April 2016 - Cover Story - Felicia Day
If there must be a kingdom of Geek, then Felicia Day is the Queen. Day has made a name for herself in the television, movie, and online fields as the go-to female in a male-dominated world of gamers. After years of experiencing life as a geek in a gamer’s world, Day has now become an author, currently on tour in the states promoting her memoir, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost), which will be making a stop here in Albuquerque at Woodward Hall at UNM on April 29th.
Day, who was homeschooled in her early days, realized her awkwardness as a child when it came to the vitamins her mother gave her and her brother, Ryon, which left them with Vitamin B mouth stink, and the clothes they wore. But because she didn’t attend public schools, she got to experience playing the violin and studying opera and ballet. Homeschool led to Day heading to college at the age of 16 to The University of Texas at Austin, passing on going to Julliard. She double-majored in mathematics and music performance, graduating at the age of 19. During this time, she fell in love with the world of video games. After graduating from college, Day made the bold decision to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in acting without knowing one contact.
The decision did her well. She landed roles in films like Bring It on Again and the television shows Undeclared and Maybe It’s Me. Her time on Buffy The Vampire Slayer as Vi, one of the potential slayers in the final seasons of the show, led to that character occasionally being used in the comic book series. But it was looking into her own life experience that landed Day’s biggest feat. Based on her gaming experience, Day created the cult classic web series, The Guild, which aired for seven seasons, winning several awards including a Streamy Award from Best Comedy Web Series, Best Ensemble Cast in a Web Series, and Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series. Her success online continued when Day announced that she would be creating her own premium YouTube channel, Geek & Sundry. The popular channel produces such shows as Felicia’s Ark and the saucy Vaginal Fantasy, a romantic fantasy book club leaving her 13,000 members to share their deep thoughts during their monthly book club meetings.
To add to her resume, Day took part in some of the most memorable projects of her career. Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy, turned to Day for his web-based musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which also starred New Mexico native Neil Patrick Harris and Castle and Firefly star Nathan Fillion. She also starred in the web series Dragon Age: Redemption based on the popular video game, as the character Tallis, an elf.
Day’s latest project is her memoir, Felicia Day: You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost). She has taken all of her moments, both personal and professional, and created an intelligent, creative and downright witty book. You get a true sense of Day through her words, finding an even greater reason to love the woman who sees herself different - far from normal. But You’re Never Weird can also easily be a guide for those looking for answers on how to get through the difficult hardships of adolescence, and in some cases, even adulthood, giving many hope during times when there might not seems to be any. One of Day’s quote for You’re Never Weird was how she sees perseverance. “I love it when people tell me I’m doing the wrong thing, or that something isn’t possible, or just straight dismiss me. That lights my fire in a perverse way, like a two-year old who deliberately touches the hot stove after you tell them not to." This beautifully charming memoir is one for the ages.
Day is the ultimate example of a woman who took her awkwardness and made it an asset. As young women struggle to find their place in the world, Day can be a strong role model for them, being able to share her highs and lows, including a bout with anxiety and depression, a gaming addiction, and moments of writer’s block. But proving to be a fighter, Day, an influential pioneer with online media, she will continue to provide us with more creative shows, books, and moments in the land of geek.