Tye Olson is a Minnesota-born actor, who came to San Francisco from Los Angeles to work on the film Watercolors. He lost track temporarily of the path he had set for himself when, at 21, he found he was HIV positive. But, resilient as he is, life took over in ways that he never planned. When he found a beautiful bright red Chanel lipstick that suited him perfectly, he re-found the direction he was meant to travel. It was the start of his drag career. He auditioned for and got the part of a woman in a Japanese television show. He has taken part in AIDS Life Cycle for 5 years now and is committed to improving the world through his work with HIV and the LGBT communities.
Listen to Tye talk about his life, why he putting off telling his family about his diagnosis, his career and how much fun he is now having as an actor who has discovered a genre that gives expression to his most creative self.
His love letter? Challenging as it may be, perhaps to someone who has challenged him. He gets love letters himself and looks at them whenever he is having a difficult day. He writes thank you letters so people will have something in his handwriting and know he took the time to write them. How he wants to be remembered? As resilient and happy, the two things that actually do define him.