Can you believe RuPaul’s Drag Race has been on TV for 10+ years?
One of my favorite shows, this reality TV competition documents RuPaul’s search for “America’s next drag superstar.” Best of all, Rupaul has placed famous drag queens in the spotlight for over a decade. It’s hard to believe, right?
Even though time has flown by, the lessons we’ve learned from the queens aren’t easy to forget. They’ve taught us how to adapt against adversity, thrive in the world, and overcome serious challenges—on and off the stage.
Of course, we’ve also learned unforgettable catch phrases and sassy comebacks along the way.
Rupaul’s Most Memorable Drag Queens
To celebrate the show in all it’s glory, here are 7 of the most famous and fabulous drag queens Rupal has ever brought on stage.
1) Bianca Del Rio
As if I’d make a list about top drag queens without mentioning Bianca Del Rio.
With a whopping 2.1 million Instagram followers, she is one of the most famous drag queens out there. She was a hit on the show, winning season 6 and becoming one of the biggest names in the drag world.
Talented, hilarious, and with unbeatable design skills, it’s no surprise she did so well. Who remembers her finale look? It was a definite showstopper.
After Drag Race, Bianca created two independent films – Hurricane Bianca and Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate. She also does plenty of stand-up and TV appearances, keeping her in the spotlight.
Keep doing your thing, Bianca.
2) Alyssa Edwards
When Alyssa Edwards entered the world of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, we all fell in love. She’s by far on the of the most popular and notable queens to ever hit the show.
With her iconic looks, killer personality, and all-around fabulousness, she was set for fame as soon as she entered.
After the show, she’s had a Netflix Original, Dancing Queen. It follows the life of this energetic drag queen and the dance studio she now owns and runs – Beyond Belief Dance Company.
The show was a roaring success, and you only have to check out Alyssa’s Instagram (where she has over 1 million followers) to see she’s still making waves as one of the world’s top drag queens.
3) Adore Delano
There’s no denying the success story that is Adore Delano. She was already a bit of a star when she came on Drag Race, having appeared on American Idol. She made it to the semi-final, representing queens everywhere in one of the most popular American reality shows of all time.
Next, she was a runner-up on Rupaul’s Drag Race, where she solidified her title as one of the best drag queens. Her 2014 album Till Death Do Us Party broke into the Billboard 200, landing at number 59. It also reached number 3 on the Billboard’s Dance/Electronic chart.
She then released After Party (2016) and Whatever (2017). Her headline tours were a huge success, and she now has a massive 2 million followers on Instagram.
4) Miz Cracker
I love a queen who uses their voice for good, and Miz Cracker definitely does.
After making it to the top 5 in season 10, Miz Cracker created a huge following and she now has over 1 million Instagram followers. Plus, she knows how amazing a platform like this can be and is using hers to talk about some real issues.
She’s written for the likes of Slate and Muck Rack, talking about LGBTQ+ topics and drag queen tips. She even won the Association of LGBTQ Journalists award in 2016!
Now she’s got a show, ‘American Woman’ that has been touring the world and empowering ladies. I love that Miz Cracker uses her voice for issues that need more exposure.
5) Shangela
Who doesn’t remember Shangela? It would be a travesty if she wasn’t on this list. Originally, Shangela was sent home first on season 2 (we know, it’s an outrage). But in season 3, she was back and ready to slay.
As the first returning queen ever, she showed off her talents and was even invited back for All Stars.
After the show, Shangela hit Hollywood. She had a role in A Star is Born, Netflix Original Super Drags, and is on the new show Katy Keene too. Check it out if you miss Shangela on your screen.
She also has a song, ‘Pay Me’, out and has appeared on tons of podcasts, TV shows, and YouTube videos. Take a look at more of what she’s doing on her Instagram and become one of her 1.3 million followers.
6) Courtney Act
Courtney Act is a queen who has used her exposure to the maximum.
After appearing on season 6 of Rupaul’s Drag Race, Courtney was part of The AAA Girls, a girl band formed with William and Alaska. They released the Kaleidoscope EP and even did a tour.
She really blew up when she started going on other reality shows and she now has 1.2 million Insta followers.
In 2018, Courtney competed – and won (!) – Celebrity Big Brother UK. She gathered a huge following there and made headlines time and time again as she was on the show. She then hosted the first bisexual dating show in the UK, The Bi Life.
Next, she went on Australia’s Dancing With The Stars, winning second place and gaining even more fans. As fame goes, Courtney Act has done very well.
She’s now a big media personality, both in Australia and the UK, and is often discussing LGBTQ+ topics on TV.
Watch out for Courtney in Neighbours, where she’s set to make an appearance.
7) Latrice Royale
She might not top the list for most Insta followers (she has around 900K followers), but Latrice is one successful queen.
We all fell in love with her sassy, joyful personality on Drag Race. She was definitely a character – and what a voice on this lady.
Since Drag Race, Latrice has been slaying the game. Not only is she touring the world with her show Klubkids, and doing tons of appearances on TV, she’s also a big presence behind the scenes.
This business-minded queen is now managing the careers of other queens, including Kennedy Davenport and Alexis Matteo.
It takes a whole new level of success to start managing other peoples careers!
Famous Drag Queens
I love our famous drag queens representing the LGBTQ+ community. They’ve shown the world that drag queens aren’t an entertainment act or a comedy show. They’re incredible people with incredible talent.
Of course, I’d love to hear your opinions too, so let me know your favorite Rupaul queens in the comments below.
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