Today we’d like to introduce you to Lexie Puro.
Hi Lexie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was a child, there was never a moment where I wasn’t singing or making noise, I would practice dance moves in grocery store aisles when shopping with my dad, and I would beg my mom to come home with supplies for arts and crafts. Ever since I was little I’ve only wanted to perform, inspire, and create things. So, when I was 10 My mom got me into modeling, dance, and guitar lessons. And by 11 I was in a doctor’s office getting immunizations being told, “don’t worry you won’t have to get any more shots until you get to college” and I responded with, “I’m not going to college I’m going to be a star out in LA.” However, the older I grew the more I lost that optimism, confidence, and sight of my dreams to be creative.
I have a good relationship with my parents and they have always supported me but I did grow up in a rather broken home. Ever since I can remember my dad has been in and out of treatment and recovery groups for alcohol /substance abuse and my Mom went to federal prison when I was 13 until I was about 17. This was a huge challenge for me. Those years were just my twin brother and I being raised by my grandma doing the best she could.. The change was so abrupt. I faced challenges with my mental health at a really early age. Which I think, caused me to grow up rather quickly. On the brighter side it gave me a different type of strength and made me realize that there is really nothing I can’t do when I put my mind to it.
Throughout Highschool, I never thought I was special like I did when I was a child. I had basically quit every creative hobby I had started and spent a lot of time alone in my room. I was depressed, not sleeping well, and paranoid all the time that something bad was about to happen. I was very insecure and mean to myself but the one person who I always had was my twin brother. As long as we had each other we were never truly alone. It wasn’t until I turned 18 and moved to Colorado where I started doing the inner work to fix my insecurities. I ended up trying a year of college just to make my dad happy and see if I liked it. I met the most amazing friends who lifted me up and made me better. I also got back into modeling as a creative hobby.
I would work with Denver local photographers, stylists, and makeup artists to create whatever vision we wanted to. There was no pay involved which I loved. We would just meet up and make magic. Shortly after I started writing poetry and short stories. It was the best outlet for all the transformation that happened in my life and it made me realize how much I love inspiring others through storytelling. Once I started dipping back into my creative hobbies I knew I didn’t want to stay in school and take the conventional route. I wanted more and I wanted to do it as my career. At 20 I realized that when I’m not being creative I’m not happy. I had it all figured out… or so I thought
I ended up moving back to Minnesota to save up money to move to LA but looking back there were bigger reasons for me to spend a little more time in Minnesota. My plan was to move within 8 months but then covid happened. Before the shutdown I was working any modeling or commercial jobs I could find, working 8 hours as a receptionist at a salon, and working 7 to midnight at a health club to save up.
In September of 2020, My twin brother and I celebrated turning 21, and not even a month later he had a stroke and suffered severe brain damage. He became paralyzed, he couldn’t talk, and doctors said there’s a good chance he wasn’t going to make it. The lives of my family and I had drastically changed and we were absolutely heart broken. For about a year before I moved out to LA, I drove 3 hours twice a week just to visit him. He is still in recovery and will never be the same which was really hard for us to all come to terms with. We still don’t know how things will turn out but our faith remains strong. Following through with moving out to LA just a year later was so incredibly difficult but I knew if I didn’t take the chance when I did that I never would. I have always been such an anchor in my family and moving so far away made me feel guilty and selfish. Yet, If I stayed I know it wouldn’t have been what he or my family wanted. I would have been letting myself down as well as them.
So come September of 2021, My mom helped me pack up a Uhaul and drive it from MN to Sherman Oaks. I immediately got into acting classes and started submitting myself for projects. I also began posting more of my poetry and took to Instagram to share all my creative talents. About a month in I realized modeling wasn’t really my goal anymore. It’s very competitive to model in LA and although I am capable and have a passion for it, I realized I had so much more to offer than just modeling. The acting class that the universe led me to was incredible and brought out the ultimate artist in me. If you think about it, it combined all my favorite creative things: modeling, performing, writing, and storytelling. I am now very serious about my acting career and have a deep trust that this is what I’m called to do right now. I’ve been in LA about 6 months now. So far my journey in LA has been really good. Of course, I’m always going to be wanting more but I am booking work and I’m grateful for everything I’ve accomplished so far.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest struggle is being far from my family. Especially in the state my twin brother is in, it’s hard not to worry about what might happen. Dealing with grief and anxiety while trying to focus on my career and work hard has been the most difficult balancing act I’ve ever had to cope with. Being an Actor, or any type of creative in LA is a hustle and you absolutely cannot give up. I think knowing that I can’t give up is motivating but it’s also a hard truth to accept because everyone has their days where they doubt themselves.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an Actress, Model, and Poet. Although I am the most experienced in modeling, right now my main focus is acting. Since I have started I’ve booked mainly commercials and some music videos but my next goal is to make my way into tv and film. I am most proud of how far I’ve come with my acting skills and techniques in the time I’ve been here. I am in classes twice a week and always studying characters and scenes. It has caused me to discover so many things about myself and I am extremely passionate about it. I wasn’t the most confident in my acting abilities when I first moved here because of the nerves that got in the way. Recently I feel a lot more confident and feel like I have improved a ton. I think what sets me apart from others is my creativity and originality. My creative mind is one of the things I like most about myself. The ideas and creative risks I come up with are exciting to me and I never get tired of brainstorming ways to tell a characters story. Another thing about me is I’m never going to pretend to be something I’m not (unless I’m acting of course) but LA is very much so a place where a lot of people put on certain personas to fit in. I don’t mind not fitting in. I prefer to color outside the lines and I’m not interested in being anyone else but Lexie. Fully owning who I am has helped me in my career because not a lot of people know that the best thing you can bring into a character is parts you’re own personality.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I am a huge risk taker and I have a very open mind. I think that in life you should never think you’re too good for anyone or anything. I think it’s important to say yes to any opportunity until you have to say no. Things that you may be nervous about can turn out better than you can ever imagine and even failed attempts at taking a risk can teach you something. In my opinion, it’s better to take the risk then to not and then wonder how it might’ve turned out. Wondering is a killer. The worst that can happen is it doesn’t work out but even when it doesn’t work out you learn something… it is never a waste of time. Many would say I took a huge risk to move out here. I don’t know anyone, I didn’t have a job before I moved, and I only had a set amount saved up. Being only 22, a lot of people ask where that bravery came from but I really didn’t look at it like some huge risk. It was just a choice I made for my career and failing at it wasn’t an option.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://app.castingnetworks.com/talent/public-profile/c39f133c-bd7a-11eb-b4c0-497fd1eb59a6
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexie_lynnae/
Image Credits
@iamisaiahking
@steffenstudios
@hieu.win
@emilymaddox_
@defector.films
@rokeaux
