The Wedding Singer star Alexis Arquette dies at 47

Alexis Arquette, best known for playing Boy George impersonator in the 1998 musical romance The Wedding Singer, has passed away. She was 47. Arquette, a transgender actor, died surrounded by family. The cause of her death was unspecified, reported People.

Arquette’s brother Richmond also announced her death on a Facebook post, saying she died while listening to David Bowie’s ‘Starman’.  “Our brother Robert, who became our brother Alexis, who became our sister Alexis, who became our brother Alexis, passed this morning September 11, at 12:32 am. As per his wishes, we cheered at the moment when he transitioned to another dimension”, he wrote. 

Arquette was best known for her appearances in films like Pulp Fiction, Bride of Chucky and the Adam Sandler comedy “The Wedding Singer”. 

The transgender actor was also involved in LGBT activism and documented her transition in a 2007 documentary titled ‘Alex Arquette: She’s My Brother.’ It was believed that she had been suffering from a serious long-term illness. Tributes have been paid to the star, by singer Boy George, Courteney Cox, Emilie de Ravin, Mark Gatiss and Ellen Barkin. 

While the ‘Sherlock’ star Gatiss wrote, “I remember falling for Alexis Arquette (and Craig Chester) in a lovely and now sadly appropriately titled little film called Grief’.” Arquette’s family has asked that in lieu of flowers or gifts, fans can send donations to organisations that support the LGBTQ community in honour of the actor.