Alexandra PaulLos Angeles, CA
Actress, Environmental and Animal Activist
The star of over 75 feature films and television programs and internationally recognized for her 5-year starring role as Lt. Stephanie Holden in the tv series BAYWATCH, Alexandra Paul began her acting career at age 18 starring in the highly rated telefilm PAPER DOLLS. She then starred in the Warner Bros. motion picture AMERICAN FLYERS opposite Kevin Costner, DRAGNET opposite Tom Hanks & Dan Ackroyd, EIGHT MILLIONS WAYS TO DIE opposite Jeff Bridges & Andy Garcia, Stephen King’s CHRISTINE, SPYHARD with Leslie Nielsen and two films opposite Pierce Brosnan.
In 2014, Alexandra has starred in the web series MENTOR and the Sy Fy movie FIRE QUAKE, and will appear in the films DIRTY and FLIRTING WITH MADNESS. She has also starred in 14 Lifetime movies.
For 4 years, Alexandra hosted the extreme sports series WILD WATERS on the Outdoor Life Network, in addition to hosting the WE network series WINNING WOMEN for two seasons. She also hosted 150 episodes of the environmental cable access talk show EARTH TALK TODAY.
In 2011, she was a spokesperson for the Volt, a plug in car by Chevrolet and was featured in the award winning documentary WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?
But being in front of the camera is far from Alexandra’s only interest. Alexandra was honored by the ACLU of Southern California as their ‘2005 Activist of the Year’ for her long history of fighting for the environment, voting rights and peace issues. In 1997 the United Nations commended Alexandra for her environmental activism. In 1999, she won the International Green Cross award. She walked across America for over five weeks on The Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament, and has been arrested over a dozen times for protesting at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site.
Alexandra has been driving electric cars since 1990. She is a vegan and will not use any products tested on animals. She has traveled to Nicaragua with a medical aid group, to Louisiana to help animals after Hurricane Katrina, to South Africa to register voters and to Sierra Leone to promote family planning. She was a certified EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), registered voters once a week for 18 years and speaks fluent French. A dedicated and accomplished athlete as well, in 1997, Alexandra spent nine months training for the WORLD IRONMAN TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS in Hawaii (a grueling 2.44 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile marathon), which she completed in 13:18:52. In November, 2014, Alexandra swam 13.7 ocean miles in Mexicoin 7 hours 20 minutes.
Alexandra was named Vegan of the Year in 2014 by the non profit Last Chance for Animals.
Alexandra wrote, produced and hosted JAMPACKED, an educational film broadcast on PBS about the human overpopulation crisis, which has won several environmental awards. She followed that up with THE COST OF COOL — FINDING HAPPINESS IN A MATERIALISTIC WORLD, which won a CineEagle award. At age 23, she co-founded YOUNG ARTISTS UNITED, a successful non-profit organization dedicated to helping teenagers in need. Alexandra has also personally spoken, classroom-by-classroom, to over six thousand Los Angeles teenagers on the issue of human overpopulation. In 2000, Alexandra and her twin sister Caroline were the recipients of the Christopher Street West Rainbow Award for their ongoing support of gay and lesbian rights. In spite of her busy acting career, Alexandra continues to find time for social activism and athletic competition:
*In 2003, Alexandra spent 5 days in federal jail for protesting the war in Iraq.
*In March 2005 she captured worldwide media attention for her arrest during a protest to save some of the last remaining GM EV1 electric cars from destruction.
*In September, 2006, Alexandra swam 10 miles in the Maui Channel Swim, an ocean swim race from the island of Lanai to the island of Maui.
*In August, 2009, Alexandra raced an 11 mile ocean swim race from Denarau Island to Beachcomber Island in Fiji.
*In June 2012, Alexandra swam around Key West, a 12.5 mile race.
Services: No vegan health and fitness services available.
Availability: No vegan health and fitness services available.
I had been a vegetarian for 33 years, since I was 14, and I gave up leather, wool and silk in my 20s. I wanted my diet to fully align with my values, and I knew how awful factory farming of cows is, but I was afraid to make that last step as I feared I would fail. Finally, October 8, 2010, I was sitting in the prison visiting room visiting my brother Jonathan - who was at the tail end of a 4 year sentence for helping burn down a horse slaughterhouse- and in my head I suddenly knew it was time to commit to being vegan. Now I had visited him many times before, and Jonathan has been vegan for 30 years, so I cannot tell you why that particular day was different from any other. I had one last frozen yogurt driving home from the airport, and I realized it didn't really taste that good. That was that.
The irony is that I waited so long to become vegan and it was so easy when I finally stopped. I cannot explain it, except that I guess I was ready. Traveling is a bit of a challenge, but I bring my food everywhere anyway. At first, my diet was not so great, as I was figuring out what to eat. What I find interesting is that I have a real sweet tooth, but I have never been tempted to take a bite of anything with dairy in it in the last year. My ethics just totally dominate so it is not even an option, just like meat has not been an option or a temptation for over 3 decades. Anything from an animal is as inedible to me as eating plastic.
In my acting contracts since 1989, I have included a clause which states that I only use makeup not tested on animals, and that I won't wear fur. On Baywatch, I asked to be written out of a storyline which included SeaWorld and would not let them include Johnson & Johnson product placement with my character. I have been on a hunt sabotage organized by my brother, been to Fur Free Friday events, handed out pamphlets on college campuses for Vegan Outreach. In this second half of my life, I plan on focusing on alleviating suffering, specifically of animals. I have spent many, many years on environmental issues, and now am shifting to be more vocal on animal issues. It is time.
My brother has been a liberator of animals for over 20 years, and he has dedicated his life to saving them. So he is the gold standard for me when it comes to saving animals. Last Chance for Animals is one of my favorite animal rights organizations. LCA's founder, Chris DeRose, is a man of much courage and integrity. He has given his life to the animals and has earned my undying respect. Sea Shepherd Society is another favorite, because those activists are uncompromising. PETA also, because Ingrid Newkirk is also a person of great honour. PETA has helped make animal rights mainstream, and that is huge. I also support most of the ALF actions. What is being done to the animals "legally" is so egregious that it is often more moral to break the law. Today's animal rights terrorists will be tomorrow's heroes, as people look back in horror at how humans treated animals in labs, zoos, aquariums, rodeos, factory farms and slaughterhouses.
If I had the opportunity to talk to someone who is considering becoming vegan, I would tell them that they are doing something vitally important for themselves, the planet and millions of animals. Becoming vegan is one of my proudest accomplishments, way more important than starring in any movie. I just regret it took me so long.