#30. Trixie Mattel
Born as Brian Michael Firkus, Trixie Mattel has been working hard to have a place in the celebrity world. Mattel’s life is a truly cinderella story as she was born in Milwaukee in Wisconsin from a poor family. Mattel became the winner of the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Although Mattel didn’t win the seventh season, she became a super-star.
Nowadays, Mattel in the company of her BBF Katya Zamolodchikova -her fellow in season 7- have a web series on Youtube called UNHhhh. Also, Viceland adapted the program as The Trixie & Katya Show. In addition, Mattel is a country singer and has released two albums: Two Birds and One Stone.
#29. Katya Zamolodchikova
As we said before, Mattel’s BFF is another contestant of RuPaul Drag Race, Katya Zamolodchikova, or just Katya. Born as Brian McCook, Katya rose to fame when she was part of the seventh season of the drag queen show. Katya’s drag career started when she used to perform in clubs in Boston her own show called “Perestroika” at Jacques Cabaret.
Along with Mattel, Katya has won her won space in Hollywood and his drag career continues growing every day. In 2019, Katya presented her own comedy show called “Help Me I’m Dying” and in the company of her BFF, they hosted a program on Netflix Youtube called “I Like To Watch”.
#28. Bianca Del Rio
Roy Haylock or his drag persona, Bianca Del Rio became the winner of the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and it was well deserved. According to RuPaul Charles, Bianca Del Rio was one of the best and most professional drag queens that were ever on the show. Bianca was funny and strong and full of creativity that turned her into the best designer of the show of all time.
In 2019, New York magazine said that Del Rio was "The Most Powerful Drag Queen Of All Time". In the same year, Del Rio played the role of a retired drag queen in the West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
#27. Raja Gemini
Drag queen Raja Gemini was already a famous star when she was part of the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Gemini was part of America’s Next Top Model from season 4 to 12 as a professional makeup artist. Gemini worked with a lot of famous people, like Adam Lambert, Tyra Banks, Twiggy and RuPaul too! But Gemini rose to fame when she became the winner of the third season.
In the company of Raven, another contestant of the Drag Race, Gemini hosts a Youtube program called RuPaul’s Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView where she talks about the looks of the contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race and she has to chose which look she likes most and which she doesn’t.
#26. Latrice Royale
Born as Timothy Wilcots, his stage name Latrice Royale is one of the most remembered and loved drag queen that was part of RuPaul show. Royale was part of season 4 in 2012 and part of season 1 and 4 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Although Royale didn’t win the crown, she was crowned as Miss Congeniality.
Talking about her personal life, Royale has been dating for a long time Christopher Hamblin and they just got married in 2018 and, believe it or not, sometimes the couple performed together on stage. Royale had a very taught past as she was in prison for a while and that experience helped her to talk about the living of gay men in jail.
#25. Alaska
Drag queen Alaska has a full name that it’s impossible for us to write it! Born as Justin Honard, Alaska is considered one of the funniest drags that was part of RuPaul’s show. She was part of the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and won the crown of season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
Alaska’s first steps into the drag world started when she was a fellow RuPaul alum and partner of Sharon Needles. Nowadays, Alaska is considered one of the most powerful drag queens of all time. She continues working in movies, realizing new albums and sometimes she works in the company of her brother in web series.
#24. RuPaul Charles
Our list would be incomplete without the Queen of all drags, obviously, we mean RuPaul Charles. RuPaul is the host and the creator of RuPaul’s Drag Race and it’s considered one of the most important persons for the visibility of the drag world. But everyone has a past, let’s see RuPaul’s first steps.
RuPaul was part of the Club Kids, a club from the 80s and 90s formed by a group of famous artists, DJs, club promoters and celebrities. With them, he recorded many disco albums and was part of cosmetics campaigns. Also, RuPaul wrote many books and had appearances in films. Definitely, the Queen of all.
#23. Violet Chachki
Knowing for her little waist and burlesque style, Violet Chachki is one of the most drag queens that were part of RuPaul’s show. In fact, Chachki won season 7 of the Drag Race. Born as Jason Dardo, his first steps into his drag career in Atlanta at the age of 19 years old with his current stage name.
