List of Drag Race contestants
RuPaul's Drag Race, an American reality competition television program, premiered in 2009 and documents host RuPaul's search for "America's Next Drag Superstar". Its success has led to the creation of a franchise including RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars; international spin-off series including British and Australian and New Zealand versions hosted by RuPaul; Chilean, Thai, Canadian, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, French, Philippine, Belgian, Swedish, Mexican, Brazilian, German and South African localizations; international "vs. the World" competitions hosted in the UK, Canada and the Philippines; and All Stars adaptations in Spain and France. 224 contestants have appeared on the original American series over seventeen seasons; 83 past contestants have returned to compete on All Stars; and another 461 contestants have appeared across the international editions of the show.
The original series has crowned seventeen winners. In addition, in nine seasons of All Stars, ten queens have won entry into the "Drag Race Hall of Fame"—Chad Michaels, Alaska, Trixie Mattel, Monét X Change, Trinity the Tuck, Shea Couleé, Kylie Sonique Love, Jimbo, Angeria Paris VanMicheals —and one, Jinkx Monsoon, has been crowned the "Queen of All Queens", becoming the first contestant to win two different seasons in the franchise.
Most competitors have been cisgender gay men, although several contestants came out as trans women on the show, while others entered the competition already out and at various stages in their transitions. Monica Beverly Hillz, who came out as a trans woman during season 5, said in a 2013 interview that the show does not require contestants to identify as male and that transgender women can participate if they consider themselves drag artists. However, in 2018, RuPaul told The Guardian that he would "probably not" allow a transgender contestant who had "really transitioned" to compete and later compared transgender drag performers to doping athletes. RuPaul has since apologized for those comments.
Kylie Sonique Love, who made history as the first contestant to come out as trans on the show, during the season 2 reunion episode, became the first out trans woman to win a U.S. version of the show when she was inducted into the "Hall of Fame" in All Stars 6. However, Angele Anang was the first openly trans woman to win a season in the entire franchise, after she emerged victorious on Thailand season 2. The two have been followed by Vanessa Van Cartier (Holland season 2), Sasha Colby (season 15), and Captivating Katkat (Philippines season 2). On season 13, Gottmik became the first openly trans man to compete on the show. She has been followed by Denim (Canada season 4). On UK series 3, Victoria Scone became the first cis woman to compete on the show. She has been followed by Clover Bish (España season 3) and Pandora Nox (Germany season 1), the latter of whom became the first cis woman to win a season of Drag Race. On season 14, Maddy Morphosis became the first cisgender heterosexual man to compete.
As of 2025, Jujubee, Alexis Mateo, Eureka O'Hara, and Ginger Minj have appeared more than any other contestants on Drag Race, competing on four different seasons each. Several other queens have competed on three seasons, including Shangela (the first to do so), Gia Gunn, Latrice Royale, Manila Luzon, Pandora Boxx, Yara Sofia, Mo Heart, Monét X Change, Shea Couleé, Trinity the Tuck, Ra'Jah O'Hara, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Jimbo, Mayhem Miller, Scarlet Envy, Pakita, Roxxxy Andrews, Shannel, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, Cheryl Hole, Kennedy Davenport, Lemon, Alyssa Edwards, Aja, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, and Jorgeous.
As of 2025, six previous contestants have died. Season 2 contestant Sahara Davenport died of heart failure in 2012, at age 27. Davenport was in a long-term relationship with season 3 contestant Manila Luzon at the time. Season 8 and All Stars 3 contestant Chi Chi DeVayne died of complications from scleroderma and pneumonia in 2020, at age 34. UK series 2 contestant Cherry Valentine died by suicide in 2022, at age 28. Thailand season 2 contestant Bandit died in 2023, at age 38. UK series 1 Winner and All Stars 7 contestant The Vivienne died in 2025, at age 32. RuPaul’s Drag Race series 4 and All Stars 6 contestant Jiggly Caliente died in 2025, at age 44. She also co-hosted Drag Race Philippines.