Holly Woodlawn, the Warhol โsuperstarโ and inspiration for Lou Reedโs โWalk On The Wild Sideโ, has died aged 69.
The actres and transgender icon was immortalised in the opening lyrics of Reedโs song: โHolly came from Miami, F-L-A/ Hitchhiked her way across the U.S.A/ Plucked her eyebrows on the way/ Shaved her legs, and then he was a she/ She said, โhey babe, take a walk on the wild sideโ.โ
Born Haroldo Santiago Franceschi Rodriguez Danhakl, Woodlawn starred opposite Joe Dallesandro in Warholโs 1970 film Trash.
Her other acting credits included 1972โs Women In Revolt. In the 1990s, she made a comeback in independent films including Twin Falls Idaho and Billyโs Hollywood Screen Kiss.
More recently, she appeared in the Amazon Prime series, Transparent.
โI was very happy when I gradually became a Warhol superstar. I felt like Elizabeth Taylor!โ Woodlawn told the Guardian in 2007. โLittle did I realise that not only would there be no money, but that your star would flicker for two seconds and that was it. But it was worth it, the drugs, the parties, it was fabulous. You live in a hovel, walk up five flights, scraping the rent. And then at night you go to Maxโs Kansas City where Mick Jagger and Fellini and everyoneโs there in the back room. And when you walked in that room, you were a STAR!โ
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