What is a drag queen?
From underground speakeasies to the hot topic all over the world, drag culture has become extremely popular over theist few decades, and drag queens themselves have become international celebrities and household names. But who are the most famous drag queens? And hey, what is drag anyway?
There are many misconceptions about drag and drag queens. Firstly, not all drag queens are gay men. While gay men do make up the majority of drag queens, plenty of straight men also like to slip into something more comfortable (or uncomfortable, depending on how tall your heels are). It’s also not the case that all drag queens secretly want to change gender: some do, but many are perfectly happy with who they are, but love the feeling of hyper feminine expression.
Cis women can also participate in drag, not just by dressing in a hyper masculine style as “drag kings,” but can also wear hyper feminized clothing of their own gender, like pop star Chappell Roan.
Secondly, drag is not inherently sexual. Although burlesque performances are not uncommon, many drag queens will get dolled up for community events, for demonstrations for LGBTQ+ rights, or just for brunch with friends. For many, they think of it the same way that professional cosplayers do when it comes to their sex life: before bed, this is all coming off.
How has drag queen culture impacted the world?
The history of drag could conceivably be traced back centuries. Until relatively modern times, women were not thought to be suited for the stage, and so men would perform women’s roles. Even in Japan, in 1629 women were banned from performing in kabuki theater. But modern drag culture, which emerged in illegal bars in the US during the prohibition era, has emerged as not just a way for drag queens and their audiences to enjoy themselves, but as a shaper of fashion, music, and even social movements. So who are the most famous drag queens in the world?
Most Famous Drag Queens In The World In 2024
Worth drag culture and drag queens themselves at an all-time high in terms of both popularity and visibility, it’s inevitable that some will reach levels of stardom that their predecessors could only dream of. It was a tough set of choices, but we’ve narrowed it down to our top ten queens. So let’s count ‘em down!
Rupaul
Possibly the most influential drag Queen in history to date, RuPaul is the presenter and producer of the eponymous RuPaul’s Drag Race, a television sensation since 2009. She has won 14 Emmy awards, and is so well known that even your Dad probably knows who she is.
She has 5.4 million followers on Instagram, and fans of her show include such figures as Anna Kendrick and Ariana Grande.
Born in 1960, RuPaul began her career in New York City as a musician and indie film creator, before rising to prominence in the city’s LGBTQ+ scene after winning the 1989 Queen of Manhattan competition, but it was Drag Race, which has now been continuously running for 15 years, that truly made her an international star.
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Trixie Mattel
Trixie Mattel is a prolific comedian and musician, and has been nominated for seven Grammy awards. She shot to global fame when she competed in RuPaul’s Drag Race’s 2015 season, and went on to win 2018’s RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. She is also the founder and CEO of Trixie Cosmetics, a makeup brand.
She has over 4 million followers on Instagram, the first competitor on Drag Race to reach this milestone. Named after her album and documentary, Matte fans call themselves “Moving Parts.”
Mattel, born in 1989, took her drag name “Trixie” from a name her stepfather would use to mock her when she acted feminine, with her surname coming from her love of Barbie and the doll’s manufacturer, Mattel. She first gained attention in 2015 as a Drag Race competitor, and has since gone from strength to strength, also owning the Trixie Motel, This Is It! bar, and being a presenter in Netflix’s I Like To Watch series.
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Alyssa Edwards
Another Queen who rose to prominence after her appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Show, she was a fan favorite in the show’s fifth season, and went on to appear in the second All Stars season. She is part of drag family Haus of Edwards, and in 2021 had a one-woman show in London’s West End, titled Alyssa: Memoirs of a Queen.
She has nearly 2 million Instagram followers, and has even been cheered on by US Presidential candidate Kamala Harris in hopes that she wins this year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars.
Edwards’ drag name comes from Alyssa Milano, who she’s admired on Who’s the Boss? growing up, and Laken Edwards, her drag mother. She participated in the Miss Gay America contest in 2006, and appear in the 2008 documentary of the competition Pageant. She won the 2010 Miss Gay America contest, but due to conflicting business interests, before going on to compete in Drag Race in 2012. She also featured in Miles Cyrus’ VMA performance in 2015, and her series Dancing Queen debuted on Netflix in 2018.
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Bob The Drag Queen
Bob the Drag Queen, also known by her stage name Caldwell Tidicue, was the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s eighth season, and has since gone into appear on television shows such as High Maintenance, Tales of the City, and the critically acclaimed A Black Woman Sketch Show.
