- 11 hours ago
From Broadway stages to the silver screen, these queens are proving their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent extend far beyond the werkroom. Join us as we celebrate the most iconic appearances on the stage and screen by former contestants of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” showcasing their incredible versatility and undeniable star power. They’ve brought unforgettable performances to beloved musicals, hit TV shows, and major films, captivating audiences with their acting prowess and leaving a lasting impression in every role.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00You'll upload a virus created by yours truly.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:06And today, we're counting down our picks for the most iconic appearances on the stage and screen
00:11by former contestants of RuPaul's Drag Race.
00:21Number 10. Candy Muse, Mo Hart, Rose and Scarlet Envy, iCarly.
00:26Drag, Model UN, and Reese Witherspoon? Who could ask for anything more?
00:32In 2022, these four queens came together for a joint sleigh on the reboot of iCarly.
00:37Show straight. Wild.
00:41Alexa, we found a really good stylist.
00:45They played Cruella Tensions, Antihistamine, Kimmy Kimmy Moore, and Lana Del Slay, queens
00:50in dire need of a look for a gala that called for outfits based on various celebrities.
00:55The only issue? They all insisted on portraying the legally blonde star.
00:59Now y'all just have to choose which look you want. Any preferences?
01:02Reese!
01:04What? I already pulled wardrobe. You can't all be Reese.
01:08Well, with a good enough stylist, we can.
01:10Misadventures ensue, and eventually they find themselves performing and mediating a middle
01:14school debate night while in full Witherspoon drag. Each had their own moment to shine and
01:19show off their comedic prowess, creating one of the most iconic episodes in the series.
01:24Oh, tidies of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, oh, tidies of comfort and joy.
01:32Number 9. Peppermint, Head Over Heels.
01:35Just a year after her season aired, she made history. In 2018, Peppermint became the first
01:40openly trans woman to originate a leading part on Broadway. In the Go-Go's inspired jukebox
01:46adaptation of a 16th-century piece, Head Over Heels.
01:49Take out the beat, take out the beat, yeah, take out the beat.
01:55She played Pythio, a non-binary oracle that reveals kingdom-shattering prophecies and harbors
02:01an even larger secret.
02:02Storm.
02:03Our nation made strong by brilliance design.
02:06Arcadian swag.
02:07Our beat is divine.
02:09She effortlessly took on the role, commanding the stage with a dramatic flair and presence
02:14that showed just how much power her character exuded. That's not the only time she brought
02:18trans excellence to the forefront of the theater community. In 2023, she brought her talents
02:23to a transparent musical. Stunning audiences as Davina.
02:27I've burned all the bibles and damned the disciples who told me to hate myself.
02:34Number 8. Bianca Del Rio. Everybody's Talking About Janie.
02:38Playing to a camera and to a live audience are two totally different beasts, but she handled
02:43both with ease.
02:45Hey, James and the Giant Peach? Keep it down.
02:48You can't call me that. My parents are lawyers.
02:51Your parents are siblings. Now shut up!
02:54While her starring part in the eponymous Hurricane Bianca cemented her comedic prowess, it was
02:59her tenure on stage that proved how well-rounded she truly was. She first graced the famous
03:04West End Theater in 2019 to tackle the role of Hugo, otherwise known as Loco Chanel, in the
03:09coming-of-age modern classic Everybody's Talking About Janie. It shows the queen in a new
03:15light, taking on a mentorship position and even helping the protagonist book his first gig.
03:20She did such a fantastic job on her first run that she was brought back in 2022 to reprise
03:25her rendition of the character in Los Angeles.
03:27Miss Haylock.
03:31Everyone's a work of art, Jamie, and you. But you are a master.
03:35Number 7. Eureka! American Horror Story Double Feature.
03:39It's hard not to wonder if Michelle Visage's critiques ran through her mind the whole shoot.
03:43Another thing that I love about you as a performer is you are not afraid to go for it. However,
03:49I think what happened a bit was we were stuck at one note.
03:52Just months after appearing in a parody of the series in a RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars
03:56challenge, she would get to experience the real show. Rather than play Kathy Bates, however,
04:01Eureka shone in American Horror Story Double Feature as Crystal Decanter.
