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BREAKING NEWS! Alexis Arquette is dead

The transgender actress and activist died surrounded by her family

Alexis Arquette – the transgender actress and sister of Oscar-winner Patricia Arquette – has died.

The 47-year-old died in the early hours of Sunday morning, surrounded by her family while listening to David Bowie’s Starman.

The news broke today after her brother Richmond announced his sister’s passing on Facebook.

Richmond – who like his other siblings Rosanna, Patricia and David is an actor – wrote: “Our brother Robert, who became our brother Alexis, who became our sister Alexis, who became our brother Alexis, passed this morning September 11, at 12:32 am.

“He was surrounded by all of his brothers and sisters, one of his nieces and several other loved ones.

“We were playing music for him and he passed during David Bowie’s Starman.

“As per his wishes we cheered at the moment that he transitioned to another dimension.”

A family insider told Radar Online that Alexis had been ill. The source said: “she was in a coma for four days at Cedars and no one was allowed to see her except for family.”

Cedars-Sinai Hospital is in Los Angeles.

Richmond also said in his post: “He died as he lived, on his own terms.

“I am immensely grateful that it was fast and painless. It was an incredibly moving experience and I am humbled and grateful to have been able to have been with him as he began his journey onward.”

No other member of the acting clan made a statement as the news broke.

However, Boyhood actress Patricia posted a video of Bowie’s hit song Starman on her Twitter page in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The 48-year-old wrote: “Breaking through the veil singing StarMan.”

She also tweeted a video of T. Rex’s Cosmic Dancer, writing: “To My first best friend – Cosmic Dancer.”

Alexis, a prominent transgender activist was known for her roles in The Wedding Singer and Pulp Fiction and was the subject of a 2007 documentary, Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother.

Richmond also said on his Facebook page: “I am feeling immense gratitude to have been afforded the luxury of sharing life with him/her, for learning from Alexis, for being give the gift of being able to love her/him and to be loved by him/her.

“He was a force.”


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor