Jean Luc Marinai

Jean-Luc Marinai now known as Sylvia Marinai, and performing as a professional magician, illusionist and mentalist as Zatanna, is a transgender woman born in France in May 1964, from a French mother and an Italian father, and living in Perth, Australia since 2006. Sylvia started her transition in 2014, but is living full time as a woman since January 2015. When she was still a boy and living in Paris, she studied drama at the Cours Simon ( famous classic drama school in Paris) for 2 years and then with John Strasberg (Lee Strasberg's son) when he was living in Paris. She (as Jean-Luc) did act mainly in theatre plays, but also did participate in few movies directed by Olivier Assayas, Milos Forman, Patrice Leconte, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Alain Chabat... Then, still as Jean-Luc, he worked as a snow skiing and water ski teacher before to become a water ski champion (French champion in 2001, Australian champion in 2008, and 3rd at the world championship in 2004). Waterski made her moved and settled down to Australia in 2006. In the meantime Sylvia (still as Jean-Luc) learned magic, and it became a hobby (for 2 weeks), a passion (for life), a part time job (for 6 years) and a full time job (until now). In 2004 Sylvia did participate to her first (and last ) beauty pageant in Thailand (she was 40yo then). Even if she didn't transitioned yet, and wasn't really out, she jumped on the opportunity to live as a girl for 2 full weeks. It was to be the first international transgender beauty pageant ever, called Miss International Queen, and was to be transmitted on national TV at prime time. She was participating under the name of Sylvie Lynn. All the other candidates were beautiful young Asian girls under hormones or post surgery, Sylvia was the only Caucasian. The following years more and more Caucasian girls entered the pageant. In 2013, Sylvia was planning her transitioned, she knew she couldn't go much longer as Jean-Luc. A friend called, and told Jean-luc about a casting, they were looking for French actors for " an accidental soldier" directed by Rachel Ward . Jean-Luc got the part of the land-owner and it was a lot of fun. After a lot of thinking Sylvia knew she could transitioned and work as a female magician, but it will be hard at the beginning (not loosing the past clients, create a new website who rank well on Google, getting new clients...) So, she created Zatanna (inspired by the DC super-hero) and adapted all her magic for a more feminine act. She performed in Japan, China, Italy, France and Malaysia and of course Australia where she lives. She also performs for the Fringe Festival every year in Perth.