04:05Look at me! I'm Crystal Decanter. I ooze elegance and shine. I don't know why y'all are trying to
04:13read him when y'all are just as bad as he is.
04:15She got to channel the best parts of being a drag and scream queen in the episode,
04:19throwing shade in one scene and being chased through a graveyard in another.
04:23Even though Crystal met her fate with the flesh phantom, she was so captivating that we can only hope
04:28Ryan Murphy brings Eureka back for a second role in another season.
04:43There are some parts that are made for certain people. In Ginger Minj's case, that was Albin,
04:50the lead and premier queen in La Cage aux Folles. Not only does it mirror her own career,
04:55the underlying themes of the show align with her own values. She received several offers following
05:00a breathtaking 2016 performance of I Am What I Am in front of its creator, Harvey Fierstein.
05:06Your life is a sham till you can shout out loud, I am what I am.
05:18She turned them down for years and instead tried her hand at other drag-centered characters,
05:22such as her appearance as Candy Dish in 2018's Dumplin'. In 2022, she finally accepted the role
05:29of Albin. That year, she captivated the Chicago theater scene. Her ability to capture both the
05:34hilarious and downtrodden moments helped her steal the show.
05:37For when I feel elegant, ravishing, fabulous, when Albin is tucked away and Danda is here.
05:50Number 5. Shea Coulee, Ironheart. This casting created one of the best crossovers in the Marvel
05:56Cinematic Universe since Avengers Endgame. Their world and RuPaul's drag race collided during the
06:01miniseries Ironheart, when all-star winner Shea Coulee signed on to play Slug.
06:05I don't want to toot mine on the horn or anything, but I'm kind of one of Magiport's most wanted.
06:12Toot toot.
06:13The character was revamped from a generic crime lord to that of a highly skilled computer hacker
06:17and former drag queen, modernizing it in the coolest way possible.
06:21Can you get us back on with Riri?
06:23Of course I can. This is gonna take a minute, Zeddy.
06:26We don't have a minute.
06:27Her participation in the show marked the first time a drag performer had been included within
06:31the vast universe. Though she started out in a smaller part, there is a chance that she
06:36or others in the art form may get to head a superhero project of their own someday soon.
06:41What you gonna do with your Birkin band?
06:43I'm gonna go home and open up a Michelin star restaurant lounge.
06:49Ooh, fancy.
06:50Number 4. Willem, Nip Tuck.
06:53Most of the queens on this list got their big break on screen following their time on RuPaul's
06:57drag race. Willem can't say the same.
07:00What do you think of this one?
07:03It's a little pale.
07:06You're right. I'm a spring and this makes me look like a winner.
07:09Years before she graced the fandom with her presence on the fourth season of the competition
07:13show, she found success in a recurring part on the medical show Nip Tuck. She portrayed
07:18Cherry Peck, a trans woman that suffers physical violence at the hands of the protagonist, and
07:23then teams up with him later on.
07:25I'm planning on having my reassignment surgery sometime next year. Been taking all the hormones.
07:31That's great, Cherry.
07:33Willem showed incredible depth and vulnerability throughout her performance, reflecting a tragic
07:38reality faced by the trans community. It presented a different side to her than the one shown
07:42on Ru's show, and proves that she doesn't have to rely on shade to advance her career.
07:47Is he dead? I don't know, but he will be.
07:51Number 3. Marsha, Marsha, Marsha. Cabaret.
07:55Cabaret. I play Victor, who's one of the Kit Kat boys. I dance a lot. I have a beautiful
08:01bowl-cut wig. People always ask if it's my real hair, and it's not.
08:05From Ensemble to MC, they've proven they can dazzle in any role. Season 15's Marsha, Marsha,
08:11Marsha, billed as Marty Lauder, first joined the cast of 2024's Broadway revival of Cabaret as
08:17Victor, one of the Kit Kat boys. However, there was an even more exciting opportunity at their
08:22fingertips to serve as the understudy for the leading part of the MC, then played by Eddie
08:27Redmayne. The thing that attracts me to the MC is that it was a lot of figuring out what I wanted
08:33it to be, because it's something that I love about this production. They've gotten the chance to play
08:37the iconic character several times during their run, proving to the audience exactly what earned
08:42them their spot on the competition series in the first place. Should the rest of their tenure run
08:46just as smoothly, then someday we'll hopefully see their name up in lights as a permanent lead.
