Just when you thought RuPaul’s Drag Race couldn’t possibly get more gaggy than a Quarter Quell-inspired all-winners season (albeit with less blood but more shade), the franchise announces – insert drum roll here for dramatic effect – a global edition of All Stars. Admittedly, we were highly stumped as to how this spin-off would differentiate itself from UK and Canada vs the World, both of which include former Drag Race contestants from across the globe. Looking at this line-up, however, we get it.
If this rumoured list is to be believed (let’s be real, the rumours are always spot on), then RuPaul has collected one fierce player from each international franchise (bar Holland and Thailand) to duke it out in a global arena and the title of, erm, well we’re not quite sure as ‘Queen of the Mothertucking World’ is already taken. Currently, details are scarce on format, judges, cash prize and release date etc – particularly with All Stars 9 around the corner – but whatever, let’s dive in with the 12 rumoured cast of Drag Race Global All Stars below.
Alyssa Edwards
(RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5, All Stars 2)
Original placement: 6th (season 5), 5th (All Stars 2)
Maxi-challenge wins: 3
Drag Race’s tongue-popping diva memorably made her debut on season five, where her classic “Alyssa-isms” (“I don’t get cute, I get drop dead gorgeous”), explosive feud with Coco Montrese (“Girl, look how orange you fucking look!”) and unparalleled lip-sync smackdowns made her a passionate fan-favourite. After sashaying away in sixth place, Alyssa made a “lovely fourth alternate” when she returned for All Stars 2, delivering one of the best lip-syncs in herstory when she and Tatianna faced off to Rihanna’s motor-vehicle banger ‘Shut Up and Drive’. As one of the most successful and beloved post-show queens, Alyssa will be stiff competition.
Athena Sorgelikis
(Drag Race Belgique season 1)
Original placement: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 2
The runner-up of Drag Race Belgique’s first season, Athena Sorgelikis proved to be a real contender for the crown when she won two of the franchise’s staple challenges: the talent show and the makeover. Her track record – which also included one bottom placement – wasn’t enough to take out Drag Couenne, however, who defeated her in a lip-sync battle to Angéle and Damso’s pop-rap-trap anthem ‘Demons’.
Eva Le Queen
(Drag Race Philippines season 1)
Original placement: 3rd/4th
Maxi-challenge wins: 0
Although Eva Le Queen failed to conquer a single maxi-challenge on Drag Race Philippines, she made it all the way to the final and won rave reviews for a variety of crucial franchise challenges, from the talent show to the makeover, the girl group extravaganza and the Snatch Game. Viewers unanimously agreed that Eva was critiqued quite harshly on the season – particularly by alternating judge Rajo Laurel – so here’s hoping her talents are appreciated on Global All Stars (if she’s on, that is.)
Gala Varo
(Drag Race Mexico season 1)
Original placement: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 1
Gala Varo revived the art of the reveal on Drag Race Mexico (and immediately sent Argennis packin’) when she tore her bald cap to shreds and unleashed a short blonde wig underneath (Lolita Banana’s reaction said it all). It was one of many genius moments from the Mexican performer, who ultimately placed joint runner up behind Cristian Peralta, so her (rumoured) inclusion here is thrilling. Like all non-English speaking Drag Race stars on this list, Gala deserves to be internationally beloved, and Global All Stars is the perfect vehicle for her to get those flowers.
Kitty Scott-Claus
(RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 3)
Original placement: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 2
From her impersonation of Gemma Collins on the Snatch Game to her BAFTA-worthy performance in Bra Wars: The Fempire Claps Back, Kitty Scott-Claus is, in this writer’s opinion anyway, one of the most hilarious contestants to have ever appeared on Drag Race. Her track record is impressive, too, having never landed in the bottom and winning two challenges. Fun fact: Kitty also never received a single negative critique, so Mama Ru eats her up.
