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From soaps and superhero worlds to Broadway stages and post-apocalyptic France, these queens proved they’re far more than reality TV icons. Join us as we spotlight the most memorable acting turns from “Drag Race” royalty, including standout work from Jinkx Monsoon, Bianca del Rio, Bob the Drag Queen, Peppermint, Trixie Mattel, Shea Couleé and more!
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00:00I'm Tess. One time I ate a magnet and got stuck to a flagpole.
00:04Diddy, I was born with adult teeth."
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo. And today, we're counting down our picks for the most
00:11notable Drag Race stars who have taken their charisma, uniqueness,
00:14nerve, and talent to other productions on the stage and screen.
00:17Go ahead, Tiny Tim. Run!
00:21Thanks, Ida.
00:22Yeah, yeah.
00:24Number 20. Danny Beard — Hollyoaks
00:27And you are not a coward. The way you took on that bigot before,
00:32you had a fire in your eyes that I have only ever seen in two kinds of people.
00:37Who?
00:38Drag queens and warriors. And last time I checked, you ain't a drag queen. So you must be a warrior
00:45kid.
00:45Danny Beard didn't just pop into Hollyoaks for a Wink and Wave cameo.
00:49The Drag Race UK winner landed a proper speaking role in the soap's emotional Brighton episodes,
00:54playing a fairy drag mother who steps in when Juliet Nightingale and Perry Lomax are stranded mid-getaway.
01:00It's a very Hollyoaks setup, naturally, but Danny makes it work with warmth,
01:05quick comedic timing, and exactly the right amount of sparkle.
01:08I finally feel like myself again.
01:11And that's what drag does, babe. It takes all the strongest parts of us,
01:14and it puts it on the outside for everyone to see.
01:18Maybe I can do this.
01:19You bet your boots you can.
01:20Sharing scenes with Neve Blackshaw and Ruby O'Donnell,
01:23Danny brought levity to a storyline centered on Juliet's cancer diagnosis without undercutting
01:28its emotional weight. The role even earned Danny a special one-off appearance in the opening titles.
01:33The gays are getting hitched, saying I do. But they need help, so they're asking you.
01:46Number 19. Paloma. The Walking Dead. Daryl Dixon.
01:50Zombies and drag queens is a combination that nobody asked for, but apparently everybody needed.
02:07The winner of the first season of Drag Race France, Paloma secured a recurring role across
02:12two episodes of The Walking Dead Daryl Dixon, the AMC spin-off that premiered in 2023.
02:17The series follows Norman Reedus' rugged survivalist Daryl Dixon as he navigates a
02:22post-apocalyptic France, eventually stumbling into an underground Parisian club where he meets
02:27Paloma's character Coco, a drag performer.
02:41Perhaps the most interesting tidbit about Paloma's appearance is that Norman Reedus himself reportedly
02:47requested that she be written into the show, as he is a devoted fan of Drag Race France.
02:52Number 18. Jujubee. Stop That Train.
02:56Dee Dee, what's going on?
02:57And a five, six, seven, eight.
03:00I think we're being hijacked.
03:02More than a decade after making her debut on RuPaul's Drag Race, perennial contestant Jujubee
03:08took a leap onto the big screen with the World of Wonder comedy Stop That Train.
03:12Even among a stacked cast of Drag Race alumni, including Latrice Royale, Ginger Minj,
03:17Brooklyn Heights, and Simone, Jujubee managed to stand out, bringing the quick wit fans have
03:23loved for years to a whole new medium.
03:25What are you gonna do?
03:26You know, a little light sex work.
03:28Maybe I'll sell my hair.
03:29Isn't that the plot of Les Miserables?
03:31And this Les is gonna be far from miserable.
03:33Playing train hostess Dee Dee, the Season 2, All-Stars 1, All-Stars 5, and UK vs. the World
03:39Finalist reportedly approached the disaster parody as though it were a serious drama, a choice that
03:45made the film's most absurd moments even funnier.