Chachki is a very professional drag queen and it’s well-known because of her burlesque-style and her aerial work. Also, she was part of the Milan Fashion Week walking for Moschino.
#22. Raven
David Petruschin or as he is known as his stage name and persona, the drag queen Raven is well-known for being one of the most important makeup artists in the drag world. Raven was also nominated for an Emmy! Her style with nude makeup coloring and overdrawn lips are from her creation.
Even RuPaul Charles called Raven her personal makeup artist after being part of season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Also, Vanity Fair called Raven one of the most influencers fashion drag queens of the last 100 years. You don’t want to miss who is next on our list!
#21. Bob The Drag Queen
Probably Bod The Drag Queen is one of the funniest drag queens that ever existed. Known as Caldwell Tidicue, when he is on stage he becomes Bob. Tidicue was part of season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and became the winner. Bob become one of the most loved drag queens of the show, especially when she became part of the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black is the hilarious character, Uzo Aduba.
Bob is also a very talented singer, in 2016 after the Drag Race, she released her first single “Purse First”. Also, along with drag Alaska, they released the single “Yet Another Dig”. Also, Bob will release this year her comedy special called Bob The Drag Queen: Crazy Black Lady.
#20. Shangela Laquifa Wadley
During season 3 of All Stars, everyone thought that Shangela Laquifa Wadley was going to be crowned as the winner. In the end, the crown went to Trixie Mattel but that didn’t stop this drag to make her own space in the industry. Wadley has been part of many TV shows and films in the United States and Canada.
Some of the most important TV shows that Wadley was part were Glee, X-Files, Bones or 2 Broke Girls. Nowadays, Wadley is very proud of her trajectory as she was born as D.J. Pierce in Paris, Texas and was raised by her single mother. Since Wadley was very young, she had to make a big effort to become what she wanted to be.
#19. Jinkx Monsoon
Born as Jerick Hoffer is better known for his stage name, drag queen Jinkx Monsoon and rose to fame when he was part of season 5 of Drag Race and won the crown. Monsoon is well-known for her musician skills too, for example, we all remember her performance as Little Eddie in the Snatch Game.
Monsoon released two studio albums: The Invisible Album and The Ginger Snapped. Also, Monsoon was part of many musicals, like Hairspray and Hedwig And The Angry Inch. Definitely, a drag queen with a lot of talent!
#18. Valentina
Perhaps drag queen Valentina, born as James Leyva, is one of the new drag promises of all time. When he was part of the ninth season of the Drag Race, Leyva had been doing drag for only 10 months before the show! Leyva has Latin-American roots and he used to do lip-syncing Spanish songs and wore costumes inspired in South America.
Also, Valentina appeared in season 24 of America’s Next Top Model in one episode and was the host of her own show called La Vida De Valentina. Valentina’s recent work was in the role of Angel Dumott Schunard in the musical Rent, Rent: Live. You won’t believe the next drag familiar story, keep on reading to find out!
#17. Aquaria
Drag Queen’s Aquaria had everything to become one of the most talented and fashionable recent drag queens. Queen Aquaria is the drag daughter of drag Sharon Needles who won the fourth season of Drag Race. Aquaria knows about design and fashion and her looks are proves of it and she is only 24 years old. In the company of her drag mother, Aquaria became one of the most popular drags of all time.
Aquaria is part of the Club Kid Susanne Bartsch and has its supports since she was little. During season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Aquaria showed her strength even if she was very young and became the winner of it. Nowadays, Aquaria works in Dazed as an editor.
#16. Kennedy Davenport
Born in Dallas, Texas as Reuben Asberry Jr., his drag persona is well-known because of her dancing skills. Drag queen Kennedy Davenport rose to fame when she became part of the season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and All Stars season 3. According to New York magazine, Davenport is one of the most powerful drag queens of all time.
