MARKED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE w/Paige Billiot

Some stories don’t whisper—they demand to be seen. In this unfiltered conversation, I sit down with Paige Billiot, a filmmaker, disruptor, and advocate who’s turned what others once called a flaw into a full-on force. This isn’t just a talk about beauty—it’s a reckoning with identity, power, and the courage it takes to be unapologetically visible.

ALLIÉ: When I was young, I never wanted to wear shorts. I have a dark birthmark on my right thigh. I was already “different” from my classmates—one of the only Black students in a nearly all-white community. I didn’t want to be more different. So, I hid it as much as I could. I share that with you because… I see you. And not just because your birthmark is visible. I see the courage it takes to be seen as you are, and to invite others to do the same. So, let’s start here: When did you first realize you were different? Not when someone told you—but when you felt it? 

PAIGE: Well, first, thank you so much. That was such a sweet intro. You're so sweet. I'm sure you'll invoice me later for that. But yes, it's always lovely to hear when someone else has a similar lived-in experience. It really is like your second family. It doesn't even have to be the same condition or difference or whatever it is—uniqueness is what I usually call it. At the end of the day, it's your superpower. But yeah, you have those lived-in experiences, and that's your community. So I love to have to share the community with you.

So yeah, I realized I was different pretty young, and it was really from the responses from other people. It wasn't really people telling me that I was different—it was the constant stares and the uncomfortability that I felt from others, just from existing or walking into a room before I even said anything, before I did anything. So I think I knew pretty early on, and it surprisingly came a lot more from adults than it did from children. I mean, walking out every single day, going to the grocery store—whatever it is, you name it—I was reminded every single day that I was not the norm.

ALLIÉ: Right. And it's wild, to your point, how young we get it and how that hits us—and how what’s just us becomes something to fear or to fix when the world starts handing out these labels, or to what you said, the sideways glances or the stare. You’ve said before that makeup used to be your armor, but now it's your art—your self-portraits, the Flawless Effect project. All of it is alchemy, it seems. The fact that you've turned what was once used to cover you into something that amplifies you. So my next question is: was there a specific moment or memory that flipped the switch—that took you from hiding to highlighting?
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PAIGE: It was such a gradual process. It was through a lot of childhood, accepting in different layers—not really exploring the embracing yet. The acceptance phase was quite the trek. It wasn’t until I had already graduated high school and moved out to L.A. a handful of years later, with the intention of always being in front of the camera—and also behind it. I always wanted to be a creator, but to create a representation and awareness that I never had and always wanted to see.

At the time, I had already accepted my birthmark. I really did appreciate being different. But the thought of even highlighting it still wasn’t even in my ether. I still think about that—like, how ridiculous is that? How crazy is it that that thought wasn’t even a thing anywhere near my reality at the time?

So when I was in L.A., I was really active and trying to be in front of the camera as much as I could. I was still kind of covering up my birthmark with a little powder here or there. My headshots covered up my birthmark. But then I started coming to audition rooms without covering it. That kind of caused a little more confusion, understandably. But it was just a lot of rejection—which we're very used to—but I had a lot of energy. I had a lot of suppressed energy that I felt like I wasn’t able to get out creatively. And it was because these people were telling me no. So it became very clear, very quickly: I was like, okay, I’m going to have to make my own stuff. It was through a lot of anger and suppressed energy. I remember—it was the summer of 2015. I was in my Hollywood apartment, and I was just like, Man, what can I do? I wanted to show this representation. I wanted to get creative with my experience. I couldn’t make a film overnight… but I could take a photo.

So that’s when I started Instagram. That was the first moment—through so much frustration—it was kind of like this very rebel moment. Like, Just do something. We gotta do something. And yeah, that was the first time I took a photo where my birthmark was the theme and the highlight. I was really calling it out—but in a really positive way. Like, “Yeah, look at me,” but from a different perspective. Let’s start to look at the flaws in a different way. And I just started to create photo shoots. They were very themed. They were a lot more complex. At the time, I had some friends who would help me out—they weren’t very consistent—but that was the start of it. Before that, it was never in my world whatsoever. It wasn’t even a suggestion anyone had ever given me my entire life. So it literally was not in my world… until I just had to do something.

ALLIÉ: I think it's fascinating that this was all birthed from the outlet you found—as you mentioned, through Instagram. To finally have a place to push all that energy and all of that emotion… that's really awesome.

PAIGE: Yeah, trying to take the anger from mugshot to something really positive.

ALLIÉ: The way you show up, Paige, is not just beautiful—it’s brave, and it’s disruptive in the best, most amazing way. Because you're not asking for acceptance. You're asking people to reconsider this whole idea—this damn framework—of what they think beauty is. And speaking of framework, let's talk Hollywood. You’ve done the work both in front of and behind the camera. So what was that experience like—being in the industry, being right there in the lion’s den of Hollywood? What was it like?