03:48If this performance is any indication, Jujubee's future in comedy looks very bright indeed.
03:53It's been a wild ride and I will say Drag Race is much harder than this, I will say.
04:00It's harder than what?
04:01Then Stop That Train.
04:02Number 17, Valentina, Rent Live.
04:06In 2019, this Season 9 fan-favorite Queen took on the role of Angel Dumas Chouinard in Fox's
04:12live broadcast of Rent.
04:24The character, a drag queen living with HIV who navigates the AIDS crisis in early 90s New York,
04:31was originally immortalized on Broadway by Wilson Jermaine Heredia, who won a Tony and later reprised
04:37the role in the 2005 film. For this production, Valentina shared the stage with names like Vanessa
04:42Hudgens, Tinashe, and Jordan Fisher.
04:44New York City, center of the universe.
04:47Sing it, girl.
04:49Times ain't pretty, but I'm sure they can't get anywhere.
04:52I hear you.
04:53It's a comfort to know, when you're singing the hit that wrote blues,
04:57that anywhere else you could possibly go after New York.
05:01Her performance drew mixed reactions, particularly around the vocals, and critics were quick to point
05:06that out. Still, casting a drag race queen to play one of theater's most iconic drag-adjacent roles
05:11on network television was groundbreaking.
05:14Recount his exploits as an anarchist, including the tale of his successful reprogramming of
05:19MIT virtual reality equipment to self-destruct as it broadcasts the words,
05:23Actual reality, act of, fight it!
05:27Number 16, Simone, Bros.
05:30Billy Eichner's Bros made history in 2022 as the first major studio romantic comedy built
05:35around an all-LGBTQIA-plus principal cast. So naturally, a drag race winner had to be in the mix.
05:41I'm sorry, you guys. I have to go. A late shift at the bar.
05:45But it was great meeting you guys.
05:46Nice to meet you.
05:47And congratulations.
05:48Bye, Marty.
05:49Bye, y'all.
05:50Touch this.
05:50Season 13 champion Simone appears out of drag in a small but memorable role as Marty,
05:55one of the impossibly cool queer people orbiting Billy Eichner's Bobby.
06:00Within the story, Simone's character becomes the object of desire within Bobby's friend group,
06:04who eagerly try to bring him into their romantic circle.
06:07Hi, Grandma.
06:08Oh, hi, honey.
06:10I have some news.
06:11Yes?
06:12Peter and I are jointly f***ing a third person.
06:15Ah! Oh my goodness!
06:18It's Paul. He and Peter are jointly f***ing someone else.
06:22Oh, how wonderful. It's a thruffle.
06:24Eichner reportedly pursued Simone for the role after watching her dominate on RuPaul's Drag Race,
06:29as he wanted authentic queer representation woven into every corner of the landmark film.
06:35Authenticity was so important, and luckily everyone went along with it,
06:39and I think it's one of the most magical things. You're sitting in a movie theater and you're laughing,
06:43but then somewhere in the back of your head,
06:45you know we're all in the community and that we've never gotten this type of opportunity.
06:50Number 15.
06:51Trixie Mattel, English teacher.
06:53Leave it to Trixie Mattel to play a drag queen who's also a petty thief.
06:57In the second episode of FX's English teacher, Trixie guest starred as Shazam,
07:02a drag queen and old college friend of lead character Evan,
07:05who is brought in to coach the school's football team ahead of a performance.
07:08Hello. Hello, my little babies. Hello.
07:11Hi, Shazam. Hi.
07:12So Shazam was the queen of drag back in college,
07:14and now she has a long-running show in Austin called Woman of La Mancha.
07:18That actually got canceled. The show is now called Drink Ticket Tuesday.
07:21Classic Trixie chaos ensues when Shazam is revealed to be stealing items from the school,
07:25including a framed photo of the principal and a printer. She appeared both in and out of drag,
07:31building to a full, spectacular Trixie glam moment for her performance sequences.
