Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 402 January 23, 2018

“Rent” is my favorite
show ever, and Angel is a
great role. How did you
get the role?
By just auditioning.
Somebody from the casting
agency was a fan of mine
from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
The “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
platform has given me some
visibility as an artist. He
was a fan of mine, and he
considered me to audition
and to present me to the
director and
all that. It was
really interesting,
because he
brought me not
knowing if I knew
how to sing or
dance or any of
that. So he really
took a chance on
me. Even when I
auditioned I was
very nervous and
very excited. I
didn’t really know
if it was going to
be the right thing,
a big iconic role
like Angel. The
audition process
was more like
work sessions. I
wasn’t necessarily
hitting the notes
that I had to hit
in order to be the
best, perfect fit
at the audition.
But there was
something that
they saw in me,
they believed in
me, and saw the
potential. With
the right training and the
right direction I could be
the Angel that they were
looking for. Even myself, I
had my doubts, but now
I put in the work, and
the process has been so
amazing, from the audition
process until now.
When you found out that
you got the role of Angel,
how would you compare
that to the feeling you got
when you found out you
were accepted in “Drag
Race”?
Well, both of them, I think
they were both pivotal
moments in my life. I feel
so grateful to “RuPaul’s
Drag Race,” because it
was the first moment to
finally go from being any
Joe Schmoe, working their
weekend job, to being
able to have a platform
and to have a following as
a respected artist. With my
character Valentina, I’ve
been able to have fans, an
image, and go on tour on
stages all over the world.
So I’m really grateful to
them. When that moment
happened, I just could not
believe it, because I knew if
I was given the opportunity
I was going to squeeze
every last ounce of juice
from it. And I have. When I
got “Rent,” I was in a place
where I was touring, and I
was exhausted from shows
every single day, getting
into drag every single day,
and there was something
about my life that was
wanting to be a respected
performer and not just a
nightclub sensation. When
I got the opportunity, I
knew it was going to be
something for me to really
study and learn and to go
to the next level as an artist.
I studied acting and vocals
and all of those things that
I get to do
now. So they’re
both equally
as important;
they’re just
different
moments in
periods of time
in my life and
in my career
that are like
stepping stones
to achieving
my dreams. So
they are both
valuable to me
and important
to my heart.
That’s a really
great answer.
Yeah, I can’t
chose one,
because I’m
grateful to both.
What made
you do drag in
the first place?
Well, I guess
it just came
naturally. Since
I was a little boy
I was getting
dressed up with my towel
getting out of the bath. I
would dress up in different
kinds of silhouettes, like an
asymmetrical Greek gown,
with a big old train or a big
turban on my head. I was
playing and fantasizing
and learning makeup, and
I did some modeling. I
saw “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
when I was in high school
and going out to see drag
shows when I was 21.