Alexis Tae: music, movement and early interests

Before her film career, Tae’s days included orchestral rehearsals, track training and restaurant work. Her interviews reveal the interests and routines behind that earlier chapter.

A musical upbringing

Tae played violin from the age of ten until graduation and performed with her school orchestra at Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center. She also sang in chorus.

In 2019 she named Frank Ocean among the artists she enjoyed and explained her appreciation for music with a rich instrumental sound.

The discipline of the track

Her events were the 400 metres and the 4 × 400 relay. She recalled studying competitors’ times and technique videos, and proudly described earning a state medal in her sophomore year.

Years later, she compared pre-shoot nerves with waiting for a race: apprehension giving way to the familiar rhythm of performing.

Working in a kitchen

Among her restaurant jobs, Tae learned to prepare sushi. She remembered the precision involved in arranging toppings and slicing ripe avocado.

She later worked at another Asian restaurant, where the job also involved deliveries. Her account of those shifts gives a practical picture of life before film.