07:36Oh, yeah.
07:40I think they've got enough.
07:42Evan, I think you're ready.
07:44The show was unfortunately canceled after two seasons,
07:47robbing us of any comeback appearances by Shazam.
07:49Anyway, I'll see you at rehearsal.
07:51No, you won't, because you're fired.
07:53People are obsessed with saying that to me.
07:56We need those printers.
07:58Peace out, Evan.
07:59People have to print things at this school.
08:02Number 14.
08:03The Vivian, Emmerdale
08:04There's something wonderfully surreal about the late, beloved Drag Race UK winner The Vivian
08:10turning up in the Yorkshire Dales.
08:12Hello, everybody. My name is The Vivian, and if you don't recognize me, yes, I am on the telly.
08:19Do you even have tellys out here in the 6th? Because I can't even get a phone signal.
08:23In June 2021, The Vivian made a special guest appearance in Emmerdale playing a
08:27fictionalized version of themself headlining The Soap's very first Pride event.
08:31Playing oneself may sound easy, but yourself still has to read on camera,
08:35and The Vivian had that rare soap-friendly charisma to completely sell the role.
08:39Oh, you're all right, love. You're right on time. I'm absolutely gasping.
08:45What's that?
08:46Uh, sticky sausages.
08:48Well, if you could leave them there, please, and I'd kill for a body. Large.
08:52The comedy writes itself, really, as The Vivian playing herself means Drag Race UK
08:57exists within Emmerdale's fictional world.
08:59So how did a sleepy Yorkshire village afford to book Britain's most iconic drag queen?
09:03We have questions, but we're too entertained to care.
09:06If you don't mind cracking on with those drinks, I'm back on stage in five minutes,
09:10and nobody is getting any younger.
09:14I'm only messing. I've done enough of these gigs in my time to never bring my own.
09:18Would you fancy a shot?
09:1913. Bob the Drag Queen – Tales of the City
09:23Credited under her out-of-drag name,
09:25Bob the Drag Queen brought real gravitas to Netflix's Tales of the City revival.
09:29You can't just disappear in the middle of your shift, Hawkins.
09:32Are you serious?
09:33No, but how'd I sound? Was I butch and menacing like the foreman of a construction site?
09:39I even put this wee little pencil behind my ear. You're looking.
09:41Yeah, yeah, that's great. I love it.
09:43Bob played Ida Best, the proprietor of The Body Politic,
09:47a queer feminist burlesque bar that becomes a gathering place for the show's central characters.
09:51Ida feels grounded and fully rooted in San Francisco's queer history,
09:55which matters in a series so invested in intergenerational LGBTQIA plus community.
10:01We have a very special surprise for you today.
10:03Please welcome to the Body Politic stage for the very first time.
10:09What's your stage name, honey?
10:13Lady Turd Johnson.
10:14Appearing across six episodes, Bob had enough room to build a character rather than just make
10:19a brief cameo. It's a measured, confident performance that proves Bob's greatest strength
10:24on screen is the same one they have on stage. Total command of the room.
10:28Apparently, there's some shady s**t going on up at Barbary Lane.
10:32People threaten to tear the whole place down.
10:35Margot wants us to come up there and raise our voices. But if we go, we all go together.
10:42Number 12. Jiggly Caliente, Pose
10:51Ryan Murphy's pose was groundbreaking television, and the late Jiggly Caliente was a meaningful
10:56part of what made it feel so authentic. Appearing throughout the show's first two seasons,
11:01Jiggly played Veronica Ferocity, a thrift store cashier who becomes a member of the House of Ferocity.
