Varian, Ethan (July 20, 2019). "At the Wedding of Gigi Gorgeous and Nats Getty". The New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ Executive Profile: David A. Lazzarato. Independent Director, The Stars Group Inc. Archived April 2, 2019, at the Wayback Machine Bloomberg.com. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
- ^ a b "Is Gigi Gorgeous America's Next Top Model?". The New York Times. April 14, 2016. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ Kristin Tice Studeman (June 8, 2015). "Trans YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous: Friends Learned About My Transition Through My Videos". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
- ^ "2007 All Star Diving Challenge Orlando Florida". Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "CAMO Diving Invitational Underway In Montreal – Swimming World News". December 5, 2003. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
- ^ "Bustle". bustle.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
- ^ "Judy Lazzarato: obituary and death notice on InMemoriam". Inmemoriam.ca. February 3, 2012. Archived from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Hoyer, Melissa (September 16, 2017). "Gigi Gorgeous on the future of vlogging and why she was embarrassed of her first videos". Vogue. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ Simmons, Shea (June 10, 2018). "Trans Youtube Star GiGi Gorgeous Talks Transitioning, Coming Out, And The Future Of Her Beauty Vlog". Bustle. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ "10 Gorgeous Women (Who Were Born Male)". Huffingtonpost.com. January 11, 2012. Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Gigi Gorgeous". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "At First Blush : BeautyCon Puts on a Colorful Show With Bethany Mota, Gigi Gorgeous and Other YouTubers". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Adam Asea (October 31, 2014). "Watch Now: The Marco Marco Show – That's A Wrap". World of Wonder. Archived from the original on April 9, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Gigi Gorgeous- I can't wait to watch Bruce's docuseries! | Celebrity Videos". TMZ.com. August 26, 2014. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Famous Trangendered YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous Reacts to Bruce Jenner Interview | RTM". RightThisMinute. April 27, 2015. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Russell, Stacey (April 29, 2015). "YouTube Star Gigi Gorgeous on Beauty, Boys, and Bruce Jenner". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Gigi Gorgeous on Access Hollywood, More | SELECT". Select.co. May 3, 2015. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "I HATE MYSELFIE 2" – SHORT FILM, archived from the original on November 4, 2019, retrieved September 18, 2019
- ^ July Favorites 2015 + Marie Claire Magazine! – Gigi. YouTube. July 30, 2015.
- ^ "Gigi Gorgeous on Instagram: ziiippppp