The Drag Race All Stars 8 cast has been RuVealed – and it’s a wild ride
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 welcomes 12 legendary queens back to the workroom. (Paramount/WOW Presents)
With RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 already finished and Sasha Colby firmly crowned as winner, attention is already turning to what’s next for the franchise: namely, All Stars 8 and its cast of returning queens.
All Stars 8 is set bring another set of familiar faces back into our lives when it premieres on Friday, 12 May on Paramount+ in the US and on WOW Presents Plus in the UK and internationally.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars has delivered six regular seasons and one very special All Winners edition, crowning legendary queens such as Trixie Mattel, Shea Coulée and Kylie Sonique Love for the first time (as well as season five winner Jinkx Monsoon for a second time).
With the All Stars 8 cast boasting queens from more than 10 different seasons, including a Canada’s Drag Race icon and just one runner-up, the cast list is truly a wild ride.
Without further ado, please welcome to the stage the confirmed cast of All Stars 8…
Alexis Michelle – Season nine
The original ‘that’s a lot of emotion for safe’ queen, Miss Alexis Michelle will be back to ask more guest judges whether they’ve ever watched RuPaul’s Drag Race on All Stars 8.
Best known for painting herself green for very little reason, going blind stoning a corset with “turqause” embellishments and blaming everyone apart from her runway for losing Kardashians: The Rusical, Alexis Michelle is sure to bring some theatre to the competition as she aims to outdo her original fifth place spot.
Darienne Lake – Season six
Get ready for another dip in the cool waters of Darienne Lake – the founding member of the BenDeLaCreme hit squad is back for round two.
After getting cut just before the season six finale – before Drag Race began doing ‘Top Fours’ – Darienne is sure to enter the werkroom hungry for that crown.
One request: a repeat of her “Oh No She Better Don’t” verse. Not a redo – the same verse, just nine years later.
Heidi N Closet – Season 12
One of two former Miss Congenialities on the All Stars 8 cast, Heidi N Closet stole everyone’s hearts – apart from Nicki Minaj’s – before placing sixth on season 12, which was eventually won by Jaida Essence Hall.
The fan favourite queen won one challenge, but probably would have won more if she’d buckled to RuPaul’s insistence every episode that she change her last name. We’ll see whether the Closet remains intact for round two.
Jaymes Mansfield – Season nine
The first true wild card to appear on a Drag Race All Stars season (aside from maybe Mimi Imfurst), Jaymes Mansfield placed last on season nine, which makes her the lowest placing contestant to ever appear on the spin-off. We smell a ru-demption.
The queen has become a fan favourite YouTuber with her wig styling videos since competing on the season alongside juggernauts like Shea Coulee and Trinity the Tuck – even appearing for the ‘Save-a-Queen’ Maxi Challenge in season 14.
Could she tease the competition into shape?
Jessica Wild – Season two
Most recently appearing as a lip sync assassin on All Stars 6 to slay Jan to the sound of “Womanizer” by Britney Spears, Jessica Wild is back, 13 years after her original season.
Ms Wild placed sixth on Drag Race‘s second season way back in 2010, was the first person to impersonate a male celebrity during Snatch Game (cover your ears Trixie, it was RuPaul) and never placed below ‘safe’ prior to her elimination.
One thing’s for sure; we’re ready to put some crispy in our cock-a-doodle-do.
Jimbo – Canada’s Drag Race season one, Drag Race UK vs The World season one
Now here’s the real kick to the moose-knuckle for the All Stars 8 cast: Jimbo, the first ever queen from an international franchise to appear on a non-winners season of All Stars, will be throwing her pastrami through those Werk Room doors.
Those who watched Drag Race UK vs The World‘s first season – on which Jimbo also appeared – will know that that’s not even a euphemism. It does, however, make Jimbo the only queen on this cast to have competed on two seasons of Drag Race prior, rather than the customary one.
Jimbo made it to the top four of Canada’s Drag Race‘s inaugural season, before being brutally chopped by Pangina Heals in UK vs The World‘s second most shocking lipstick-pulls. Is it finally time for a Canadian to take the crown?
Kahanna Montrese – Season 11
Although Kahanna Montrese was eliminated second on season 11, she technically placed 14th; the same ranking as Jaymes Mansfield.
Before she hit the house, though, the drag daughter of Coco Montrese gave us two acrobatic lip syncs and has since starred in RuPaul’s Drag Race Live! in Las Vegas.
This ‘hip-hop showgirl’ from Nevada is sure to be a fierce opponent in a LaLaPaRuza …
Kandy Muse – Season 13
Sitting alone in the VIP section of All Stars 8 is the season’s only original runner up – Kandy Muse, who narrowly missed out on the crown of season 13 to Symone.
A divisive figure, Kandy bought the drama and (some) looks to the competition, but no viewer of season 13 can deny Muse’s lasting impact on Drag Race.
Just like she said: “If you don’t have star quality; get the f**k out.”
LaLa Ri – Season 13
Kandy Muse’s season 13 sister, LaLa Ri placed in 10th after giving us one of the most iconic lewks of the franchise to date. No, not a sickening Pinhead tribute! Not a stunning, crystallised nude bodysuit designed to look like a deity! Not even a simple LBD! We are, of course, talking about LaLa Ri’s infamous paper bag look.
The second Miss Congeniality on the All Stars 8 cast, LaLa Ri is also a fierce lipsyncer, even saving herself from elimination after presenting one of the worst looks in Drag Race herstory.
She went home in 10th place two episodes later, but still, we can’t wait for the design challenges…
Monica Beverly Hillz – Season five
To call it what it is, Monica Beverly Hillz’s casting is a Star Wars story – a ‘rogue one’, if you will.
Monica spent two out of her three episodes of her original Drag Race tenure in the bottom two, before sashaying away in 12th place.
Monica Beverly Hillz is, however, a trailblazer; she was the first ever contestant to come out as transgender during the taping of the show (prior contestants either announced the news before or after filming occurred) and we’re still thinking about the bow and arrow from her season five promo!
Mrs Kasha Davis – Season seven
There’s always time for a cocktail – especially in the All Stars 8 cast! Mrs Kasha Davis has left her husband at home once more to stomp back into the Werk Room.
Eliminated surprisingly early on her season in 11th place, Mrs Kasha Davis made a lasting impression on viewers despite competing alongside powerhouses like Ginger Minj and Kennedy Davenport.
She was also eliminated for saying ‘welcome’ wrong, so… justice for Mrs Davis.
Naysha Lopez – Season eight
Naysha Lopez rounds out the cast of All Stars 8 as the only queen on the list to have been eliminated twice in one season – earning her the unfortunate nickname of ‘Eliminaysha’.
This Puerto Rican baddie has since remained at the forefront of the Drag Race psyche as one of the hosts of the infamous Drag Race viewing parties at gay bar Roscoe’s Tavern in Chicago.
Can she watch herself place above ninth and steal the crown?
One thing’s for sure: All Stars 8 is going to be a gag.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 premieres Friday, 12 May on Paramount+ in the US and on WOW Presents Plus in the UK and internationally.