PAIGE: Most of my work was behind the camera. The little bit I've done in front of the camera has been on projects where I was actually working as a coordinator, or a UPM, or a line producer—actually producing it. It’s much easier for me to get work when I don’t have to go through a casting director—if it’s a director who knows me and says, “Hey, let’s do something,” or “We’ve got a one-liner, let’s throw her in”—that kind of thing. Some friends’ short films and whatnot. But yeah, I’ve at least always been actively trying to be in front of the camera, and I’m very consistently grateful for the amount of work I’ve done behind the scenes. It’s been really, really beautiful to see the mechanics—how people’s minds work, how they approach things, and how, honestly, a lot of it is still extremely outdated.

PAIGE: ​There’s more space for these types of conversations now—about DEI and diversity—more expansive than just trying to get more women or people of color into roles. We’re talking about actual disability, visible differences. People are more open to the conversation—but the action still isn’t quite there. And I think some people are already kind of annoyed when someone brings it up again, because there’s still so much of a fight to be had. I mean, I’m part of the SAG Disability Committee, and even they don’t get a lot of support from SAG itself. This is their own disability committee, and they do not receive the support or the funding they need to do their jobs. They’re limited. We’re still very, very limited. We still have to prove that we’re not a risk assessment.

As we keep seeing remake after remake, non-original film after non-original film—they're very risk-assessed. They're very fear-based about anything they can’t quantify. Like, “Well, where’s the guarantee of all the profit coming back?” Yes, there’s still a lot of ego. There are a lot of outdated narratives and myths that need to be debunked—but it has to be proven. And it can’t be by asking their permission or waiting for their money, their time, or their contacts to make it happen. Most of the time, they’re not going to be active in that space unless they have a lived-in experience, or someone close to them does—their daughter, a friend—someone where it’s actually personal.

So we’re at a point now where there are people who really want to see this kind of representation in media. They want to see very diverse roles that reflect the world we actually live in—a world that is that diverse. But yeah, I think for studios and casting directors, it’s going to take seeing profit before they’ll even consider getting on that bandwagon. Because at the end of the day, if they don’t have a lived-in experience… they’re just about business.

ALLIÉ: I hear you. So they need to see the profit—and what you just mentioned a moment ago, they're just not close enough to it. I think it’s very proximity-based. If you have someone—a family member, a sister, someone you know—then you know that reality. But if you don’t, you’re so far removed from it, it’s hard to relate, to accept. So that’s got to be so frustrating. That said, in the frustration and craziness of it all, have there been moments where you felt like you were quietly—or loudly—changing the narrative? Have you seen those sparks personally?


PAIGE: I don’t know if I can give you any data for myself personally, because most of my energy and movement so far has been very social media-based. But the next phase—literally this year and next—we’re developing some scripts and working more into TV and media, so I’ll be able to report back next year on that.

But through some friends, though—like Adam Pearson—I’m great friends with Adam. He was in A Different Man with Sebastian Stan and Under the Skin. So he’s been making waves—a lot. This guy is a rock star. He’s an absolute legend. NF1 is his condition, and I’m going to butcher the actual medical term, so I’ll skip that. Yeah, he’s making huge waves right now. He’s breaking barriers like crazy. He’s really showing beauty standards in Hollywood—how expansive they can be, and how successful that can be, too. I was talking to his agents, and even with the success that he has—I mean, he just got the Gotham Award, was at the Independent Spirit Awards, and we just awarded him the Courage Award at the MyFace Gala—this guy’s killing it.

And still, the first challenge for his agents is figuring out: How do we get these types of diverse roles into these rooms first? Even with him kind of having a name now, their challenge is trying to convince mainly casting directors that we don’t have to have roles written about us all the time. We don’t always have to play the role where our difference is called out. His handful of roles—he did that, and it was great. I think, especially when you’re introducing something new, yes—call it out a little. Educate people. Let them know what they’re watching. Change the narrative. Make them feel empowered to see something different. But at a certain point, we should be able to play the romantic lead, the best friend, the villain too—where we can actually reclaim that power of being the villain with a visible difference. And they can’t comprehend that. It’s a struggle. It’s an absolute struggle.

So we’re just on this train of: We’re writing our own stuff. We’re getting people to fund our stuff regardless. If it’s a studio, great. But that’s not what we’re aiming for—because the amount of energy and time I’d have to spend trying to convince them why this story is important, why it’s important now, and why it will still do well… We’ve got people who are already supportive. We can make it happen.

ALLIÉ: Yeah, because that’s the thing—at the end of the day, you don’t want to have to force it. You want to allow it. You want it to be welcomed—not forced—or else it’s bad taste. It’s so true. And it’s not just about being visible. It’s about shifting the lens—literally and figuratively.

ALLIÉ: I have to tell you—one of our sons—we’ve got six kids, so our hands are full—has a birthmark on his face as well. A dark brown one, right here on his chin. He can’t hide it. There’s no way he could hide it like I did—under a pant leg or tucked under a sleeve. So I guess my question is specific for him—but also for everyone who has a facial difference that they have to face, because there is no hiding it: What’s the advice you wish you would’ve been given when you were coming to terms with it and figuring out how to navigate?

