Biography
Who is Willam Belli?
Early life and background
Willam Belli was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a household with his mother, Debbi Ruzic Belli, and an older sister named Samantha. His family background includes Italian and Yugoslav heritage. During his middle school and high school years, he lived in Florida. His father worked at the Kennedy Space Center. His aunt is the television director Mary Lou Belli.
As a young person, he became interested in costume design and theatre. He was cast in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at a community theatre when he was thirteen. He began dressing in drag to attend performances of The Rocky Horror Show. At sixteen, he earned his first paycheck for a drag performance. He also achieved legal emancipation from his parents when he was sixteen.
Acting career and television roles
Before achieving fame as a drag performer, Willam worked as an actor. His first television credit was a role on the show The District in 2002. He appeared in various other television series throughout the 2000s, including Boston Public, The Shield, My Name Is Earl, and Cold Case. He also appeared in the film American Wedding.
One of his most well-known early acting roles was playing the character Cherry Peck, a transgender woman, in the medical drama Nip/Tuck. He continued to pursue acting roles alongside his drag career. In 2018, he secured a role in the critically acclaimed film A Star Is Born. Also, he received a nomination for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his work on the web series EastSiders.
Drag Race and musical projects
Willam Belli reached a broad audience as a competitor on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2012. He was the first contestant ever disqualified from the competition. While the show stated his disqualification was due to conjugal visits, he later claimed in interviews that the reasons were more complex, involving issues with production and rule-breaking. Despite this, he used the visibility to launch further projects.
He has released multiple comedy music albums, including Shartistry in Motion, which reached the top of the Billboard Comedy Albums chart. He was also part of the musical group DWV alongside Vicky Vox and Detox, recording viral hits like Boy Is a Bottom. Later, he formed another drag group called the AAA Girls with fellow performers Courtney Act and Alaska Thunderfuck. He has also appeared in music videos, such as a featured dancer in Rihanna's S&M video.
Personal life and relationships
Willam Belli met his husband, Bruce, when he was nineteen years old. The couple married on September 9, 2008. They eventually separated in 2015. Throughout his younger years, he maintained a vegetarian diet to manage his weight. He has also been involved in modeling projects, including work photographed by Austin Young for the Tranimal Master Class Workshop.
Birthday and age
Willam Belli was born on June 30, 1982, which makes Willam 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Willam shares the date with 31 other famous people.
Explore more
