RuPaul

Biography

RuPaul is an American drag queen, singer, producer, writer, and actor. Born and raised in San Diego, he studied performing arts in Atlanta before moving to New York City. His 1993 single Supermodel (You Better Work) brought him international fame, and in 1994 he represented MAC Cosmetics, becoming the first drag queen to headline a major cosmetics campaign. RuPaul serves as producer, host, and judge on the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, which began in 2009 and has run for eighteen seasons in the United States, with international versions including RuPaul's Drag Race UK and Canada's Drag Race. His film appearances include Crooklyn (1994), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), and But I'm a Cheerleader (1999). He has released fifteen studio albums and won fourteen Primetime Emmy Awards; in 2022 he won a Tony Award for producing the Broadway musical A Strange Loop.

65years old

Turns 66 on November 17in 35 days

Born November 17, 1960San Diego
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
RuPaul Andre Charles (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 24
Career span: 32 years1994 to 2026

Genres

Comedy54%, 13 films
Drama25%, 6 films
Adventure21%, 5 films
Documentary21%, 5 films
Action17%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
In 1989, RuPaul gained his first prominent national exposure by dancing as an extra in The B-52s' music video for "Love Shack."
Behind the camera
In 2022, RuPaul took home a Tony Award for Best Musical. He earned it as a producer of A Strange Loop, a Broadway musical.
A first
RuPaul hosted The RuPaul Show, a talk show. It was the first national talk show of its kind, with a drag queen as host.
A first
In 2019, RuPaul was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. He was the first drag queen to receive that honor.

RuPaul movies on Netflix

Stop! That! Train!2026IMDb rating 5.8as President Judy Gagwell
Hitpig!2024IMDb rating 5.2as Polecat (voice)
Nimona2023IMDb rating 7.5as Nate Knight (voice)
Ozi: Voice of the Forest2023IMDb rating 4.9as Gurd (voice)
Trolls Band Together2023IMDb rating 6.0as Miss Maxine (voice)
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 32022IMDb rating 5.4as The Mothership (voice)
Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon2021IMDb rating 5.6as Q
Someone Great2019IMDb rating 6.2as Hype
Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts2019IMDb rating 7.3as Himself
RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular2018IMDb rating 4.9as Self - Host
Show Dogs2018IMDb rating 4.1as Persephone (voice)
Katy Perry: Will You Be My Witness?2017IMDb rating 7.9as Himself
Hurricane Bianca2016IMDb rating 5.9as Weatherman
Drag Becomes Him2015IMDb rating 7.1as Himself
The Out List2013IMDb rating 7.3as Herself
Who Is Cletis Tout?2001IMDb rating 6.3as Ginger Markum
The Eyes of Tammy Faye2000IMDb rating 7.2as Himself (Narrator) (voice)
The Truth About Jane2000IMDb rating 6.7as Jimmy
But I'm a Cheerleader1999IMDb rating 6.9as Mike
Edtv1999IMDb rating 6.1as RuPaul
A Very Brady Sequel1996IMDb rating 5.9as Ms. Cummings
Fled1996IMDb rating 5.5as Himself
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995IMDb rating 6.9as Rachel Tensions
Crooklyn1994IMDb rating 7.1as Bodega Woman

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

But I'm a Cheerleader1999 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Mike
IMDb rating 6.953K votes
Nimona2023 Action, Adventure, Animationas Nate Knightvoice
IMDb rating 7.564K votes
Someone Great2019as Hype
IMDb rating 6.228K votes
Stop! That! Train!2026as President Judy Gagwell
IMDb rating 5.83.5K votes
The Eyes of Tammy Faye2000as Himself (Narrator)voice
IMDb rating 7.22.3K votes
Who Is Cletis Tout?2001as Ginger Markum
IMDb rating 6.35.3K votes
RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular2018as Self - Host
IMDb rating 4.91.2K votes
The Truth About Jane2000as Jimmy
IMDb rating 6.72.8K votes

Most often with

Latrice Royale appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Latrice Royale

