Nothing rhymes with purple … but regardless, “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” is still returning for Season 10 this week.
In honor of Friday’s first-ever Tournament of All Stars, the six queens who complete the cast of 18 — Acid Betty, Alyssa Hunter, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Daya Betty, Denali and Ginger Minj (aka the Purple Bracket) — got honest about their evolutions since their original seasons and revealed some fresh tactics for the updated format.
“For people who like sports, it’s going to be kind of interesting,” Seasons 8 & 9 star Cynthia Lee Fontaine told TheWrap. “It’s not as stressful as a regular season. There’s some stress — there’s moments you want to rip off your wig and run to Hollywood Boulevard — but it’s very interesting and very nice.”
“I loved having more intimate relationships with the girls immediately. I felt larger in the room since there’s not so many girls,” her fellow Season 8 queen Acid Betty shared. “And I honestly loved the fact that it’s not only a competition, but we could also control the competition. I may have ruined some people’s lives, but that’s definitely for you to watch.”
“When it’s smaller groups, you automatically get to show more of yourself, so I looked at it as a positive,” Season 14 finalist Daya Betty said, while Season 13’s lip-sync assassin Denali added, “It’s very similar when they group the girls for premiere episodes and they split it in half. It was really nice to just be able to vibe with six girls.” Although, as three-time fan-favorite and two-time runner-up Ginger Minj noted: “Except for the fact that there’s nowhere to hide.”
So how exactly did each of these iconic queens approach the new twist?
“There’s mind games. Get ready for the mind games,” Daya continued. “I was more secretive with my tactics this time, rather than trying to be so vocal and explicit. I’m not really afraid of anything … It’s all about personal style, just being able to show off this version of who Daya actually is, I just didn’t have the money to do. I am really excited to serve C.U.N.T.”
“Fashion-wise, it’s my best season. Simply because I just started trusting myself,” Season 8, AS2 and AS6 alum Ginger teased. “I’ve been around this fanbase for 10 years now, and they’ve seen me do every type of challenge and every type of runway, so they have expectations on how I’ll fail or succeed. If I don’t meet or exceed all of those expectations, then suddenly I’m not good anymore. With ‘All Stars 6,’ I felt in the moment I was living up to everything I’d done and was doing really well, but it was still not enough for some fans. It was the biggest kick in the ass coming back to this. I’m not going to overthink things or rely on what I’m comfortable with — because drag is not comfortable.”
“Season 13 taught me to not rely so much on other people’s opinions, even the judges sometimes. I was a baby queen, so it was a foundational experience on how I view myself and my drag and how that all translates to my ego,” Denali agreed. “This time around, four years later, being able to work on my drag and myself, I really came into ‘All Stars’ completely 100% who I am … Any opportunity to have a performance-based challenge or a lip-sync, I’m in. I just had a blast getting to be onstage performing for Mama Ru and the world.”
“I hate to call it a redemption, but it’s a chance to show who you are and give your essence. In my first four episodes, I think I did good and did my best, but at the end of the day it’s a competition,” Alyssa Hunter from Season 14 shared. “The most important thing is that I’m very grateful to have been chosen, to put this tiny island of Puerto Rico on the map and represent my island on this big stage. Alyssa 2.0.”
“It’s all about timing. I changed my life so much, who I am spiritually, that I was ready for whatever. If they called me maybe four years ago — three, two years ago — it would have been a no. I obviously did change, because now it was not even a question,” Acid further explained. “If opportunity’s knocking, I’m going to walk in. It’s a good time. I only live once … It may not be great for be some of the girls in it, but the viewers and the fans are going to live.”
“It was a year after recovery from surgery and I was feeling great, feeling fantastic. This is my moment. I was ready. I stay in Chi Chi’s mindset, ‘Stay ready.’ I want to show different stuff that I didn’t show in Season 8 and Season 9,” Cynthia said. “For example, I’m a singer … all I can tell you, I’m very satisfied, very happy that I get the opportunity to show the extra talents; the main reason Cynthia Lee Fontaine was created 18 years ago. Of course, I want to continue the lineage of the great, amazing, fashion, style, icon, diva that I am.”
“There’s more drama, it’s very competitive,” Alyssa concluded. “Take it seriously, not personally. It’s reality TV, it’s not who you are. It’s an opportunity to express who you are as an artist. There’s only one winner, but we all win.”
Plus, you can read all about the season’s Orange Bracket queens and Pink Bracket queens right over here.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Season 10 premieres with two new episodes Friday, May 9, on Paramount+, paired with new episodes of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars: Untucked” each week.
The post ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10’: Purple Bracket Queens Reveal New Tactics for New Season appeared first on TheWrap.