11:14The casting carried particular resonance because Jiggly herself was a New York City trans woman,
11:20meaning her portrayal of a trans character navigating the ballroom scene of late 80s New York
11:25came from a deeply personal place. Pose had no shortage of stars, but Jiggly's presence helped
11:30make its world feel real. I'm very proud to be part of two shows that have been powerful for the
11:36queer community. Drupal's Drag Race has boosted so much for the drag community and now pose with the
11:43biggest trans cast ever. Number 11. Kelly Mantle, Confessions of a Womanizer
11:50Throughout her long career, Kelly Mantle has made guest appearances in several TV shows,
11:55ranging from police procedurals to comedies like The New Adventures of Old Christine.
12:00It's come to our attention that there's been some inappropriate behavior with the customers.
12:04We just need to find out who was involved. Define inappropriate.
12:10But her most iconic performance came the same year she appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race.
12:14In the 2014 indie comedy drama Confessions of a Womanizer, Kelly plays Ginger, a transgender
12:20sex worker and close friend to the film's central mess of a protagonist.
12:23— Ginger, do you like what you do? — What do you mean? — Prostitution. Do you like it?
12:30— Sweetie, I can't get another job. — Why not? — Because people don't hire transgenders.
12:36The movie itself flew under the mainstream radar, but Mantle didn't. Her performance drew attention
12:41for giving Ginger humor, warmth, and real emotional depth. The film earned Kelly, who is gender fluid,
12:47the landmark distinction of being the first performer approved for Oscar consideration in both
12:52Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress categories for the same role.
12:55— Do I look like a Baptist minister to you? — No. — No. — No, you don't.
13:04— So see? Just...
13:09Just be whoever you want to be.
13:11— Number 10. Candy Muse, Mo Hart, Rosé, and Scarlet Envy,
13:15iCarly. Drag, Model UN, and Reese Witherspoon? Who could ask for anything more?
13:21In 2022, these four queens came together for a joint sleigh on the reboot of iCarly.
13:26— Show straight. Wild.
13:29— Alexa, we found a really good stylist.
13:34They played Cruella Tensions, Antihistamine, Kimmy Kimmy Moore, and Lana Del Sleigh, queens in dire
13:40need of a look for a gala that called for outfits based on various celebrities. The only issue?
13:45They all insisted on portraying the legally blonde star.
13:49— Now y'all just have to choose which look you want. Any preferences?
13:52— Reese! — Reese!
13:53— What? I already pulled wardrobe. You can't all be Reese.
13:57— Well, with a good enough stylist, we can.
13:59— Misadventures ensue, and eventually they find themselves performing and mediating a middle
14:04school debate night while in full Witherspoon drag. Each had their own moment to shine and show off
14:09their comedic prowess, creating one of the most iconic episodes in the series.
14:21Number 9. Peppermint, Head Over Heels.
14:24Just a year after her season aired, she made history. In 2018, Peppermint became the first
14:30openly trans woman to originate a leading part on Broadway in the Go-Go's inspired jukebox
14:35adaptation of a 16th-century piece, Head Over Heels.
14:44She played Pythio, a non-binary oracle that reveals kingdom-shattering prophecies and harbors an
14:50even larger secret. She effortlessly took on the role, commanding the stage with a dramatic flair
15:02and presence that showed just how much power her character exuded. That's not the only time she
15:07brought trans excellence to the forefront of the theater community. In 2023, she brought her talents
15:13to a transparent musical. Stunning audiences as Davina.
15:17I've burned all the bibles and damn bad disciples who told me to hate myself!
15:24Number 8. Bianca Del Rio. Everybody's talking about Jamie.
15:28Playing to a camera and to a live audience are two totally different beasts,
15:32but she handled both with ease.
15:34Hey, James and the Giant Peach? Keep it down!
15:38You can't call me that. My parents are lawyers.
15:41Your parents are siblings. Now shut up!
15:43While her starring part in the eponymous Hurricane Bianca cemented her comedic prowess,
15:48it was her tenure on stage that proved how well-rounded she truly was.