Kween Kong
(RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under season 2)
Original placement: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 2
Known for catapulting her entire body (and soul) across a stage – relive her bonkers, Mortal Kombat-esque showdown with Beverly Kills here – Kween Kong is the definition of a drag warrior. The Kiwi queen and lip-sync titan sashayed away in joint second place on the sophomore season of Drag Race Down Under behind Spankie Jackson, before returning as a choreographer for the finalists in season three. Drag gods, if you’re listening, please bless us with an Alyssa Edwards vs Kween Kong showdown. It will cure mental illness, honestly.
Miranda Lebrão
(Drag Race Brasil season 1)
Original season: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 1
We have another rumoured (again, rumoured!) runner-up in Miranda Lebrão, Drag Race Brasil’s self-described visual artist who defines her work as “debauchery, drama and the infinite capacity of transformism”. Known for her conceptual, runway-ready looks, the Rio de Janeiro-born queen triumphed in the ball and flexed her comedic chops with high placements in the Snatch Game, roast and acting challenges. Miranda only fell short once, in the makeover. If she can pull a Monét X Change on All Stars 4 and redeem her transformation skills, nothing’s stopping Miranda from taking that crown.
Nehellenia
(Drag Race Italia season 2)
Original placement: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 1
The winner of various prestigious drag titles, Nehellenia made franchise herstory as the first runner-up since Nina Flowers (Drag Race season one) to be named Miss Congeniality. On the second season of Italia, Nehellia demolished every single challenge, never placing below safe, and did a reverse Miranda Lebrão by conquering the makeover. Another fun fact for you: Nehellenia is the drag sister of fellow Italia runner-up Farida Kant.
Pythia
(Canada’s Drag Race season 2)
Original placement: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 2
Abra Cadabra! The “magical, mystical Grecian goddess” of Canada’s Drag Race season two is speculated to return for Global All Stars, making her the third contestant from the Brooke Lynn Hytes-hosted series to be judged by RuPaul. Placing second, behind the legendary Icesis Couture, Pythia became the first Canada alum to win a Rusical and slayed in the statistics department with zero bottom two placements. Canadian contestants don’t have the best luck on global editions – Lemon and Jimbo on UK vs the World were shafted – can Pythia break the curse?
Soa de Muse
(Drag Race France season 1)
Original placement: Runner-up
Maxi-challenge wins: 2
Soa de Muse became the instant frontrunner of Drag Race France’s first season when she crushed the premiere talent show with her powerhouse vocals. Two consecutive bottom two placements soon followed, which tarnished her chances of becoming the series’ inaugural winner. In the finale, she and fellow finalist La Grande Dame – who’s set to appear on the next instalment of UK vs the World – were narrowly defeated by Paloma. Let’s take a second to think about that: if Soa and Dame win their respective seasons, it will mark only the second time – since US season nine – that three queens have won crowns. Herstory! Could! Be! Made!
Tessa Testicle
(Drag Race Germany season 1)
Original placement: 8th
Maxi-challenge wins: 0
A bad track record doesn’t necessarily equate to lack of impact – for example Vanessa Vanjie Matteo, Sugar, Nicky Doll, Jasmine Masters etc. Despite not having the best stats and feats on this list, Tessa Testicle won a legion of fans for her short-lived run on Drag Race Germany thanks to her legendary exit, in which embraced her inner William and smushed her bare ass cheeks on the werkroom mirror, her memeable reactions and overall “CUNT factor”. With her eighth place position, Tessa has a lot to prove but, at the same time, nothing to lose.
Vanity Vain
(Drag Race Sverige season 1)
Original placement: 3rd
Maxi-challenge wins: 1
Sweden’s in the house for our final (rumoured) contestant, Vanity Vain. Placing third on season one, the queen – who lived every queer man’s dream when Alexander Skarsgård smooched her on the cheeks – was particularly lauded for her verse on the top three’s original banger, ‘Every Queen’. Although her verse was praised, and continues to be praised as one of the franchise’s best, she was cut from the top three, leaving Fontana and Admira Thunderpussy to battle it out for the title of ‘Sverige’s First Drag Superstar’.
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