Patricia Arquette has praised her late sister Alexis as ”brave”.
The 47-year-old actress – who was known as Robert before her gender transition – passed away in September 2016 and her sibling Patricia hailed Alexis for being true to herself, despite the implications it had on her career.
Speaking to PEOPLE at the Let’s Toast the Extraordinary Achievements of Alexis Arquette pre-GLAAD Media Awards dinner, Patricia said: ”Alexis was really also very powerful, and strong, and really brave, very brave.
”We had a long conversation when Alexis told me that she was transgender, and I said, ‘Okay. So what do you do about Hollywood? How will you get work? People are not progressive in Hollywood and it could really negatively impact your career. Are you thinking everything through?’
”Alexis was very brave to make that decision. She really wanted to help progress the world and move the world forward.
”Alexis was incredibly creative our whole lives. I grew up with Alexis putting on makeup, trying on high heels …. Alexis was my best friend when we grew up, so I wouldn’t change one thing about Alexis.”
And Patricia is proud of how her sister’s bravery and openness helped other people.
She explained: ”We’ve gotten so many letters. I’ve had letters from people all over the world who said their first experience of a trans person was with Alexis. Watching Alexis in ‘Last Exit to Brooklyn’ – which was Alexis’ first movie – she played a trans person in the 1950s which was considered really a crossdresser at that time. That’s what people called trans people then.”
