It’s no wonder that, over a 40-plus-year career, RuPaul became such a television and cultural icon across the globe. This drag queen, model, actor, singer, host, and songwriter spent decades working hard and, by doing so, he paved the way for the LGBTQ+ community’s representation and, in particular, for drag queens around the world. RuPaul Andre Charles is known as the world’s most famous drag queen, boasting many awards and an ever-growing amount of nominations for his productions and contributions to the community and media over the years.
One of RuPaul’s many accomplishments was building his career from scratch, which he started by improvising with some of his sister’s clothes in order to emulate the stars he worshipped, like Jane Fonda and Diana Ross. His drag debut came on the Atlanta nightlife scene while he was studying art at the Northside School of Performing Arts, and although he didn’t actually graduate from his degree, the lessons he learned there laid the groundwork for what was to become his path in the industry. Besides being a renowned drag queen, RuPaul is a successful businessman, who has found ways to monetize his success wherever possible, something that earned him what he considers to be his greatest recognition to date: a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
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In contrast to everything that is known about his professional career, not much is documented about his personal life: this drag queen is quite reluctant to share information about his life, only letting slip a few details about his childhood or his marriage to Georges LeBar, who has been his partner since 1994. In spite of that, RuPaul still manages to keep himself on everybody’s radar, amazing the audience with each one of his achievements, from his very first song to the show that would consecrate him within the industry, RuPaul’s Drag Race. In this article, we will take a look at this queer icon’s career, his first steps, and his road to stardom.
Baby Steps into Show Business
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RuPaul is one of the few, if not the only, drag queen to use his real name for his drag persona, which already speaks volumes about his iconic personality. Born in San Diego in 1960, this businessman has been expressing himself artistically since he was a very young boy, wearing costumes and whatever he could get his hands on. After his parents’ divorce and a childhood shaped by drug and alcohol abuse, his life got back on track by 1975, when he relocated with his older sister in Atlanta, where he started studying performing arts. By that time, he made a pact with himself to live on his own terms and never think about what people would say. Towards the end of the 80s, RuPaul moved to New York and started forging his artistic identity, making his first steps as a musician and in the underground cinema, where he developed the movie RuPaul is: Star Booty, which led to an album with the same name. Yet, his first major gig in the entertainment business was with the musical group The B-52, who invited him to perform in the video of the song Love Shack. This was the production that gave this drag queen the boost she needed to arouse the interest of potential allies.
You Better Work: Supermodel And Her International Breakthrough
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1989 was a huge year for RuPaul, as, in addition to his appearance in the music video of The B-52, he was also crowned as the Queen of Manhattan. Following both achievements, he was approached by a number of producers and managers, some of whom are still working with him to this day. RuPaul’s dream at the time was to be a star, so he welcomed some much-needed assistance and, thanks to his talent and charming personality, in 1993 he reached his third major milestone, arguably the greatest achievement of his early years: the release of his album Supermodel of the World. Such was the success of “Supermodel (You Better Work),” the album’s first single, that it quickly reached #45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #39 on the UK Singles chart. That international acclaim meant, of course, the arrival of further proposals and opportunities. Shortly after the album’s release, RuPaul became the first drag model, signed a contract with MAC Cosmetics, released an autobiography, and became a frequent guest on Arsenio Hall’s MTV show, unaware that he would soon have his own TV show.
Venturing into Movies and Television
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Supermodel of the World would not be RuPaul’s only album, as in subsequent years she went on to record Foxy Lady, Ho Ho Ho Ho, and Red Hot, among many others. To date, this drag queen boasts eight albums, three Christmas albums, and a few compilations of remixes. But that’s not the only thing he would ever accomplish: in 1996, VH1 gave him his first opportunity in television by producing The RuPaul Show, a talk show where he hosted and interviewed artists and celebrities ranging from Diana Ross and Mary J. Blige to Cyndi Lauper, Olivia Newton-John, and even The Backstreet Boys. Besides interviews, the show featured comedy sketches and RuPaul’s interpretations of his songs, backed by dancers. The RuPaul Show was the forerunner of what would later become RuPaul’s Drag Race, this businessman’s flagship product, and it also served to establish a partnership with his friend and partner since then, Michelle Visage, co-presenter of the show. This show, however, wasn’t the only one to feature Ru: he has appeared in movies and TV series of all sorts. Some of the most remarkable ones are the movies The Brady Bunch and The Eyes of Tammy Faye, as well as the series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and her leading role in the Netflix original series AJ and The Queen.
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Conquering the World
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One thing that RuPaul stood by over the years was his refusal to take part in reality shows. Even though he received offers of all sorts, he turned them down time and time again, believing that these shows were frowned upon and exuded a great deal of negativity. Fortunately, by 2009, he finally changed his mind and accepted LOGO’s offer to produce and host RuPaul’s Drag Race, the program that would end up consecrating him as a worldwide icon. This reality show features a panel of judges, among them Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews, and Carson Kressley, and in each season a new group of drag queens compete for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar. The reality show was so successful that several spin-offs were eventually developed, including RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, which features drag queens who have already competed in the original show. Many drag queens who took part in the competition were able to boost their careers and establish themselves as well-known artists starring in their own shows and productions, like Bianca del Rio, Shangela and Bob the Drag Queen.
As of today, RuPaul’s Drag Race counts 14 seasons and over 30 awards, including three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Competition Program. This show has become a platform for the LGBTQ+ community and has garnered millions of fans worldwide. Through this success, his bold style, and flamboyant personality, RuPaul fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a star. More importantly, he accomplished something even greater: enhancing the art of drag and spreading it all over the world.