PAIGE: I think the quickest thing is to play the psyche with your mind—to take advantage of that. There’s this term called the Batman Method—or Batman Effect—which I really, really love. It’s something I was doing when I was really young, and I didn’t even realize it. It’s kind of like fake it till you make it. I faked confidence—a lot. I faked certain qualities—but it felt like survival. It was something I needed to do just to survive that day… to survive walking into that room, into that space. But eventually, when you practice those qualities over and over and over again—you really do start to adapt to them. The Batman Effect essentially means becoming a different character. But for me, it’s a little deeper than that. It’s about becoming a version of yourself that you know you have the full potential to be—and borrowing qualities from that version.

So, I was borrowing the confidence. Borrowing the voice. Claiming the room. Getting comfortable learning other people’s uncomfortability instead of carrying the emotional weight myself. That was such a heavy experience for me.
And I realized—okay, people’s reactions, boys’ reactions, whatever—it’s always going to be a thing. I can’t control how they respond. So how can I shift my experience just a little? And over time, pretending to be that version of me—that character—I really did start to become her. And what that eventually turned into—especially with the highlighting—was that I finally saw my difference as a superpower. Because I thought I needed permission to do that.

My advice is this. Start looking at your difference as a superpower. Ask yourself: What’s the advantage I can find in this? It’s always going to seem greener on the other side. But how does your difference make you more? Why is that better? How can you take advantage of that?

There’s so much power in standing out. It’s a beautiful experience—a beautiful level of self-worth. Even if you don’t fully believe it yet, if you start looking at your difference as a superpower and start borrowing those qualities from the version of you that you know you are—or can be—you will become that. And it’s just gonna make life easy, breezy, beautiful… CoverGirl. Considering all things.

ALLIÉ: That is so powerful. That’s something I will carry with me on a few different levels, and I will be sure to share it with him. Before we wrap things up here, I did want to ask you about legacy. What do you want to be remembered for, Paige? And I’m not talking just as a creative or an advocate—but as a human being in this world, doing your work, telling your truth. Paige, how do you want people to remember you?

PAIGE: I don’t know if this would ever be a thing that gets written in history books, but I love the idea of a future where things like this just aren’t a conversation anymore—where the fight and challenge for equality, for diversity, for us being seen as equals, for us being seen through a different lens—that isn’t a fight anymore. It’s not a challenge. It’s not a cry. We can be talking about completely different things.
My advice is this. Start looking at your difference as a superpower. Ask yourself: What’s the advantage I can find in this? It’s always going to seem greener on the other side. But how does your difference make you more? Why is that better? How can you take advantage of that?

There’s so much power in standing out. It’s a beautiful experience—a beautiful level of self-worth. Even if you don’t fully believe it yet, if you start looking at your difference as a superpower and start borrowing those qualities from the version of you that you know you are—or can be—you will become that. And it’s just gonna make life easy, breezy, beautiful… CoverGirl. Considering all things.

ALLIÉ: That is so powerful. That’s something I will carry with me on a few different levels, and I will be sure to share it with him. Before we wrap things up here, I did want to ask you about legacy. What do you want to be remembered for, Paige? And I’m not talking just as a creative or an advocate—but as a human being in this world, doing your work, telling your truth. Paige, how do you want people to remember you?

PAIGE: I don’t know if this would ever be a thing that gets written in history books, but I love the idea of a future where things like this just aren’t a conversation anymore—where the fight and challenge for equality, for diversity, for us being seen as equals, for us being seen through a different lens—that isn’t a fight anymore. It’s not a challenge. It’s not a cry. We can be talking about completely different things. So I don’t know if “Paige Billiot helped us completely change” would ever be said—but that would be cool. But I think what would mean the absolute most... I mean, sure—if we had some successful movies that really shaped people’s view of differences as superpowers for the first time—amazing. You know, we’re working on a birthmark Barbie. If that becomes part of the diversity line—amazing.

But I think what hits home most for me… I’m more of a secret legacy person. I think I’m more into that—where it’s families and generations talking, telling stories like, “Yeah, your grandmother had a birthmark, and she met this woman named Paige, and she transformed the way she saw herself. They got to do this campaign together, and she was part of this photo shoot that went viral—highlighting her birthmark. ”You know, something like that.
I want to kind of be told in some family stories. I’m totally fine with that—nothing big—but to be talked about around some family dinners… that would be cool.

ALLIÉ: Well, you know what? You’re certainly going to be talked about in a family dinner or two in this house. I’ll tell you that. I love that you say—to just be mentioned in a story or two—because it is those intimate connections and conversations that matter. And perhaps we won’t change the whole world… but we can change someone’s world. And that should be enough at the end of the day.

PAIGE: Totally. Even if it’s just—“Yeah, oh, the girl I saw at the grocery store… her birthmark was all highlighted. I didn’t know who she was, but I remember that experience.” I’d love to be remembered like that—just as the girl with the glitter birthmark. ∎

Find & follow Paige on Instagram:
@flawless_affect