Background

RuPaul was born in San Diego, California, on November 17, 1960. He was named by his mother, Ernestine "Toni" Charles, a Louisiana native; the "Ru" came from roux, which is the term for the base of gumbo and other creole stews and soups. When his parents divorced in 1967, he and his three sisters lived with their mother.

RuPaul was the only boy of his parents’ four children, and eventually began wearing his sisters’ clothes and exploring cross-dressing, emulating stars like Diana Ross and Jane Fonda in his youth.

Education

In Atlanta, RuPaul attended the Northside School of Performing Arts, and although he didn’t graduate, it was a big step toward getting his feet wet in the world of performance and, in the end, show business.

Career

Always having a flair for dress-up, he began performing in drag while on the underground movie and nightclub circuit in Atlanta. In 1987 he moved to New York City and began his career in go-go bars and on television on The Gong Show and MTV.

Standing about 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 metres) and wearing elaborate makeup and gowns, RuPaul gained much recognition on the New York club scene. In 1993 he released the dance-pop album Supermodel of the World, which featured the upbeat single “Supermodel (You Better Work).” With the help of a music video in which he strutted in a blonde wig and assorted glamorous outfits, the song became a surprise mainstream hit. Its success led to parts for RuPaul in several films, including Crooklyn (1994), Blue in the Face (1995), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), and the drag-themed comedy To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995). In addition, in 1995 he appeared in the documentary Wigstock: The Movie, published an autobiography, Lettin It All Hang Out, and signed a contract with M.A.C. Cosmetics, becoming the first drag queen to become a spokesmodel for a major cosmetics company.

RuPaul returned to the recording studio for the album Foxy Lady (1996), which he soon followed with the holiday release Ho Ho Ho (1997). Although he would not release another album until Red Hot (2004), RuPaul continued to appear in film and on television. He hosted a variety television program, The RuPaul Show (1997–98), was a frequent guest on talk shows, and took on minor acting roles.

Beginning in 2009, RuPaul hosted and coproduced RuPaul’s Drag Race, a reality television show that named “America’s next drag superstar.” The popular program was credited with reviving RuPaul’s flagging career, and he won Emmy Awards (2016–18) as the show’s host. RuPaul’s Drag Race also received the Emmy for best reality series in 2018. His recordings from the early 21st century, which were often featured on the show, included Glamazon (2011), Born Naked (2014), Realness (2015), Butch Queen (2016), and American (2017).

Achievements

• 

  RuPaul Charles is the most famous drag queen in the US. Known for his cross-dressing personality, RuPaul has been in the entertainment industry since the 1980s. He is most famous for hosting the reality competition show ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ which is still going strong and has welcomed various spin-offs, such as ‘RuPaul’s Drag U’ and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars.’ He has won two ‘Emmy Awards’ for the show in 2016 and 2017. RuPaul became an international personality after the release of his debut single ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)’ from his debut album ‘Supermodel of the World’ (1993). He has also been named as one of the hundred most influential people of 2017 by ‘Time’ magazine.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Workin' It!: RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style

    (Workin’ It!, the new book from world-renowned recording a...)

    2010
  • Lettin it All Hang Out: An Autobiography

    (A provocative glimpse into the mind of America's foremost...)

    1995
  • GuRu

    (A timeless collection of philosophies from renaissance pe...)

    2018

• movie

  • Crooklyn 1994
  • The Brady Bunch Movie 1995
  • A Very Brady Sequel 1996
  • But I'm a Cheerleader 1999
  • The Truth About Jane 2000
  • Starrbooty 2007
  • Another Gay Sequel
  • Hurricane Bianca 2016
  • Show Dogs 2018

• music

  • Supermodel of the World 1993
  • Foxy Lady 1996
  • Ho Ho Ho 1997
  • Red Hot 2004
  • Champion 2009
  • Glamazon 2011
  • Born Naked 2014
  • Realness 2015
  • Slay Belles 2015
  • Butch Queen 2016
  • American 2017
  • Christmas Party 2018

Religion

In January 2018, RuPaul stated that he is not very religious but he does pray and also engages in spiritual practices like meditation and yoga.

Politics

RuPaul publicly endorsed the Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. He expressed dismay at Clinton's defeat by Republican Party nominee Donald Trump, stating that "The America that we have all fought so hard for, the narrative of love and peace and liberty and equality, it feels like it is dead."

He has described doing drag as a "very, very political" act because it "challenges the status quo" by rejecting fixed identities: "drag says 'I'm a shapeshifter, I do whatever the hell I want at any given time'."

Views

RuPaul is an intense supporter of LGBT rights.

Quotations: "If You Can't Love Yourself How In The Hell Are You Gonna Love Somebody Else?"

"We're all born naked and the rest is drag."

”When you become the image of your own imagination, it’s the most powerful thing you could ever do.”

"I feel like you're being sabotaged by your inner saboteur."

"What it says on your driver’s license isn’t really who you are - you are something much greater than that.”

“The overall commentary on what I’m doing is saying, 'Hey look! I get to create whatever persona I want to, and it’s all up to me. And the truth is, we are all basically the universe - pretending to be humans for a brief moment of time.'”

“Fulfillment isn’t found over the rainbow - it’s found in the here and now. Today I define success by the fluidity with which I transcend emotional land mines and choose joy and gratitude instead.”

"That is the key to navigating this life - don't take it too seriously. That's when the party begins."

"You know, the matrix says, 'Pick an identity and stick with it. Because I want to sell you some beer and shampoo and I need you to stick with what you are so I'll know how to market it to you.' Drag is the opposite. Drag says, 'Identity is a joke.'"

"It's very easy to look at the world and think, this is all so cruel and so mean. It's important to not become bitter from it."

Personality

RuPaul is gay.

He is good friends with Jane Lynch.

Physical Characteristics: One of his distinctive features is his tall stature. In an interview, he stated that he mostly wears eight-inch heels that makes him over 7 feet tall.

Height - 6 ft 4 in or 193 cm

Weight - 78 kg or 172 lbs

Build - slim

Hair color - bald

He mostly wears ‘blonde’ wigs for his performances.

Eye color - dark brown

Distinctive features - oval facial structure, often wears glasses

Interests

• Favorite movie – Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988).
  
  He was obsessed with hot rods and Cadillacs as a child.

• Politicians

  Hillary Clinton

• Artists

  Diana Ross, Jane Fonda

• Sport & Clubs

  Drag racing

• Music & Bands

  "Grace of My Heart" by Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello

Connections

RuPaul has been with his Australian partner, Georges LeBar, since 1994, when they met at the Limelight nightclub in New York City. They married in January 2017. LeBar is a painter and runs a 50-acre (200,000 m2) ranch in Wyoming.

Father:

Irving Charles

Mother:

Ernestine Charles

(died 1993)

Spouse:

Georges LeBar

Sister:

Renetta Charles

(born October 18, 1953)

Sister:

Rozy Charles

(born January 28, 1962)

Sister:

Renae Charles

(born October 18, 1953)

colleague:

Michelle Visage

(born September 20, 1968)

She is an American singer, television host, radio DJ, and author.

Friend:

Jane LYNCH

(born July 14, 1960)

She is an American actress, author, singer, and comedian. She is best known for her role as Sue Sylvester in the musical television series Glee. She also gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show.

References

• RuPaul's Drag Race Mad Libs
• RuPaul's Drag Race Card Game: Where Every Card is a Queen!
• Pocket RuPaul Wisdom: Witty quotes and wise words from a drag superstar
• Female Force: Rupaul