List of RuPaul's Drag Race contestants

This is a list of contestants who have appeared on the American television show RuPaul's Drag Race. Contestants compete against each other and are progressively eliminated, until just a winner remains, who is crowned "next drag superstar". They are judged by drag queen RuPaul and her panel of judges. The series first aired in 2009 and as of 2016, there have been eight seasons that have aired. A total of 100 different participants have been selected as finalists in the show in its seven years running, with eight drag queens - BeBe Zahara Benet, Tyra Sanchez, Raja, Sharon Needles, Jinkx Monsoon, Bianca Del Rio, Violet Chachki, and Bob the Drag Queen being crowned "America's Next Drag Superstar". In addition, an All-Stars season aired in 2012 featuring twelve returning contestants from the first four seasons, each competing for a place in the "Drag Race Hall of Fame". The season was won by Chad Michaels, previously a runner-up in season four. In 2015, it was announced All Stars had been renewed and a second season premiered on August 25, 2016.^[1] The second season was won by Alaska, who was previously a runner-up in season 5.^[2]

Contestants usually apply to be on the show, or attend casting calls, but the series has been known to recruit contestants via online casting. Season 1 contestant Nina Flowers, season 2 contestant Jessica Wild, season 5 contestant Penny Tration, and season 6 contestant Darienne Lake were all selected to participate by an audience vote via the show's official website. RuPaul and Santino Rice personally chose season 3 contestants Venus D-Lite and Delta Work at an open casting call in Hollywood. All contestants selected must be 21 years of age or older at the time of taping.

Some contestants have identified as transgender during or after the competition. Season 2 contestant Sonique, season 3 contestant Carmen Carrera, season 4 contestants Kenya Michaels and Jiggly Caliente, season 5 contestant Monica Beverly Hillz, and season 6 contestant Gia Gunn are the series' only transgender participants. Sonique, Carmen, Jiggly, Kenya and Gia competed while self-identifying as males and began self-identifying as transgender females after their respective eliminations, while Monica is the only contestant in the history of the competition to participate while already self-identifying as female. Monica confirmed in an interview that the show does not require contestants to identify as male and that transgender females can participate if they still consider themselves drag artists.^[3]

Currently, the first and only contestant to pass away is season 2 contestant Sahara Davenport, who died in October 2012 at age 27.^[4] Davenport was in a long-term relationship with season 3 contestant Manila Luzon at the time.

Contestants

All information is accurate as of the time the season was filmed and thus may vary from season to season for returning contestants.

Ongina from Season 1 was later featured on the spinoff series RuPaul's Drag U

Pandora Boxx from Season 2 won Miss Congeniality and also won Most Vivacious Professor on RuPaul's Drag U's first season

Raja was crowned the winner of season 3 in April 2011. He is the first Asian American winner, the first non-African American winner, and the oldest winner crowned.

Willam Belli, from season 4, is the first, and only, contestant on the show to be disqualified for breaking the rules of the competition.

Chad Michaels was a runner-up from season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race, but went on to win All Stars.

Alyssa Edwards competed on season 5 of the program and stars in her online web series Alyssa's Secret.

Adore Delano competed on season 6 of the program, finishing as joint runner-up to Bianca Del Rio with Courtney Act.

Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova, known mononymously as Katya on the show, was Miss Congeniality in the 7th season.

RuPaul's Drag U

From 2010 to 2012, Logo aired a spin-off to Drag Race entitled "RuPaul's Drag U". The series saw members of the public receive drag-inspired makeovers from selected memorable contestants from Drag Race. Following the completion of its third season, it was revealed that Drag U would not be returning. The contestants selected to return as "professors" were:

Professors	Season			Appearances	RuPaul's Drag Race Season
	1	2	3
Raven	Y	Y	Y	12	Season 2 – Runner-up All-Stars - Runner-up
Jujubee	Y	Y	Y	12	Season 2 – 3rd Place All Stars – 3rd Place
Pandora Boxx	Y	Y	Y	10	Season 2 – 5th Place & Miss Congeniality All Stars – 12th/11th Place
Shannel	Y	Y	Y	8	Season 1 – 4th Place All Stars – 3rd Place
Morgan McMichaels	Y	Y	Y	5	Season 2 – 8th place
Ongina	Y	Y	N	5	Season 1 – 5th Place
Tammie Brown	Y	N	N	1	Season 1 – 8th Place All Stars – 10th/9th Place
Nina Flowers	Y	N	N	1	Season 1 – Runner-up & Miss Congeniality All Stars – 10th/9th Place
Manila Luzon	N	Y	Y	4	Season 3 – Runner-up All Stars – 8th/7th Place
Mariah	N	Y	Y	4	Season 3 – 9th Place
BeBe Zahara Benet	N	Y	N	2	Season 1 – Winner
Carmen Carrera	N	Y	N	2	Season 3 – 5th Place
Tyra Sanchez	N	Y	N	1	Season 2 – Winner
Latrice Royale	N	N	Y	3	Season 4 – 4th Place & Miss Congeniality AllStars – 8th/7th Place
Chad Michaels	N	N	Y	2	Season 4 – Runner-up All Stars – Winner
Raja	N	N	Y	2	Season 3 – Winner
Alexis Mateo	N	N	Y	1	Season 3 – 3rd Place All Stars – 6th/5th Place
Delta Work	N	N	Y	1	Season 3 – 7th Place
Sharon Needles	N	N	Y	1	Season 4 – Winner
Willam	N	N	Y	1	Season 4 – 6th Place

Notes

• ^1 Contestants' ages are at the time of their respective season's filming.
• ^2 She maintains Sonique as a stage name, but has legally changed her name to Kylie Sonique Love.
• ^3 Carmen entered the competition amidst transitioning, stopping treatment just before and during her time on the show to meet the requirements to compete. After being eliminated, she began her transition to live full-time as female. She now goes by Carmen Carrera both professionally and personally.
• ^4 Starting from season 4, the winner was chosen from the final three contestants, and no specific position was announced between the remaining two. Thus, the two losing finalists are both listed as runner-up.
• ^5 Vivienne and Honey were both eliminated in the same episode, placing them both in the 10th/11th finishing place.
• ^6 In season 6, there were two opening episodes, Kelly and Magnolia were eliminated in their respective openings, before the contestants merged into one group, placing them both in the 14th/13th finishing place.
• ^7 Laila and Dax were both eliminated in the same episode, placing them both in the 11th/12th finishing place

References