Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyx (countess Alyx) Heart
Hi Alyx (Countess Alyx), thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Palm Beach FL with a passion for performance and community. Much of my high school years were spent organizing meetups and clubs or engaging in charity work on the weekend. I was bullied a lot in High school which led me into the spaces of comic cons and anime conventions where I truly felt I belonged and was understood, especially as a queer person. I was homeless after my first year in college due to my identity and lived out of my car for a while. I moved to Jacksonville FL in 2014 and felt right at home in the cosplayer scene. I wanted to do my best and give back to the Florida cosplayer and convention scene, so I started with meetups in Jacksonville and Orlando. I later worked on panels and public speaking opportunities. By 2018, I was working cosplayer guest spots and celebrity features all over Florida and using those platforms to speak on LGBTQIA+ culture in the scene, create spaces and raise money for local charities that assist on helping houseless LGBT youth. My aim is still to this day to bring spotlight and support to queer community and creating safe spaces for those who feel most welcome within the scene, just like I did as a teenager.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My focus has always been to use my platform and opportunities I have to uplift the community. The space I am most proud of our impact has been in the Nerdlesque scene. I’ve lost count but I’ve had the privilege of training and working with over a dozen incredible queer and trans performers across the states of Georgia and Florida. I’ve run into some situations where we have felt unwelcome, but I will continue to fight for safety of my community and refuse to work in spaces where we are threatened or unwanted. The same goes for my work as a cosplayer and representative of the community.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In 2023 I won the award for Best Cosplayer in Jacksonville FL by Folio Weekly. I’ve owned several businesses with a focus on inclusion and creativity within the cosplay and comic con scene. Currently I work with several conventions behind the scenes, continuing to advocate for inclusion and opportunity for all creators. I’ve been part of the community for 15 years now and working within the convention production scene for 6 years. My work in Nerdlesque has been 7 years, production and performance arts. I advocate and help cosplayers and performers navigate the world of business currently in ever regard I can, offering guidance and advice on everything from creating a portfolio to engineering a brand identity.
What are your plans for the future?
This year I am trying my hand at running my own community events. My first event was early winter of 2025 and it was successful. We had a wonderful time. I’m grateful for everything I learned working under other productions, I believe it’s time for me to bloom. I’m working under a convention team out of Gainesville currently working on production and administrations, which is very different for me compared to the full scale event work and emceeing i used to do more often as a host. I’m still performing and emceeing Nerdlesque events across Florida with plans to reignite my production after taking a short break. A lot of opportunities have presented themself this year and I am excited! In the future, I plan to run my own conventions and project a sense of belonging in the beautiful diversity of our community into the space. I truly you believe these events don’t exist without the wonderful people who make the scene so fun and vibrant.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @countessalyx
- Other: https://linktr.ee/countessalyx
Image Credits
Justin Drain Photography. Max Michaels. Sabine Grey Photo.