15:52She first graced the famous West End Theater in 2019 to tackle the role of Hugo,
15:57otherwise known as Loco Chanel, in the coming-of-age modern classic Everybody's Talking About Jamie.
16:02Oh, I know who you are. Perhaps my legend precedes me also. I'm Miss Loco Chanel.
16:10Please sit.
16:11It shows the queen in a new light, taking on a mentorship position and even helping
16:16the protagonist book her first gig. She did such a fantastic job on her first run that she was
16:21brought back in 2022 to reprise her rendition of the character in Los Angeles.
16:25Miss Haylock.
16:29Everyone's a work of art, Jamie New. But you are a masterpiece.
16:33Number 7. Eureka! American Horror Story Double Feature
16:37It's hard not to wonder if Michelle Visage's critiques ran through her mind the whole shoot.
16:41Another thing that I love about you as a performer is you are not afraid to go for it. However,
16:47I think what happened a bit was we were stuck at one note.
16:50Just months after appearing in a parody of the series in a RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars challenge,
16:55she would get to experience the real show. Rather than play Kathy Bates, however,
16:59Eureka shone in American Horror Story Double Feature as Crystal Decanter.
17:03Look at me! I'm Crystal Decanter. I ooze elegance and shine. I don't know why y'all are trying to
17:11read him when y'all are just as bad as he is.
17:13She got to channel the best parts of being a drag and scream queen in the episode, throwing shade in
17:18one scene and being chased through a graveyard in another. Even though Crystal met her fate with the
17:23Flesh Phantom, she was so captivating that we can only hope Ryan Murphy brings Eureka back
17:28for a second role in another season.
17:36Number 6. Ginger Minj, La Cage aux Folles.
17:40Welcome to La Cage aux Folles.
17:43There are some parts that are made for certain people. In Ginger Minj's case, that was Alvin,
17:49the lead and premiere queen in La Cage aux Folles. Not only does it mirror her own career,
17:53the underlying themes of the show align with her own values. She received several offers following
17:58a breathtaking 2016 performance of I Am What I Am in front of its creator, Harvey Fierstein.
18:04For when I feel elegant, ravishing, fabulous, when Alvin is talked to me and Daza is here.
18:16She turned them down for years and instead tried her hand at other drag-centered characters,
18:21such as her appearance as Candy Dish in 2018's Dumplin'. In 2022, she finally accepted the role
18:28of Alvin. That year, she captivated the Chicago theater scene. Her ability to capture both
18:33the hilarious and downtrodden moments helped her steal the show.
18:36Your life is a sham till you can shout out loud, I am what I am.
18:485. Shea Coulee, Ironheart
18:51This casting created one of the best crossovers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Avengers
18:56Endgame. Their world and RuPaul's Drag Race collided during the miniseries Ironheart,
19:01when All-Star winner Shea Coulee signed on to play Slug.
19:04I don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but, um, I'm kind of when Imagiport is most wanted.
19:11Toot toot.
19:11The character was revamped from a generic crime lore to that of a highly skilled computer
19:15hacker and former drag queen, modernizing it in the coolest way possible.
19:20Can you get us back on with Riri?
19:21Of course I can. This is gonna take a minute, Zeddy.
19:24We don't have a minute.
19:25Her participation in the show marked the first time a drag performer had been included within the
19:29vast universe. Though she started out in a smaller part, there is a chance that she or
19:34others in the art form may get to head a superhero project of their own someday soon.
19:39What you gonna do with your Bergen band?
19:41I'm gonna go home and open up a Michelin-star restaurant lounge.
19:47Ooh, fancy!
19:48Number 4. Willem, Nip Tuck
19:51Most of the queens on this list got their big break on screen following their time on RuPaul's Drag Race.
19:56Willem can't say the same.
19:58What do you think of this one?
20:01It's a little pale.
20:04You're right. I'm a spring and this makes me look like a winner.
