22 Drag Race queens will co-star in RuPaul’s AJ and the Queen and there’s room for everybody, let’s just say that
AJ and the Queen is bringing together a lot of Drag Race royalty (Beth Dubber/Netflix)
RuPaul’s new series AJ and the Queen will serve as a Drag Race family reunion, with 22 queens set to appear.
The drag artist is branching out into scripted comedy for AJ and the Queen, playing a down-on-her-luck drag star touring America who ends up looking after ten-year-old tween AJ.
Although it might be new ground for RuPaul, there will be plenty of familiar elements – with the show set to feature the bèn de la crème of RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni.
AJ and the Queen features a ton of Drag Race stars.
EW revealed that former Drag Race and All Stars winners Bianca del Rio, Jinkx Monsoon, Chad Michaels and Trinity the Tuck will lead the returning cast, alongside fan favourites Katya, Valentina and Latrice Royale.
Latrice Royale and Monique Heart in AJ and the Queen (Beth Dubber/Netflix)
They will be joined by – deep breath – Mayhem Miller, Eureka O’Hara, Victoria Porkchop Parker, Alexis Mateo, Manila Luzon, Miss Vanjie, Jaymes Mansfield, Mariah Balenciaga, Kennedy Davenport, Jade Jolie, Ongina, Monique Heart, Ginger Minj, Jujubee, and Pandora Boxx.
Phew.
Of course we’re not ones to nitpick, but fans on Reddit questioned some of the more surprising omissions from the list.
Presumably Shangela, Alyssa Edwards, Sasha Velour, Raven, Courtney Act and BenDeLaCreme were all washing their wigs that day.
Trinity The Tuck and Jujubee in AJ and the Queen (Beth Dubber/Netflix)
RuPaul says new comedy will have ‘dark themes’.
Although it will serve as somewhat of a Drag Race extended family reunion, RuPaul has teased the “dark themes” in the new series.
Bianca del Rio in AJ and the Queen (Beth Dubber/Netflix)
Speaking to Vanity Fair, the drag star explained: “This show isn’t about a drag queen in a kids show. This is about a kid in a drag queen’s show.
“It’s edgy, and it has some dark themes in there.
“It was something I was eager to explore. To prove to myself that I’m not dead inside. I proved to myself that I could pull those emotions up. It’s intoxicating.”
Chad Michaels in AJ and the Queen (Beth Dubber/Netflix)
A synopsis for the new shoe explains: “Robert Lee [RuPaul], better known as the drag queen Ruby Red, has big dreams of opening his very own drag club.
“After years of performing in clubs all across the country, he has scrimped and saved and is one signed lease away from turning his dreams into a reality until he realises he’s been swindled by a charismatic grifter [Josh Segarra] and his eye-patch wearing partner-in-crime, Lady Danger [Tia Carrere].
“With his heart broken and money stolen, Robert has no choice but to pick up the pieces and start over, and a cross country Ruby Red roadshow provides the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Valentina and Eureka O’Hara in AJ and the Queen (Saeed Adyani/Netflix)
“But when AJ [Izzy G], a scrappy, streetwise 10-year-old escaping a difficult home life, stows away in Robert’s rundown RV, the consummate performer suddenly finds himself in a new set of shoes: de facto parent.
“Fabulously mismatched yet perfectly paired, AJ and Ruby must find a way to navigate through tough times as they learn a few tricks from one another and roll on to brighter days.”
The ten-episode series will launch on Netflix worldwide on January 10.
