Sophia Lamar is a socialite, actress, and nightlife personality active in New York City. She was born on June 6, 1955 in Cuba.[1].
As one of the former Club Kids, Lamar rose to prominence in the 1980s. Lamar fled Cuba under Fidel Castro's rule at 24 years old, arriving in Miami before eventually landing in New York[2]. She used her notoriety to break into the downtown Manhattan's artistic world, including ventures in modeling, acting, and performance art[3]. Lamar is considered a New York "downtown icon," and has a cult following within the LGBT, punk and hipster communities. She is known for her acerbic and no-nonsense demeanor[4][5] and unique personal style[6].
Early Life
editSophia Lamar was born in Cuba, and spent the early years of her life in living in downtown Havana. She was ostracized and harassed for wearing makeup and women's clothing due to her status as a transgender woman[2]. At one point she was even put in a re-education camp, and had her head shaved[5]. Sophia eventually emigrated to the United States in 1979, where she was able to begin transitioning. She first lived in Miami, before relocating Texas for two years[7]. Lamar moved to New York in 1990[7] and fell in with Michael Alig and the Club Kids.
She began as a dancer in nightclubs, and eventually began getting hired to host at parties. She appeared on several television shows over the years as public fascination with the Club Kids drew controversy and national interest[8]. Lamar was often cited as an example of a successful Club Kid who used her status to land jobs in modeling and acting. Over time she put distance between herself and the group, setting out on her own to pursue various artistic ventures.
Nightlife career
editLamar is "one of the last breed of people who make a living doing nightlife."[9] Over her many years in New York she has produced and hosted numerous parties and nightclubs across the New York area, including the Misshapes party put on by The Misshapes, Limelight and Tunnel[9], parties in the Electroclash genre, and Paul Sevigny's twin nightclubs, among others.
In 2001, Lamar and fellow Club Kid Amanda Lepore successfully sued the Twilo nightclub for discrimination, with the pair alleging that they had been fired for being transgender[10]. Lamar and Lepore danced together at several nightclubs throughout the 1990s, dubbing themselves "Sophanda Lapore."[5] The two have had a falling out since the Twilo lawsuit. Lamar has also since said that she felt "used" by lawyers in the situation.[11]
Acting career
editSophia Lamar is a self-described "indie film darling," with numerous film and television credits to her name. Her roles, though often small parts in arthouse productions, are often lauded by critics as standout performances. Her best-known works include "I Hate New York" (2018), "The Zanctuary" (2016)[11], HBO's Veneno, and "Stars" (2023)[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Sophia Lamar | Actress, Writer, Producer". IMDb. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ a b Dazed (2019-02-22). "Sophia Lamar, Connie Girl and Zaldy: 3 icons who defied normative beauty". Dazed. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ "Sophia Lamar biography". Last.fm. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Corona, Victor P. (2017). Night class: a downtown memoir. New York: Soft Skull. ISBN 978-1-61902-939-2. OCLC 960838839.
- ^ a b c "Gemini Season: Sophia Lamar in conversation with Sutan Amrull". Loverboy Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
- ^ Iseman, Courtney (2015-09-25). "How Nightlife Queen Sophia Lamar Does Daytime Downtown". Racked NY. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
- ^ a b "Sophia Lamar". punkglobe.com. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Creative, Junction (1994-02-25). "Geraldo Rivera's Beyond the Glitz & Glamour 1994". Geraldo. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
- ^ a b Colyar, Brock (2021-10-22). "Sophia Lamar Has Seen the Likes of You Before". The Cut. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Gregorian, Dareh (2001-03-22). "FIRED TRANSSEXUAL DANCERS OUT FOR JUSTICE". Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ a b Guzman, Ivan (02/06/2024). "Sophia Lamar Is a Popular Loner". PAPER Magazine.
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