Born in the vibrant town of Brunswick, actress Lexie Stevenson’s journey began at the tender age of 5-years-old. Enrolled in voice and acting lessons from an early age, she quickly made her mark on the stage, captivating audiences with her performances in musical theatre productions.
Throughout her high school years, Lexie’s dedication to her craft remained steadfast. Whether she was dazzling as Pepper in Annie, or showcasing her vocals in the high school choir, Stevenson consistently demonstrated her commitment to her artistic cravings.
Once graduated from high school, Lexie faced a life-changing decision, to pursue her academic aspirations or embark on an adventure in California to chase her acting dreams. Opting for the latter, she uplifted to LA, and quickly secured her first major role as Mattie, on The Young and the Restless. Lexie played Mattie for three years, earning her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series.
Today, Lexie Stevenson continues to make waves in the entertainment industry, with exciting projects on the horizon. Alongside her acting career, her impact also extends far beyond. Lexie proudly represents the LGBTQ+ community, breaking barriers and paving the way for inclusivity. She holds the esteemed title of being the first Black woman to be named Head of the Advisory Board for The Endometriosis Foundation of America, where she tirelessly advocates for education, research, and awareness surrounding this debilitating condition.
Lexie Stevenson is an inspiring figure who channels her own experiences into a powerful voice for change. With her Emmy nomination, artistic talents, and remarkable achievements, Lexie stands as a shining example of someone who uses their platform to elevate others and create a more compassionate and informed world.
We sat down with the actress to discuss daunting life choices, new roles and exciting future plans.
Read the interview below…
When did your love for performing begin and do you remember your first role?
Growing up, my family called me a drama queen almost every day and rightfully so. My reaction to any new information (even if it wasn’t that shocking) was much bigger and louder than most people’s. However, my parents never made any attempt to diminish that and drama queen soon became a compliment in my book. Because of being raised in that way, by the time I was in first grade I was standing on lunch tables doing live performances. They consisted of singing, stand up comedy, and monologues. The other first graders who watched would donate handsomely to my performances by giving me their dessert from lunch. To this day it is the best form of payment I have ever received.
When did you know you wanted to act professionally?
I’ve been asked this question a lot and to be honest I don’t know that I’ve ever answered it truthfully. I always felt as though I had to have an exact moment in time where I thought to myself “I am going to act as a career”. But the truth is, I think I always knew what I wanted to do it. Maybe I didn’t have a word for it when I was a baby but I do believe that God blessed me by bringing me into this world knowing what my purpose was. As for when I decided to commit to making it a career, I did that on August 28th 2016, when I decided to not go to college and packed up my Ford Explorer and went on a cross country road trip to Los Angeles. I only gave my mother (who graduated from law school and medical school) a mild heart attack.
Can you talk about your decision to defer college and move to LA? Was this a hard, nerve-racking decision or did it come naturally?
It came naturally. I joke that I gave my mom a heart attack, but in reality my parents couldn’t have been more supportive. They raised me to trust my gut and follow my dreams, so that’s what I did. My dad is a professional sailor and he uses nautical metaphors (some are cheesy, which is to be expected from a dad) such as “follow your compass,” “you’re the captain of your ship,” “make waves,” and many more. But the point is, because I was raised this way, I had the freedom to make a choice and move through that decision without fear. That’s not to say that when I got to LA, it wasn’t hard, because it was. I had my aunt and uncle here, but besides them, I didn’t know anyone and it was lonely. I missed my friends quite a bit, but with time I met new ones and found my footing.
How have you grown during the three years playing Mattie on The Young and the Restless?
While I was on The Young and the Restless I grew immensely. My skills became more refined and I learned what it’s like to be on set in Los Angeles. I also made a ton of lifelong friends with several cast and crew members. The Young and the Restless opened the door to the entertainment business for me and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Did you have a moment where you knew you “made it”?
No. When I booked The Young and the Restless I was very proud of myself and thought I had accomplished what I came to Hollywood to do, which was to be a paid actor, and because of that, I thought I had made it. However, after being off the show for a few years and going through many humbling experiences, I am no longer monitoring my progress in a result-oriented way. Instead of seeing how many projects I can book, I monitor it by the work I put in and then seeing that work come to life and being happy with it. I am only now feeling like I am on the path to being able to say “I made it” because of the work I now know I am capable of producing. I hope that makes sense.
Congratulations on the upcoming projects! Is there anything you’re particularly excited about?
Thank you! Absolutely! I have two movies that I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of. The first one to be released is called Katie’s Mom and it is premiering at the TLC Chinese Theater in Hollywood on July 2nd. It is a fabulous rendition of Lawrence Truman’s The Graduate. It was written by Tyrell Shaffner and Meryl McTiernan and directed by Tyrell Shaffner as well. Truly some of the funniest, most amazing women I have ever met.
The second one is called Love at First Lie, in which Amy Barrett, our director, entrusted me with the incredible opportunity to play the lead role. I always explain this movie as being an adaptation of The Tinder Swindler and I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give it away, but it is filled with drama. This was my first lead in a feature film so I am incredibly excited to see it. We also had an amazing team that absolutely killed it so I am very excited for everyone to see their hard work as well. It will premiere on Lifetime on June 25th and will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime the next day.
You deliver such a range in your work, from drama to comedy. Do you have a favourite genre to work in?
I truly cannot pick between drama and comedy so I’m going to say my favorite genre is dramedy. I love improv, making people laugh, and making the jokes land (sometimes by accident as I am a huge goofball with no filter) but I am also very emotional and love having the opportunity to not only make people laugh but also hopefully have people relate to something deeper in my performances that they might have going on in their own lives.
Are there any genres or types of roles you’d like to try out moving forward?
I want to be a superhero in a Marvel movie. That’s been a dream role for me since I was a kid. More specifically if they ever do a remake of the Black Widow or Scarlett Johansson decides she’s over it, I would love the opportunity to take on that role.
Your work with the Endometriosis Foundation of America is incredible. How did you first get involved and what has this work meant to you?
I first got involved in 2018. I had started a blog and one of the posts was about my journey with Endometriosis. Our Director of Communications and Government Relations, Jeanne Rebillard, saw the post and reached out to my agent at the time, inviting me to the Blossom Ball. I of course went. I can only describe the energy in the room as being empowering. It was empowering, motivating, and inspirational to hear from all of these women who had been through their own dark journeys with Endometriosis. After that, I knew I wanted to help and was given a seat on the Advisory Board. A few years later I am now the Chair.
Do you have a career highlight?
I keep telling everyone I am in a cocoon phase right now. I’ve had a lot of life changes this year that have been really difficult but I could not be more grateful for the challenge because I am growing more than I ever have — personally and artistically. A friend told me to enjoy the plateau because it won’t be there forever. His plateau is my cocoon; it’s where growth is happening and what’s going to make you level up. Now that I’ve practiced some patience I can see he was right. I can’t wait to see what I’ll be capable of once I hatch out of this cocoon. But right now, this time in the cocoon, on the plateau, is my career highlight because that is when the magic happens.
