As a little kid, the dream Justin Johnson’s father had for his son was to become a football player. After he was forced to the bench as a result of an injury, what he became interested in more than observing how the game was played by others was what the cheerleaders were doing on the side, the dance and all. It was this that would become the birth of Alyssa Edwards as we know her.
Who Is Alyssa Edwards? Biography
While it’s as Alyssa Edwards that we have all come to know her, it was as Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson that the drag performer was born on 16 January 1980 in Mesquite, Texas. He was raised alongside 4 siblings in Texas and he was a queer child while growing up, loving pink stuff together with his sisters.
As he grew up, his father decided to sign him to little league football, but after he ended up with a broken arm, he realized that playing football was not what he wanted to do. For his education, Justin went to West Mesquite High School.
What Is She Known For?
Alyssa Edwards is popular as a drag performer. The journey to becoming who she begins when an uncle who was a gay actor invited Justin to a local theatre community where he was involved in. Edwards was given a small role to play and with a very good performance, his uncle wanted him to get involved with the theatre some more because it was easy for him to pick up things.
His next destination would be the Joy Sharp School of Dance where he was enrolled by his mother with the help of his uncle to learn Jazz music. While there, his interest in choreography would kick in and when he’s not having classes, he would stay back to watch and pick up some steps to practice with his sisters.
When he was set to begin her career as a drag performer, Justin Johnson decided it had to be Alyssa Edwards. Alyssa because he grew up watching Who’s The Boss! and Alyssa Milano was his pick because she’s beautiful, charismatic, and funny. He selected the name Edwards because of the former drag queen Laken Edward who was among the earliest people that trained him.
Career Life
The inspiration for Edwards to become a drag performer came when she was 19. That was the first time she went to a gay club and it was all surprising to find a place like that, but it was the start of something new for her.
Edwards has won many pageant titles in the past including the Miss Gay Texas America (2005) and then going on to become the Miss Gay America Alternate in the same year. She was also the Miss Gay USofA (2006) and Miss Texas Continental in 2007 and 2009. In 2009 and 2016, she won the Miss Shining Star Continental and Miss Gay America respectively. The Southern Elegance All American Goddess and All American Goddess came in 2010.
Beyond drag performance as Alyssa Edwards, Johnson owns and runs the Beyond Belief Dance Company. He began the school as a result of the fantasy he had since he was a child to become the Steven Spielberg of dance. A choreographer and director, Justin wanted to tell stories through moves and dance, adding something to his motivation in starting the company.
Justin Johnson has also appeared in some TV shows and movies sometimes as Justin and other times as Alyssa. Some appearances include in Hurricane Bianca (2016) and the second part in 2018, Beyond Belief (2015), and he is working on a docuseries that, soon to appear on Netflix, “Dancing Queen.”
Who Is Her Husband?
Unlike many people who are gay, there was hardly anything like coming out for Justin. His first year in college, he came home with blond hair and thin eyebrows which left his father in shock but not his mom, Sherrie Johnson. When he tried telling his mother that he was bi-sexual, she said she knew he’s gay and loved him for who he is.
In 2014, Alyssa said in a YouTube video that she has a boyfriend named Marco whom she called on set. Nothing more is known about Marco or anyone that she has dated. More so, there is no public record of the marital life of Alyssa or if she has a husband at all.