08:51She said, people are going to look at you and immediately think like, oh, you're like
08:54cherubic and Swede and whatever, and that comes to you for free.
08:58Number 2. Nina West. Hairspray.
09:01To many in the drag and queer communities, this is seen as
09:12the character of a lifetime. Edna Turnblad's larger-than-life personality and presence,
09:17along with her exaggerated appearance, have made her an ideal and consistent part for Queen
09:22since the movie first premiered in 1988. Who better to take on the iconic role than Nina West,
09:28season 11's Miss Congeniality and all-around talent?
09:31You're like a broken-down Chevy. All you need is a fresh coat of paint.
09:38She joined the cast of the national tour in 2021 and was able to utilize her years of experience
09:43in the art form of drag to excel at aspects like dancing in heels and padding. With those already
09:49down pat, she was able to focus on the core elements of her performance and became a critical
09:54darling in the process.
09:55You'll always hit the spot, big shot. You're timeless to me.
10:03You'll always be dude, you're money more. You're timeless to me.
10:10Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:14Manila Luzon, General Hospital. She made a cameo on the long-running soap opera as the Queen of Bingo.
10:20Could I get a Shirley Temple? Two shots of vodka. Our next number is... B5!
10:28Jiggly Caliente, Pose. Her portrayal of Veronica Ferocity proved there were no small roles,
10:34only small actors. Judges your scores for Lulu Ferocity. Nine, nine, nine, nine.
10:40Hold up! You old theater bitches now. The mama of Lulu is the realest of them all.
10:44Valentina, Rent Live. She performed with Tinashe and Vanessa Hutchins as Angel in the TV broadcast
10:50of the musical.
10:51Now who could foretell that it would go so well? But sure as I am here's our dog that's now in
10:57doggy hell. After an hour, every time.
11:00Bob the Drag Queen, Angels in America. Bob was encouraged by the playwright to try out for
11:05Nurse and former drag performer Belize.
11:07Belize is a nurse. He's best friends with Pryor, who is a young man who has AIDS. He's also a nurse
11:17to Roy Cohn.
11:18Chad Michaels, Two Broke Girls. She reprised her iconic impression of Cher for this sitcom cameo.
11:24Cher, you got me a present? I've waited for this my whole life.
11:31You know my name is Chad, right? So snap out of it!
11:35Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
11:40about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all
11:46of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
11:52Number 1. Jinx Monsoon, Pirates the Penzance Musical.
11:56Since being crowned as the queen of all queens on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race
12:00All-Stars, her theater career has taken off. Jinx Monsoon's appearances as Mama Morton in Chicago
12:06and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors proved she was an icon both on and off-Broadway.
12:11When you're good to mama, mama's good, oh yeah!
12:25She most recently starred as Ruth in Pirates the Penzance Musical, where she was able to
12:30truly tap into her comedic and campy roots.
12:33I'm really not cut out for child care.
12:35Ahoy! Ahoy!
12:36The situation stinks.
12:37Ahoy! Ahoy!
12:38I guess that I'm a jinx.
12:40She's shown so much in the part that she earned a nomination for her work at the Drama League
12:44Awards. Should her tenure in Oh Mary go just as well? Then even more awards will hopefully
12:49be on the horizon.
12:50Come, friends!
12:52Who bow the sea?
12:54Truth to navigation, take another station!
12:58Which Drag Race queen do you think deserves a big break on the stage or screen? Let us know
13:02in the comments below.
13:04All right! Who's ready for some more? Bingo!
13:07Bye-bye!
13:08Bye-bye!
13:09Bye-bye!
13:10Bye-bye!
13:12Bye-bye!
13:14Bye-bye!
13:16Bye-bye!
13:18Bye-bye!
13:20Bye-bye!
13:22Bye-bye!
13:24Bye-bye!
13:26Bye-bye!
13:28Bye-bye!
13:30Bye-bye!
13:32Bye-bye!
13:34Bye-bye!
Recommended
13:16
|
Up next
1:45:41
3:35
46:03
1:41:07
1:24:38
12:02
9:13
12:34
13:34
9:24
13:08
15:49
3:35
33:33
Be the first to comment