20:08Years before she graced the fandom with her presence on the fourth season of the competition show,
20:12she found success in a recurring part on the medical show Nip Tuck.
20:15She portrayed Cherry Peck, a trans woman that suffers physical violence at the hands of the
20:20protagonist, and then teams up with him later on.
20:23I'm planning on having my reassignment surgery sometime next year.
20:26You've been taking all the hormones.
20:29That's great, Cherry.
20:31Willem showed incredible depth and vulnerability throughout her performance,
20:35reflecting a tragic reality faced by the trans community.
20:38It presented a different side to her than the one shown on Ru's show,
20:41and proves that she doesn't have to rely on shade to advance her career.
20:45Is he dead?
20:47I don't know, but he will be.
20:50Number three, Marsha, Marsha, Marsha, Cabaret.
20:53Cabaret. I play Victor, who's one of the Kit Kat boys. I dance a lot. I have a beautiful bowl
21:00cut wig.
21:01People always ask if it's my real hair, and it's not.
21:03From ensemble to MC, they've proven they can dazzle in any role.
21:08Season 15's Marsha, Marsha, Marsha, billed as Marty Lauder,
21:11first joined the cast of 2024's Broadway revival of Cabaret as Victor, one of the Kit Kat boys.
21:17However, there was an even more exciting opportunity at their fingertips to serve as the understudy for
21:22the leading part of the MC, then played by Eddie Redmayne.
21:25The thing that attracts me to the MC is that it was a lot of figuring out what I wanted
21:31it to be,
21:32because it's something that I love about this production.
21:34They've gotten the chance to play the iconic character several times during their run,
21:38proving to the audience exactly what earned them their spot on the competition series in the first place.
21:43Should the rest of their tenure run just as smoothly,
21:45then someday we'll hopefully see their name up in lights as a permanent lead.
21:49She said, people are going to look at you and immediately think like,
21:52oh, you're like cherubic and swede and whatever, and that comes to you for free.
21:56Number 2, Nina West, Hairspray.
22:06To many in the drag and queer communities, this is seen as the character of a lifetime.
22:12Edna Turnblad's larger-than-life personality and presence, along with her exaggerated appearance,
22:17have made her an ideal and consistent part for Queen since the movie first
22:21premiered in 1988. Who better to take on the iconic role than Nina West?
22:26Season 11's Miss Congeniality and all-around talent.
22:29You're like a broken-down Chevy, all you need is a fresh coat of paint.
22:36She joined the cast of the national tour in 2021 and was able to utilize her years of experience in
22:42the art form of drag to excel at aspects like dancing in heels and padding. With those already
22:47down pat, she was able to focus on the core elements of her performance and became a critical
22:52darling in the process.
22:54You'll always hit the spot, big shot. You're timeless to me.
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23:40Since being crowned as the queen of all queens on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars,
23:45her theater career has taken off. Jinx Monsoon's appearances as Mama Morton in Chicago
23:50and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors proved she was an icon both on and off-Broadway.
23:55When you're good to mama, mama's good to you.
24:09She most recently starred as Ruth in Pirates the Penzance Musical,
24:13where she was able to truly tap into her comedic and campy roots.
24:17I'm really not cut out for child pain.
24:19Ahoy! Ahoy!
24:20The situation stinks.
24:21Ahoy! Ahoy!
24:23I guess that I'm a jinx.
24:24She shone so much in the part that she earned a nomination for her work at the Drama League Awards.
24:29Should her tenure in Oh Mary go just as well, then even more awards will hopefully be on the horizon.
24:35Come friends who bow the sea,
24:39Truth to navigation, take another station.
24:42In 2024, Jinx also received glowing reviews for her performance
24:46as the mysterious villain maestro in the 14th series of Doctor Who.
24:50I heard music.
24:56And music is mine!
25:03Which Drag Race Queen would you like to see in more films and TV shows?
25:07Let us know in the comments below!
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