Transformist Joshua Enrique fulfills a goal in his life by participating in “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

For several weeks, starting on January 7, the energy, heat, passion and dedication of Puerto Ricans will be present in the popular “reality” “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on the US channel VH1, thanks to the presence of the transformer Alyssa Hunter.

This character, characterized by the 26-year-old Joshua Enrique Ortolaza Rest, will become one of the most striking talents of the 14th season of the program that puts that same number of participants to the test, who will be eliminated in each of the episodes. This program is hosted by RuPaul Charles, considered one of the most famous transvestites in the world, and has won 11 emmy awards, including five for best host, since it is on the air as of 2009.

For the Puerto Rican, who watched “RuPaul’s Drag Race” since he was a teenager, being able to be part of the program is much more than a dream come true, it is a goal that he set in his life and that he managed to achieve. “I am a very dreamer and I have very big dreams too, but this is a goal that I am fulfilling and that will help to continue climbing in art, and for the world to know who I am. It was about time that after 10 years, my work became known worldwide and I am very proud to represent Puerto Rico “Joshua Enrique explained about his participation in the “show” that was recorded in Los Angeles.

Although the male model also cannot reveal details of the program, he did indicate that the final program has not yet been recorded, so it is not known who the winner of the “reality” is. What he did advance is that viewers will be able to see, especially those who know him personally, a vulnerable person who manages to tell his story. “That is part of what I wanted. For what I consider that I already won just by participating in the ‘show’ and making myself known, and for people to know my story and where I come from and inspire other generations. Besides that, you are going to see a passionate person, a Latino boy, Puerto Rican, a dreamer, who is not afraid of anything, and who only wants to follow his dream “, explained the transformista, who has also been a catwalk instructor for several contestants in competitions such as Miss Universe Puerto Rico, among others.

Great preparation

In the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” program, the participants have to go through a series of challenges and competitions, ranging from acting, dancing and lip syncing, among many others, which led the artist to prepare strongly for everything he was going to face while recording.

“I prepared myself in different facets. I prepared myself emotionally, because I knew that I was going to be away from Puerto Rico for a long time and I was not going to have the same communication with my family. Besides that, I practiced a lot the dance, the diction and I focused on preparing the clothes, because there are many ‘looks’, based on a list that they asked us and we had to bring “commented the young man who has acquired the ability to put on makeup in about 45 minutes, regardless of the complexity. “I received the call that they had selected me in April, and between April and May it was a chaotic month for me, because I was going crazy to do everything possible to be there and, thank God, I did it.”

He was interested in transformism since he was little

Joshua Enrique confessed that since he was very little he already had an interest in beauty pageants and everything related to fashion, since his mother Leslie Ann Resto represented the people of Toa Baja in the 1994 Miss Puerto Rico Universe pageant.

“Since I was little I really like the fine arts and, as my mother competed in various beauty pageants, I had contact with her costumes, I played with her trophies, I put on her heels, I played with them and I grew up watching many beauty contests “, mentioned this young man who began taking dance classes very early in his life, something that he liked very much due to the great amount of applause he received from the public. “One day I saw a ‘drag show’ live and I said ‘wow, I can be one of them’ and that’s how I tried it and I loved it”. Officially, the artist started as a drag queen in 2011, at the age of 16.

Although he does not remember a particular moment in which he decided that he was going to dedicate himself to transformism, the natural artist from Bayamón indicated what began more as a distraction grew to the point of realizing that it was something he could dedicate himself to professionally. “There really isn’t a moment that I’ve said, ‘I’m going to dedicate myself to this forever,’ but the day they called me from the production of the RuPaul show, I realized that I am really good at this and I know that I can dedicate myself to doing this “exclaimed Joshua Enrique, who appears every Friday at La Cantina, on Roosevelt Avenue, where he is part of the “Drag Squad.” “Transforming is an art that, perhaps, many people do not see it that way or have a bad perspective of them, but, if you can live from this, always do it with a lot of passion and be organized.”

the beginning

Like everything in life, the character of Alyssa Hunter was born 10 years ago and has evolved over time, until it becomes what it is today. “Like a whole little butterfly, that was a metamorphosis that we all have to go through. If I see photos from 10 years ago and compare them with the one from now, I am a different person, obviously “, mentioned the Puerto Rican, who took the name Alyssa, from a very famous and successful drag queen named Alyssa edwards, who also participated in the program “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and used the last name of the winner of the prestigious 2000 Miss Continental drag queen beauty contest, Danielle hunter. “In that way, I combined a delicate name with a strong surname and I liked it, and that’s where the name came from.”

Although the irreverent Alyssa Hunter has many characteristics of Joshua Enrique, the artist always clarifies, despite what it may seem, that personally she is not like her and that it is simply a performance. “This is something that I like to clarify, since within the LGBTT + community there are people who are transgender, transsexual and transformistas like me, among many others. In my case, I am a person who lives her daily life as a baby and I am quite normal. But already when I get into art, into a role, I consider myself an actor and I have to get into character and be Alyssa. Something I do with a lot of passion“Mentioned the transformer, who defined his character Alyssa Hunter as a” fashion model “who loves the catwalks. In fact, one of the nicknames that he has earned since he started working in this art has been the “Queen of the Catwalk”. “That is something that distinguishes me a lot and I am very proud. But, at the same time, I consider myself a very versatile drag queen, who doesn’t fit into just one ‘look’. I can have different images and that is what has made me elevate my art and that people love it and never get bored ”.

Family support

For the Alyssa Hunter performer, the support he has received from his family has been crucial in his life, allowing him to focus on his career without having to deal with outside elements. “Thank God, I have never had family rejection. From a very young age my family has instilled in me values ​​of acceptance and that love is the main value of everything “added Joshua Enrique, who completed a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. I was never rejected by my family, even by my grandparents, who we know lived in other times where there were many taboos. They accept me and see it from the point of view that I am an artist and I do it with great passion ”.

In the past few days, after they made their participation in the program “RuPaul’s Drag Race” public, there have been many expressions of affection and support that Joshua Enrique has had from countless people. In fact, in a presentation a few days ago, he received an ovation from the public, something that moved him a lot. “I have been in a sea of ​​emotions since last Thursday. I am still landing. I never thought that I would receive so much support and, truly, I am very grateful “, detailed the dancer.

Although not a single episode of the entertainment program has yet been seen, the doors have already begun to open to Joshua Enrique both in Puerto Rico and internationally. Despite this, at the moment the Puerto Rican has no plans to move outside the island. “I love Puerto Rico, I would not want to move. Many proposals have been made to me to move to Los Angeles, New York, but I like Puerto Rico. I feel that at the moment I am not going to move yet. But I don’t know if a year from now things will change. It all depends on what happens. But I die here, I die here “the artist concluded with a laugh.