Davenport also won many awards like Miss Gay Black USofA, Miss Gay Orland and Miss Gay Texas. Besides being a great dancer, Davenport is also a very talented singer as she showed in RuPaul’s shows. In 2018, she released the single “Moving Up”.
#15. Alyssa Edwards
Justin Dwayne Lee Johson or as he is better known as his drag name and persona, Alyssa Edwards is one of the most famous and talented drag queens of all time. Before being part of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5, she was a star on the pageant circuit, for example, she had won Miss Gay Texas America and Miss Gay USofA.
Edwards is the host of her own comedy web series, Alyssa’s Secret and has her own dance studio called Beyond Belief Dance Company in Mesquite, Texas. Along with the dance studio, Edwards is part of the docuseries Dancing Queen on Netflix.
#14. Chad Michaels
Without a doubt, the singer Cher has been a gay icon for a long time but drag queen Chad Michaels took her passion into another level. Michaels got many plastic surgeries to look more like the American singer and we can say he achieved her goal. Perhaps you don’t know that Michaels is one of the few drag queens that decided to use his given name to be on stage.
Michaels became the winner of the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and All Star season 1. During the show, Michaels showed his kind and tender personality and his talent as Cher’s impersonator. Also, Michaels was part of the TV series 2 Broke Girls and Jane The Virgin.
#13. Jackie Beat
Not all drag queens started their career in RuPaul’s shows, as the case of queen Jackie Beat. Perhaps, she sounds familiar to many people as she was part of the famous HBO series Sex And The City alongside Sarah Jessica Parker. Jackie Beat has been part of many Broadway shows and was a writer for the sketch comedy series Hype.
Jackie Beat’s drag career talks about itself. In fact, she has been in the industry for almost 25 years and she is considered a legend in the drag world. Beat’s most recent work was in the theater with the parody play The Golden Gurlz.
#12. Todrick Hall
Todrick Hall is an American singer, actor, director and a drag queen. Hall is well-known because of his talent and killer voice. Before being part of RuPaul’s word, Hall was part of season 9 of American Idol where he was eliminated in the semi-finals. On season 8 of Drag Race, he became a choreographer and a judge.
Hall always wanted the best of every contestant that why he was a tough coach. Hall’s most memorable roles were as Lola in Kinky Boots and as Billy Flynn in Chicago on Broadway. Nowadays, he continues with his successful singing career.
#11. Lady Bunny
According to the New York Times, Lady Bunny is one of the most famous and recognizable drag queens of al time. Out of stage is known as Jon Ingle, when he becomes Bunny everything is full of color and fashion. Not like many drag queens that were part of RuPaul’s show, Bunny decided to follow another way in the drag world.
Bunny is the founder of the annual Wigstock event and she is also a DJ and a very talented singer. Bunny released two disco singes: “Shame, Shame, Shame!” and “The Pussycat Song”. Many times we could saw Bunny as one of the invited judges of RuPaul's Drag U.
#10. Divine
Considered as the “Drag Queen Of The Century”, drag queen Divine is considered nowadays a cult figure in the LGTBQ community. Divine was one of the favorites actresses for the director John Waters, as she was part of many of his films. Divine’s most memorable roles were in movies like Pink Flamingos and Hairspray.
Divine was also a great singer as she released many disco singles, like “You Think You’re A Man”, “I’m So Beautiful” and “Walk Like A Man”. Divine’s performances are considered very important for the drag world as she was a pioneer. Sadly, she passed away at the age of 46 from a heart attack.
#9. Boulet Brothers
The Boulet Brothers are the creators of the competition TV series The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula. Like RuPaul’s shows, there’s a competition between many drag contestants but the challenges are completely different. All the contestants have to add elements of horror and glamour in their weekly performances.
The winner of the show could win the crown of “Dragula- The World’s Next Drag Supermonster”. For the creators, it’s important to celebrate diversity and alternative art. Most of the challenges include topics like sci-fi, 80s camp or glam rock. What is harder for contestants is that they have to prove if they have the “punk spirit” and do extreme tests, like getting a tattoo or piercing.
