Alexandra Tydings

Alexandra Tydings
Born
Alexandra Huntingdon Tydings

Alma materBrown University
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • producer
  • writer
Years active1993 – 2008, 2018

Alexandra Huntingdon Tydings is an American actress, director, writer, producer, and activist, best known for her role as Greek goddess Aphrodite on the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its spin-off, Xena: Warrior Princess.

Personal life

Alexandra Tydings was born in Washington, D.C. She has four half-sisters and one half-brother, and is the daughter of former Maryland U.S. Senator Joseph Tydings and his second wife, Terry Lynn Huntingdon Tydings and the granddaughter of former Maryland U.S. Senator Millard Tydings. She is a graduate of Sidwell Friends School[citation needed] and Brown University, with a degree in film and critical theory.[1] She speaks English, French and Spanish.

Tydings counts Katharine Hepburn and Kevin Spacey among her favorite actors. She told Whoosh, a Xena fansite, that she most enjoys the research and collaborating process of acting and that auditioning is her least favorite part of theater arts.[2] She competed in Irish dancing as a child,[1] and performed with The Royal Ballet of London at the Kennedy Center. Dance led to performance of all kinds; in addition to acting, she was the singer and bassist of bands Annabelle Kickbox and She's Seen You Naked.[citation needed]

Whoosh points out that Tydings maintained a vegetarian diet for 14 years, and that she enjoys gardening.[3]

Career

After graduating from Brown University, Tydings moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. In her first major feature film, she played opposite Woody Harrelson in Oscar winner Michael Cimino's The Sunchaser, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.[citation needed] She has since performed in dozens of roles in film, television and theater, including six years as a series regular on Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys where she played Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love.

In 2015, Tydings wrote and directed The Trial of Hanna Porn, a multi-media piece on abortion, which won the Best of Fringe award at the Charm City Fringe Festival.[citation needed] She then went on to write, direct and produce Rainbow Bridge, an independent film about two women advocating for abortion in the United States.

Filmography

Film and television
Year Title Role Notes
1993 Alice Alice
1993 Angst Rebel Girl
1993 Queerbait Arial
1993 Walking on Sunshine TV pilot
1993 Red Shoe Diaries Cecelia
Lynn
Episode: "Love at First Sight"
Episode: "Burning Up"
1995 Vanishing Son Tina Episode: "Win, Place or Dead"
1996 The Sunchaser Victoria Reynolds
1996-1999 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Aphrodite 9 episodes
1997 Party of Five Kerry Episode: "Handicaps"
1997-2001 Xena: Warrior Princess Aphrodite 11 episodes
1998 Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus Aphrodite (voice) Video
1998 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Katherine (voice) Episode: "Porkules"
1998 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Katherine Episode: "One Fowl Day"
1998 Hotel del Sol Nina TV pilot
1999 Dodge's City Cricket TV pilot
2001 Sheena Elena Episode: "The Treasure of Sienna Mende"
2002 Another Pretty Face Jill Trent TV movie
2008 The Wire Arts Editor Episode: "React Quotes"

References

  1. ^ a b Rudnick, Bret Ryan (February 1, 1998). "An Interview with Alexandra Tydings". Whoosh.org. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  2. ^ Murphy, Amy (October 1, 2001). "Inside the Head of Alexandra Tydings". Whoosh.org. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  3. ^ Murphy, Amy (August 1, 2003). "Inside the Head of Alexandra Tydings: Third Time's the Charm". Whoosh.org. Retrieved September 13, 2012.