Bob has 1.8 million followers on Instagram, and was the first black Drag Race contestant to garner over a million followers. She has also worked for around a year with LGBTQ+ icon Madonna.
Bob’s mother actually owned a drag bar in the US state of Georgia, so she grew up around queens and a very supportive atmosphere for her self-expression. Her name comes from a mix-up at a show, where she was introduced as “Kate the Drag Queen.” She took it in stride and made up more names for herself, before settling on “Bob” because it was funny.
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Bianca Del Rio
Another RuPaul’s Drag Race alumnus, Del Rio was the winner of the sixth season, and has gone on to have a flourishing career in stand-up comedy. She was even the first drag queen to headline at London’s Wembley Arena with her show It’s Jester Joke. Before her Drag Race debut, she mostly worked as a costume designer, for which she won awards.
Her Instagram followers number over 2.5 million, and her posts regarding her latest stand-up tour, Dead Inside, regularly garner hundreds of engagements.
Del Rio grew up in Louisiana to a mother of Cuban ancestry and a father of Honduran descent. She won the New Orleans Gay Entertainer of the Year three times, and started as Angel in the first regional production of Rent.
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Alaska Thunderfuck
Also known as simply Alaska, Thunderfuck was a runner up in RuPaul’s Drag Race’s fifth season, after auditioning for every previous season – and one season after her then partner competed. She has since gone on to star on stage, notably in performances of The Rocky Horror Stage Show and Sex and the City, and has released the albums Anus, Poundcake, Vagina, and Red 4 Filth, to positive reviews. She also published My Name’s Yours, What’s Alaska?: A Memoir.
She has 1.8 million Instagram followers, and her music videos on YouTube have racked up over millions of views each.
Initially pursuing acting as a career, Thunderfuck first came up with the idea for her drag persona when partaking of the devil’s lettuce, and having realized she hated the process of applying for acting jobs. She soon became a regular in the LA drag queen scene, including performing in the famous Trannyshack shows.
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Katya Zamolodchikova
Another Drag Race veteran, Katya Zamolodchikova came in fifth in the seventh season, and was runner-up in All Stars. She is a regular collaborator with this list’s number two, Trixie Mattel, who jointly host The Trixie and Katya Show on Viceland, as well as their YouTube webseries UNHhhh. She also hosts Grindr’s podcast, Who’s the Asshole?
Zamolodchikova’s Instagram account boasts 2.8 million followers, and her UNHhhh videos on World of Wonder’s YouTube regularly break 1 million viewers.
Before shooting to fame on Drag Race, she took inspiration for her unique name from Russian gymnast Elena Zamolodchikova, and she spent time practicing Russian to make sure that her pronunciation was correct. She was also improved by a university professor, who was never seen without stiletto heels and thick makeup, weather be damned.
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Courtney Act
Although she did compete in and was a runner-up in RuPaul’s Drag Race’s sixth season, Courtney Act first came to prominence when she performed in the first season of Australian Idol in her native home Down Under. She went on to become the first drag queen to sing for the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and along with Alaska Thunderfuck, she became one of the first drag queens to advertise clothing for American Apparel. She is also the host of long form Australian interview show Courtney Act’s One Plus One.
Her Instagram account has 1.2 million followers, and her turn on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK saw her earn the support of Jade Thirlwall of pop band Little Mix, as well as TV presenter Scarlett Moffat.
Before her TV debut, she was an excellent student, and was even planning to become a doctor before her turn to show biz. She was also friends with the musical duo The Veronicas, and worked the club scene with a then up-and-coming Lady Gaga.
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Lady Bunny
Also known as Bunny Hickory Dickory Dock, Lady Bunny, along with Neil Patrick Harris, revived the annual Wigstock event, an unofficial LGBTQ+ celebration of the end of summer. During the pandemic, she hosted the online drag show Cuntagious. She is a prolific writer, and has lent her voice to Interview, Out Magazine, Time Out, and the Huffington Post. She has also had a storied music career.
She has the lowest amount of Instagram followers on this list, at 344,000. However, this is indicative of her status as a drag mama to so many, and her belief in personal privacy.
She is also unique on this list as she is the only one not to have competed in RuPaul’s Drag Race – but she was always there. She knew RuPaul when she was coming up in Georgia, and she shared an apartment with her. She also was a judge in the first season of spin-off show RuPaul’s Drag U.
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Conclusion
Drag Queens have never been so mainstream as they are today. If this article has piqued your interest, and you’re considering trying drag for yourself, why not check out this article on makeup tips? But if you just want to watch a drag show, live or in TV, then that’s no problem: this is the queens’ world, we’re just sashaying in it.
