| Alex Newell Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 7 in |
| Weight | 85 kg |
| Date of Birth | August 20, 1992 |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Alex Newell is an American actor and singer who is best known for his role as Unique Adams on the Fox musical series Glee. Initially, he was one of the 34,000 people to submit an audition video for the Glee Project organized by Oxygen in 2011. He became one of the 12 people who were selected to compete for a seven-episode arc on Glee. It was on this show that he made everyone aware of his sexuality as an out gay man. He became the first runner up of this reality show. His actions made the organizers so impressed that they called him in for 2 episodes on Glee. These 2 episodes later turned out into a regular appearance on the television series in Glee. His role as the shy and outcast Wade expressed courage and strength as ‘Unique Adams’ through music. He became one of the most visible transgender characters on television at that time and was widely recognized for his very strong vocals. Alex alongside the other Glee characters received a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” in 2012.
Newell has also performed as a musician in several events such as the Coachella Festival and many LGBT events and pride festivals. He and some other celebrities are committed to helping LGBT youth everywhere. He was given a special recognition award at the 2015 GLAAD Media Awards.
Born Name
Alex Eugene Newell
Nick Name
Alex
Sun Sign
Leo
Born Place
Lynn, Massachusetts, United States
Nationality
Education
Alex attended Kipp Lynn Academy in Lynn, Massachusetts, United States. He then moved on to and graduated from Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody, Massachusetts, United States.
Occupation
Actor, Singer
Family
- Mother – Brenda Newell (Choir singer)
Manager
Alex Newell is represented by –
- The Cast (Digital Talent Agency representing Broadway and theatre talent)
- Cunningham Escott Slevin & Doherty (CESD) (Talent Agent Theatrical), Los Angeles, California, USA
- Industry Entertainment (Manager), Los Angeles, California, USA
- Presse Public Relations (Publicist), Century City, California, USA
- Creative Entertainment Agency (CEA) (Talent Agent Personal Appearance), Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA
Genre
R&B, Pop, Soul, House, Disco
Instruments
Vocals
Labels
Big Beat Records
Build
Large
Height
5 ft 7 in or 170 cm
Weight
85 kg or 187.5 lbs
Race / Ethnicity
Black
He is of African-American descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Gay
Distinctive Features
- Often applies cosmetics on his face
- Mostly seen in feminine attires
- High pitched voice
- Small eyes
- No facial hairs
Religion
Christianity
Best Known For
- Becoming the first runner-up in The Glee Project in 2011
- Portraying the role of Wade Unique Adams in Glee (2012-2015), Ike in Geography Club (2013), Sam in Imaginary Friend (2015), Morgan in Resident Advisors (2015)
- Making a Broadway debut as Asaka in Once on This Island (2017-2018)
As a Singer
In 2014, Newell released his first hit single, a cover of Sigma’s Nobody to Love. The song was released via Big Beat Records.
Newell has also done many music covers including Clean Bandit’s Stronger, and a disco-house stylization of Robin S.’s single Show Me Love.
First Film
Alex Newell made his first theatrical film appearance in the role of Ike in the comedy movie Geography Club in 2013.
First TV Show
Alex Newell made his first TV show appearance as Himself in The Glee Project in 2011.
Alex Newell Favorite Things
- Activity – Singing
Source – Wikipedia
Alex Newell Facts
- His father who was a deacon, died of cancer when he was 6 years old on August 20, 1992. His mother raised him as a single parent.
- He was involved in the school choir in Bishop Fenwick High School, the Catholic school which he attended and graduated from in 2012.
- He never had any formal voice lessons before auditioning on The Glee Project. The only lesson he tried to have when he was 9 years old in Lynn, Massachusetts went wrong.
- When he was 2 years old, he climbed on a stage of a state’s talent fair, grabbed the microphone, and began singing a church hymn titled ‘Victory is Mine.’
- Alex Newell was accepted into the Berklee College of music for Fall 2012. Instead of attending school, he moved to Los Angeles to be on Glee when he was asked to come on the show for a 4th season.
- Alex Newell was promoted to being on the main cast of the show because he had gained popularity among Glee fans and several others around the world.
- He has sung alongside very popular musicians such as Adam Lambert.
- Sales from the first-week earnings of his single titled Need Somebody was donated to The Trevor Project.
- He contributed with music to the HBO television series Vinyl on a track that also features stars such as Jess Glynne and DJ Cassidy.
- He performs regularly at benefit concerts, mostly for The Trevor Project, and tries his best to help LGBT youth around the world.
- The nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” in 2012 which Newell and other Glee cast members received was lost to Modern Family.
- Due to the vocal stamina, he got from singing in the choir, Newell developed a passion for musical theatres. He joined his first production at the age of 13 where he starred as Snowbell The Cat in a local production of Stuart Little and he received standing ovations every night.
- He landed his 1st professional stage production at 17 but he didn’t go for it because he was just invited via Facebook to be a contestant for The Glee Project.
- His character as Wade ‘Unique’ Adams, a male-to-female transgender was an excellent and groundbreaking piece of television acting which earned him a more permanent role on the show, giving him the opportunity to become co-stars with the people and characters he had always admired.
- Alex claims to have never had a fallback plan. He has always known that he was going to be a singer, and he stuck to it. He long understood that his life would be committed to entertaining others.
- Follow Alex Newell on Instagram and Facebook.
Featured Image by Alex Newell / Instagram
