Getty Louis Dowler, Jennifer Esposito, Dessa Blaine, David Blaine, and Sam Talbot attend the Petit Maison Chic Charity Fashion Show Benefiting Beyond Type 1 on August 27, 2015 in Bridgehampton, New York.
Nine-year-old Dessa Blaine is showing her cards with her dad, the famous illusionist David Blaine, who is best known for his street performances. The young Blaine is taking the stage for the first time on ABC.
David Blaine is performing in a one-hour ABC special, David Blaine: The Magic Way, airing at 10 p.m. EST Wednesday, April 1. On the special, he is also introducing his daughter.
Dessa Blaine is separated from her father during the coronavirus pandemic. She is in France, where borders have been closed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. But that didn’t stop the young performer from making her debut as an illusionist.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Dessa Blaine Is Performing for the First Time on Her Dad’s ABC Special
Nine-year-old Dessa Blaine is performing for the first time on ABC, where she is taking the stage alongside her dad in the one-hour special David Blaine: The Magic Way. The show airs at 10 p.m. EST Wednesday, April 1, 2020. On the show, Blaine performs for married actors Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, comedian Dave Chappelle, Breaking Bad alums Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul and iconic athletes Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Dessa Blaine performs a card trick for Gisele Bündchen and James Corden on the program. David Blaine told USA Today he usually keeps his daughter out of the public eye.
“I’ve been very private about everything with her, but during this time and with what’s going on, I felt like this is an appropriate time to show family and my daughter … and just give a little kind of insight to something I would normally not put on TV,” he said. “Usually in my shows, I’m acting kind of, like, magician-y or whatever. This is the first time that I’m not.”
2. Dessa Blaine Is the Daughter of David Blaine’s Ex, French model Alizée Guinochet
Dessa Blaine is the daughter of David Blaine’s ex-girlfriend, Alizée Guinochet. Guinochet is a 34-year-old French model who was engaged to Blaine before their split. In 2009, they were spotted kissing in Central Park and wearing “pre-engagement rings,” which were gold bands, hers with small diamonds.
They were engaged on Blaine’s birthday on April 4, 2009, when Guinochet was 23 years old, according to Daily Entertainment News. They dated for several years before their engagement. TMZ reported in 2013 the couple had been splitting and reuniting.
Guinochet has worked for Fashion Model Management of Milan, Chic Management, MD Management, Next Model Management from Miami, NBPeople and Next Model Management from Milan, according to Daily Entertainment News, in addition to some acting gigs, according to IMDB.
3. David Blaine Tells His Daughter Not to Do ‘Crazy Things Like Papa’
David Blaine told USA Today his 9-year-old daughter has a knack for magic. He even said she is “so much better” at performing illusions than he is. However, Dessa Blaine hasn’t said she wants to be a magician, and her dad is fine with that.
David Blaine tells his daughter not to do “crazy things like papa,” but she wants to replicate some of his wild stunts.
“I could never, ever watch that – ever!” he said.
He recalled Dessa picking up on the craft from a very young age, having watched him perform illusions throughout her young life.
“When she was little, I could do magic while holding her, and when she was 4 she just started doing magic to me,” he told USA Today. “She took my cards and went, ‘Pick a card. Don’t show it!’ And it was really good!”
4. David Blaine Shares Cute Photos With Dessa on Instagram, Including a ‘Levitation’ Photo
While David Blaine generally keeps his daughter out of the limelight, he takes the opportunity to share the occasional photo with 9-year-old Dessa Blaine on Instagram.
“Real levitation,” he wrote on July 21, 2019, captioning a photo of a scenic vista from a mountainous landscape.
He also shared a photo of his daughter on March 8, 2020, for International Women’s Day.
“#happyinternationalwomensday to the very strong and amazing women!” he wrote.
The April 1, 2020, ABC special also included a touching father-daughter moment.
“You’re the real magic,” Blaine told his daughter.
5. Dessa Blaine & David Blaine Are Separated Because of the Coronavirus
Dessa Blaine and David Blaine have been separated due to mitigation efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Dessa is in France with Guinochet. France closed its borders due to the coronavirus pandemic. While they are separated, David Blaine has been using FaceTime to talk with his daughter.
“I’ve been doing FaceTime workouts with her every day,” he says. “We do jump rope competitions, we do push-ups. We do planks together over FaceTime.”
Blaine also used FaceTime to perform his illusions on the ABC special.
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