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Brian Michael Firkus is most widely known by his stage name, "Trixie Mattel". According to an article in Quest magazine vol. 21-04 (2014), Firkus grew up in the far, far north woods of Wisconsin of a Native American family. There were 30 kids in his high school graduating class, after which he moved to Milwaukee to attend UWM.

That upraising give him his drag name. According to Firkus, "When I was younger, whenever I was acting sensitive, my step-dad would call me a Trizie. It had an effect on me. It hurt." Drag came along for Firkus when he was in college. He performed in Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee, and started doing roles of men waring women's clothing. Then he did a drag queen role. When he was 21, he started doing drag in clubs. The name Trixie "...kind of stuck. Instead of my childhood Achille's heel, the name became happy and powerful."

The stage persona Trixie Mattel now known as an American singer, actor, drag queen and recognized "Skinny Legend", burst upon the drag scene in Milwaukee as recently as late 2013 (at the age of 23). Her acceptance to "RuPaul's Drag Race" season 7 (which started airing March 2015) is what really kicked off her career, and numerous interviews for local LGBTQ media followed. (See below to see some of those articles.)

Since her appearance on "Drag Race", Trixie was the winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" season 3 (2018). She is also a Billboard Heatseekers #1 charting recording artist (One Stone, 2018), a wildly successful touring act, and one half of a comic duo with Katya on YouTube ("UNHhhh" & Netflix's "I Like To Watch"). She was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2018 in the Journalism category for Humor.

In 2019, Trixie worked the festival circuit as the subject of a bio documentary, "Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts," debuted her cosmetics company Trixie Cosmetics, and released her "Skinny Legend" comedy special.

She also released a New York Times best-selling book with Katya called "Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood" and also started a podcast with Katya called "The Bald And The Beautiful".

Trixie Mattel has partnered with Fender, worked with Integrity Toys to release the "Trixie" doll, was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for her "One Night Only" comedy special, and appeared as one of the judges for the hit Paramount+ Queen of the Universe singing competition alongside Michelle Visage, Leona Lewis and Vanessa Williams.

In 2022 she starred in her own Discovery+ reality renovation show "Trixie Motel" and released her double LP 'The Blonde and Pink Albums' to acclaim from Rolling Stone, Billboard, People, Vogue, NPR and more, as well as a performance slots on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and at Austin City Limits. 2023 saw Trixie perform at the Stagecoach Festival, get nominated for two GLAAD Media Awards as well as two Critics Choice Awards, unveile the Trixie and Katya Live livestream via Veeps, grace the cover of Los Angeles Magazine, and release multi-million-viewed video content via her YouTube channel featuring the likes of Orville Peck, Jaida Essence Hall, Laganja Estranja, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field.

Although Firkus moved away from Milwaukee for a time, Trixie's career has never removed her from involvement in her hometown, Milwaukee. Early in 2021, Firkus' longtime friendship with George Schneider, owner of "This Is It!" bar in downtown Milwaukee, led to the two forming a new business partnership, in which Trixie became a partner in 'This Is It' bar. The two continue to operate the business as of 2023. As reported in OUT magazine in February 2021 article "Trixie Mattel Is the New Co-Owner of Wisconsin's Oldest Gay Bar" by Mey Rude:

Drag superstar Trixie Mattel isn't ready to see her favorite gay bar shut down like so many others have done during the pandemic, so she did what anyone would do: became the bar's co-owner.

Mattel, who won RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2018, says This Is It!, which opened back in 1968, was the first gay bar she visited after turning 21. Now she's helping it to stay open by becoming a co-owner when it's harder and harder for gay bars given the pandemic.

"A lot of drag queens made This Is It! our happy hour moment before we had to put on the wig and go do the drag show," Mattel told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "My relationship is such that sometimes I will come from General Mitchell [Airport] to the bar with my bags… it really is like Cheers in Milwaukee. I met some of my lifelong best friends there."

Mattel's new business partner and co-owner of the bar is George Schneider, who's been the owner for some time now. Schneider can't wait to see what Mattel brings to the table.

"It will elevate the bar's recognition on a larger sale, and even for people here locally," he said. "Trixie has roots here in Wisconsin, and made good on all of her talent and ability, and still recognized the value not just of her hometown, but the places she holds close that are also near and dear to their hearts."

This Is It! is the oldest still running gay bar in Wisconsin and one of the oldest in the US. The bar's original owners, June Brehm and her son Joseph were recognized by Senator Tammy Baldwin for their contributions to Wisconsin LGBTQ+ history, and the bar became the first permanent public display location for the Wisconsin LBGTQ History Project. The bar features a wall covered in printed panels that talk about the city and state's LGBTQ+ history.

The queen says she hopes her name will draw in a crowd, saying, "if somebody goes to Milwaukee they may go, 'Oh my god, doesn't Trixie Mattel have a bar there? We have to go.'"

While she's having a lot of fun with her new business venture, Mattel also knows how important the bar and others like it are. "In 2020," she said, "it's been thrown in our faces that queer spaces can disappear like that. And it really makes you think this is a really valuable service they are providing, not just to the community, but to humanity. People need this. They really do."

This is just the latest in the drag mogul's growing empire. After Drag Race she's built an empire that includes a show with Netflix, a bustling YouTube channel, in addition to her show and book with Katya Zamolodchikova. She was also just nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for her country music album Barbara.