When Hailie Sahar was cast as Lulu in the FX series Pose, she couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. Not only did the show serve as her first major break, but it gave her the chance to be part of a project that had a positive impact on communities and people she cares about. As the show gets ready to enter its third and final season, there’s a bittersweet feeling. One one hand, it’s nice that the show will get the chance to tie up and loose ends, but viewers will certainly missed Hailie and the rest of the Pose cast. Fortunately for Hailie’s fans, they won’t have to wait long to see her again. She is currently working on an upcoming movie called Sir Lady Java in which she will be playing the title character. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Hailie Sahar.
1. She Was A Dancer
Even before Hailie got into acting, she always had a passion for performing. As a native of the Los Angeles area, she grew up with plenty of access to the world of entertainment. When she was a kid, she began her career as a dancer for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
2. She Has A History In The Ball Scene
While there are some differences between Hailie and real life and her character on Pose, something they have in common is their connection to the ball scene. During an interview with Nylon she said, “I had a house in L.A.—the House of Rodale. I first was a member. The way it works is a House has a mother and a father, most times, and they have children. I was the princess of the House—meaning I was the main daughter. I won all the categories…It was space that allowed me to hone in on who I am. It was a space that allowed me to just be myself and be authentic.”
3. She Grew Up In A Religious Household
Hailie was born and raised into a devoutly religious family. Her father is a Baptist minister and as you can guess, things weren’t always easy for her once she began exploring her gender identity. Although we weren’t able to find any specific information on Hailie’s current religious beliefs, it appears that she still has a relationship with her higher power.
4. Her Mom Is Her Biggest Role Model
Hailie has a very close relationship with her mother and in some ways, she has modeled herself after her mom. Hailie told A Book Of, “My mother is my blueprint to womanhood. My mother exemplifies class and elegance and tenacity. I watched my mother growing up and so a lot of my qualities of being classy and taking myself seriously, making others take me seriously, that all comes from my mother. Of course, I’ve also been influenced by other artists like Janet Jackson. But my mom, I would say is the blueprint of how I model myself.”
5. She Loves Fashion
Another thing that Hailie and Lulu have in common is their love for fashion. Hailie has a great sense of style and she loves being able to express her personality and creativity through her clothing. She isn’t afraid to experiment with different styles, patterns, and colors.
6. She Has Behind The Scenes Experience
Hailie is a relative newcomer to the acting world. Outside of Pose, she only has a handful of other acting credits. That doesn’t mean, however, that she isn’t ready to take things to the next level. In addition to starring in Sir Lady Java, Hailie is also the director.
7. She Has A Birthmark On Her Face
Hailie was born with a dark mark on her face, and she has spent many years covering it. Once she began her career, she felt even more pressure to make sure that it would never be seen. Recently, however, she has decided to open up and she hopes that by doing so she can connect more with her fans.
8. She’s A Pageant Queen
Hailie’s good looks are one of the first things people notice about her, and they’ve gotten her lots of opportunities. Outside of the worlds of acting and dancing, Hailie has also gotten the chance to compete in pageants. In 2015, she won the Queen USA Pageant. She was also crowned Miss L.A. Pride.
9. Her Feet Have An Almost Perfect Rating
Apparently, Hailie’s pretty face isn’t the only thing people are obsessed with. Her feet have also been getting a lot of attention. Hailie’s feet are a huge hit on the online foot database, Wikifeet. At the moment, they have a total of 37 votes and an almost five star rating.
10. She’s Passionate About Her Community
As a woman of trans experience, Hailie’s path hasn’t always been the easiest but she’s always found ways to keep moving forward. She has made it a point to use her platform and her voice to not only be an inspiration for the LGBTQ community, but to give back to it as well.
