It’s a new day for a spotlight!! Today is a special guest who is known all over the cosplay world because of her appearance in magazines and newspapers! Meet SoCal cosplayer, Francheezy!
[Editor’s note: We HAVE to include Francheezy’s adorable Lando Calrissian cosplay for May the 4th!]
Please introduce yourself to the readers.
Hi everyone my name is Francheezy, I am a cosplayer from Southern California and I’ve been cosplaying for six years now.
How would you define cosplay?
I would define my cosplay as a mixed bag of fun. I especially like to choose characters I have always loved since I was a kid. But I also have current characters that I like as well.
Photography by: Jazmin Lashae Photo
What year did you start cosplaying and how did you get into it?
I started cosplaying in January 2015. I got my start cosplaying when I attended a cosplay event called Club Cosplay. A few months later, I attended WonderCon.
How do you go about choosing and getting into character? What’s the process you go through?
When I choose characters to cosplay I always pick characters I love and can relate to from my favorite fandoms. When it comes to getting into character I do character study for that one particular character. For character study, I research characters and watch videos for inspiration.
Photography by: Michael Greening
Was there ever a cosplay you did that did not turn out how you wanted? What did you do?
Honestly I love each and every cosplay that I wear. My Mom creates all of my cosplays and she’s her own biggest critic and she usually dislikes all of her work.
What has been one of the coolest things to come from cosplaying for you?
The coolest things I have gotten to experience from cosplaying is getting the chance to be featured in Oprah Magazine, Essence Magazine, LA Weekly, Voyage LA, Cosplayzine Magazine, [and] Cosplay Alliance Magazine to name a few. I’ve also had the costume designer for Clueless, Mona May, give me props for my Dionne Davenport cosplay and that made me so happy since Clueless is one of my favorite movies.
Photography by: Ivan Aburto
What surprises you the most about your fans? Is there anything a fan can bring you that will make you cry from happiness?
The thing that surprises me about my fans is when I have receive special little gifts from them at cons, it’s such a pleasant surprise and so unexpected. I never would ever imagine anything like that ever happening to me through cosplay.
Have you learned more about yourself since you started cosplaying?
One thing I’ve learned about myself throughout these years cosplaying is that it is okay to love my favorite fandoms and not care what others think. Growing up I would get picked on for loving Sailor Moon and Pokémon. I was told it’s stupid to like that kind of stuff and as an adult I have learnt to embrace my inner nerd.
Photography by: DGN Photography
What changes do you hope to see within the community in the future?
A change that I wish would come to the community would be for it to not always be a competition about who wore it first and who wore it best.
Thank you, Francheezy! Let your mother know that there are so many people who love and admire her skills! For anyone interested in following Francheezy, you can follow her on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok (@ms.francheezy)!
Photography by: DTJAAAAM
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