EastEnders reveals fierce new drag character: ‘It’s a privilege to represent the LGBTQ+ community’
EastEnders casts the soap’s first-ever drag queen (Matthew Morrison/BBC)
EastEnders has revealed the show’s first-ever drag queen character in more than 35 years – the instantly iconic Tara Misu.
Tara is the drag persona of Albert Square’s latest resident Felix Baker, played by newcomer Matthew Morrison.
Baker’s character will be the younger son of Mitch’s [Roger Griffiths] estranged brother Avery [Omar Lye-Fook]; he will be arriving in Walford alongside Avery and his older half-brother Finlay (Ashley Byam), with the soap promising to “stir things up” with the new role.
Morrison said: “I am blessed to have the opportunity to step into the heels of the fierce Tara Misu as part of my role on EastEnders.
“It’s a privilege to represent the LGBTQIA+ community and to showcase the creative art of drag to both viewers at home and the residents of Walford.”
(Matthew Morrison/BBC)
While Tara Misu will be EastEnders‘ first permanent drag queen, the BBC soap has previously featured cameos from stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
A fan-favourite moment in April this year featured an unexpected, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance from RuPaul’s Drag Race star Tempest DuJour.
During a fight between Sam Mitchell [Kim Medcalf] and her long time rival Sharon Watts [Letitia Dean], images of Tempest DuJour can be seen on the walls.
The Drag Race icon oversaw a truly chaotic scene in which Sharon threw a glass of wine in Sam’s face before saying: “We’ve had Brexit and COVID, we don’t need you here. Go home, Sam!”
One fan commented on Twitter: “Just when this scene wasn’t camp enough, you the realisation that there are pictures of Tempest DuJour from S7 of Drag Race plastered all over the walls.”
EastEnders has long been praised for its groundbreaking LGBTQ+ storylines in previous years, with Albert Square introducing a gay bar, it’s first Pride parade, and a host of diverse characters.