#8. Biqtch Puddin’
Talking about Boulet Brothers’ show, the second winner of it was the drag queen Biqtch Puddin’ in season 2. Along the first season, Puddin’ showed her strength and creativity to become the Drag Supermonster. After the show, Puddin’ won international fame and she talked about how the program changed her life.
By the time of the show, Puddin’ was working in Atlanta but when she was called for being part of the show, she decided to aband everything and go to the show. It was the best decision she could ever make.
#7. Vander Von Odd
Before Puddin’, the drag queen Vander Von Odd became the first Drag Supermonster from Dragula. Von Odd’s style is unique and she continues working in a horror-inspired drag tour. Before being part of Dragula, Von Odd had to work hard for the money as none paid her for her drag performances.
For Von Odd, the Boulet Brothers’ show was also very important in her life, especially when it comes to alternative drag styles. Nowadays, she gives talks about different ways of being a drag. Also, Von Odd also works in films under her given name Antonio Yee.
#6. Conchita Wurst
Born as Thoms Neuwirth, he is better known for his drag name Conchita Wurst. The drag queen rose to fame when she won the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Austria. Wurst’s performance singing “Rise Like A Phoenix” is still remembered. Nowadays, Wurst is considered a gay icon and was part of many pride parades and even talked at the European Parliament!
Wurst is well-known because his feminine style with a beard, which is not very common to see in drag queens. Of course, for her is an empowerment act to show drag queens are not the same and that she’s more than a face with a beard. Good for Wurst! Keep on reading the last 5 drag queens that changed history!
#5. The Rocky Twins
Believe it or not, back to the 1920s, there was a pair of brothers that decided to do drag, even if society didn’t approve them. When The Dolly Sisters retired from the public eye in 1928, The Rocky Twins replaced them with an impersonation in Paris. The Rocky Twins were great jazz dancers and very good-looking.
The brothers were part of the French film L’Argent which gave them international fame and they moved to the United States to continue performing. The Rocky Twins became very famous drags in Venice Beach, California. Also, they were part of the American film Blondie Of The Follies.
#4. Julian Eltinge
We can’t imagine how hard it must have been for some men to follow their dreams and become a drag, like the case of Julian Eltinge who was born in 1881. Eltinge’s drag life was very private and we know a few things about it. According to some sources, it’s said that he used to dress in drag since he was very little.
It’s said that Eltinge’s mother encouraged him to be dress in drag and be an actor. Eltine became one of the most famous drags of the century and he was part of the musical The Fascinating Widow and films like The Countless Charming and Madame Behave. Sadly, he passed away in 1941 at the age of 59.
#3. Barbette
Back in the late 19th century, the drag queen Barbette was born under the name Vander Clyde or Vander Clyde Broadway. According to some sources, Barbette was a very talented and charming drag that made everyone fell in love with her. Barbette was very famous in the French city of Paris.
When Barbette was 14, he started to perform as an aerialist in a circus. He agreed to dress like a woman because at that time trapeze was only allowed to women. Barbette’s performances were famous because, at the end of all of them, he used to reveal that he was a man.
#2. Lavern Cummings
According to Laven Cummings’ longtime friend and collaborator, David De Alba, when he started to sing, everyone thought he was a woman but when he changed his voice to a baritone, everyone realized he was a man. Lavern Cummings was one of the most famous “female impersonators” of all time, as he was born as Paul Lavern Cummings.
Cummings performed many times at the Jewel Box Revue, The Beige Room and Finocchio in San Francisco, California. A shame that his career was to short as he died in a car accident in 2018 when a car hit him when he was crossing the street in Las Vegas.
#1. BibleGirl666
According to Katya Zamolodchikova, the RuPaul alum, the drag queen BibleGirl666 has the best drag name of all time. BibleGirl’s look is well-known because of her pink and red shadows on her skin and clothes with the same color. Some people called her the demon version of Britney Spears.
But BibleGirl is also a very talented business drag as she owns a company that sells a variety of drags products, especially for the ones that are total fans of RuPaul and drags. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit her website and become a total drag!