Alan Cumming

Natasha Lyonne

Anna Kendrick

Stockard Channing

Tony Nappo

Films together

Latrice Royale3 films together, 2018 to 2026
Latrice Royale's page
- Stop! That! Train!2026IMDb rating 5.8RuPaul as President Judy GagwellRoyale as Barbra
- Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts2019IMDb rating 7.3RuPaul as HimselfRoyale as Himself
- RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular2018IMDb rating 4.9RuPaul as Self - HostRoyale as Self - Special Guest
Alan Cumming2 films together, 2016 to 2018
Alan Cumming's page
- Show Dogs2018IMDb rating 4.1RuPaul as PersephonevoiceCumming as Dantevoice
- Hurricane Bianca2016IMDb rating 5.9RuPaul as WeathermanCumming as Lawrence Taylor
Natasha Lyonne2 films together, 1999 to 2018
Natasha Lyonne's page
- Show Dogs2018IMDb rating 4.1RuPaul as PersephonevoiceLyonne as Mattie
- But I'm a Cheerleader1999IMDb rating 6.9RuPaul as MikeLyonne as Megan
Anna Kendrick2 films together, 2017 to 2023
Anna Kendrick's page
- Trolls Band Together2023IMDb rating 6.0RuPaul as Miss MaxinevoiceKendrick as Poppyvoice
- Katy Perry: Will You Be My Witness?2017IMDb rating 7.9RuPaul as HimselfKendrick as Himself
Stockard Channing2 films together, 1995 to 2000
Stockard Channing's page
- The Truth About Jane2000IMDb rating 6.7RuPaul as JimmyChanning as Janice
- To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995IMDb rating 6.9RuPaul as Rachel TensionsChanning as Carol Ann
Tony Nappo2 films together, 2001 to 2022
Tony Nappo's page
- Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 32022IMDb rating 5.4RuPaul as The MothershipvoiceNappo as Zevon
- Who Is Cletis Tout?2001IMDb rating 6.3RuPaul as Ginger MarkumNappo as Fife
Also two films together7 more actors
- Ellen DeGeneresThe Out List (2013) and Edtv (1999)
- Willam BelliTrixie Mattel: Moving Parts (2019) and Hurricane Bianca (2016)
- D.J. 'Shangela' PierceRuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular (2018) and Hurricane Bianca (2016)
- Jinkx MonsoonTrixie Mattel: Moving Parts (2019) and Drag Becomes Him (2015)
- BenDeLaCremeTrixie Mattel: Moving Parts (2019) and Drag Becomes Him (2015)
- Michelle VisageRuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular (2018) and Drag Becomes Him (2015)
- Trixie MattelTrixie Mattel: Moving Parts (2019) and RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular (2018)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What RuPaul's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

Top

Combined worldwide box office

$399 million

12 of the 24 films have a worldwide figure.

12Worldwide figure
1US gross only
6Never in cinemas
1Streaming, short cinema run
4Figure not found

Top grosser

Trolls Band Together2023Miss Maxine$210 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 98% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Trolls Band Together2023as Miss Maxine (voice)
$210M52.7% of the total
2
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995as Rachel Tensions
$48M12.0% of the total
3
Show Dogs2018as Persephone (voice)
$39M9.7% of the total
4
Edtv1999as RuPaul
$35M8.8% of the total
5
A Very Brady Sequel1996as Ms. Cummings
$21M5.4% of the total
6
Fled1996as Himself
$17M4.3% of the total
7
Crooklyn1994as Bodega Woman
$14M3.4% of the total
8
Ozi: Voice of the Forest2023as Gurd (voice)
$5.6M1.4% of the total

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), $2.6 million

$9.2 millionfrom the other 4 films with a worldwide figure, 2% of the total

Awards

Ten awards and honors from 2016 to 2020, eight of them major.

Top

RuPaul's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Emmy Awards
2020	Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program	RuPaul's Drag Race	Won
2019	Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program	RuPaul's Drag Race	Won
2019	Outstanding Reality-Competition Program	RuPaul's Drag Race	Won
2018	Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program	RuPaul's Drag Race	Won
2018	Outstanding Reality-Competition Program	RuPaul's Drag Race	Won
2017	Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program	RuPaul's Drag Race	Won
2016	Emmy Award		Won
2016	Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program	RuPaul's Drag Race	Won
Other honors
2019	MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year	You Need to Calm Down	Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top