Alex Consani, the 23-year-old supermodel who made history at the 2024 Fashion Awards, says her move into acting gave her something unexpected: permission to stop trying to look beautiful. In an interview published on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, she said what excited her most was 'being able to be ugly' in front of the camera.
The revelation comes after Consani joined the cast of Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story: 13, alongside established performers including Sarah Paulson and Jessica Lange. The series marks a new chapter for the California-born model, who is also set to appear in two forthcoming films, Peaked and Preppy.
Consani said she stopped asking to see playback, did not receive touch-ups before filming and no longer worried about getting the lighting right. She wanted to concentrate on the character, not her appearance.
Why Did Alex Consani Want to Look 'Ugly' on Camera?
Consani said modelling had made her highly conscious of the camera and how others might see her. On fashion sets, models can check images almost immediately, with mirrors and monitors nearby. Acting asked her to set aside that habit and commit to a performance without monitoring every frame.
She described the experience as a personal adjustment rather than a rejection of fashion. Instead of waiting to see whether a shot made her look good, she tried to judge the day by the work she had put in. As she put it, 'I felt like I did a good job, and that's enough for me.'
Her comments also addressed the pressure to measure creative work through outside approval, particularly on social media. She had been reading The Artist's Way, a book about creativity, while reconsidering what made work fulfilling. The shift allowed her to focus less on being pretty and more on whether she had given the role her best effort.
How American Horror Story Changed Her Perspective
Consani auditioned for American Horror Story: 13 after learning that Murphy was interested in seeing her for a role. She studied the script before filming and admitted feeling nervous about joining actors with far more experience. The welcome on set helped her feel comfortable.
Billie Lourd with Sarah Paulson, Leslie Grossman, and Alex Consani behind the scenes of “American Horror Story: 13.” #AHS13 pic.twitter.com/LAmnnkGY9n
— The AHS Zone (@AHSZone) October 29, 2026
She recalled encouragement from Paulson, Emma Roberts, Jessica Lange and Gabourey Sidibe, while singling out Billie Lourd for speaking openly about her own early roles. Consani contrasted that welcome with fashion, which she said could feel more exclusive and dependent on being in the right place at the right time. Her experience on the series made the effort of learning a new craft feel worthwhile.
Alex Consani's Acting Career Is Just Beginning
Consani won Model of the Year at the 2024 Fashion Awards, becoming the first transgender woman to receive the prize. She has walked major runways, appeared in luxury campaigns and built a following through her comedy videos. She was largely absent from the spring-summer 2027 runway shows as she pursued screen work, although she has not said she is leaving modelling.
Her forthcoming projects span different genres: Peaked is an A24 comedy directed by Molly Gordon, while Preppy is a true-crime drama directed by Janicza Bravo and set in the 1980s.Consani has also expressed interest in animation, roles involving powerful women and eventually writing or producing projects of her own. For now, she is learning how to move between fashion and film without treating one as a replacement for the other.
In an earlier interview, Consani said, 'I want to do things specifically for me,' while remaining committed to the runway. Acting has given her another place to build characters, a part of modelling she has long enjoyed. This time, she said, the reward can come from the performance itself rather than the finished image.
