{"id":60184,"date":"2025-12-03T22:52:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T22:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/60184\/"},"modified":"2025-12-03T22:52:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T22:52:15","slug":"rupauls-drag-race-announces-season-18-release-date-and-cast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/60184\/","title":{"rendered":"RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race announces season 18 release date and cast"},"content":{"rendered":"

RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race<\/a> is back!\u00a0Just when you thought the drag excitement had paused after\u00a0Drag Race UK\u00a0Season 7<\/a>, season 18 of the US version is set to hit our TV screens on 2 January 2026.<\/p>\n

RuPaul has introduced the 14 new queens about to put their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to the ultimate test, in a bid to win\u00a0the title of \u201cAmerica\u2019s Next Drag Superstar,\u201d and a cash prize of $200,000 (over \u00a3150,00).<\/p>\n

Read next<\/p>\n

Meet the next set of queens ready to compete for Ru, Michelle Visage<\/a>, TS Madison<\/a> and guest judges as they show off their daringly glamorous looks in a meet the queens episode.<\/p>\n

Athena Dion, Miami, Florida<\/p>\n

\"AthenaRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

Named after the Greek Goddess, Athena Dion is a seasoned drag mother and hostess, a matriarch of a drag dynasty that spans Miami and Mykonos. She counts Morphine Love Dion and Plane Jane as her drag daughters, and this year makes Drag Race \u201cherstory\u201d as she competes against Juicy Love Dion, her drag daughter.<\/p>\n

Briar Blush, Boston, Massachusetts<\/p>\n

\"BriarRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

This Boston queen blends retro glamour with goth\u2011glam, bringing razor-sharp wit and attitude to every performance. With Latina heritage and a unique mix of humor and high fashion, she\u2019s sure to make the judges blush with her talent.<\/p>\n

Ciara Myst, Indianapolis, Indiana<\/p>\n

\"CiaraRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

Known for sci\u2011fi, horror, fantasy, and magic-inspired drag, Ciara Myst is a prosthetic makeup artist ready to serve unforgettable looks this season. With credits on major productions and a talent for crafting her own creations, she already brings a uniqueness to the competition.<\/p>\n

Darlene Mitchell, Los Angeles, California<\/p>\n

\"DarleneRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

A country\u2011camp queen blending soap\u2011opera glamour with trailer\u2011trash sass, Darlene Mitchell is runway ready. with over a decade in the drag world, she returns from a hiatus ready to get tucked into the camp of it all.<\/p>\n

DD Fuego, New\u202fYork, New\u202fYork<\/p>\n

\"DDRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

A self-described \u201cproduction queen\u201d originally from Mexico, she brings a background in TV and off-Broadway production design, and has even released her own colouring book and music. Having previously appeared on\u00a0The Real Housewives of New York City, she\u2019s bound to bring plenty of high-camp drama to the competition.<\/p>\n

Discord Addams, St. Petersburg, Florida<\/p>\n

\"DiscordRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

Bringing the rock \u2019n\u2019 roll to Series 18, Discord Addams is known for her edgy, studded, attitude-packed looks. She describes herself as a \u201chigh-fashion punk-rock maximalist\u201d, and she\u2019s ready to unleash every bit of that energy as she fights her way toward the crown.<\/p>\n

Jane Don\u2019t, Seattle, Washington<\/p>\n

\"JaneRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t you dare! Seattle queen Jane Don\u2019t is hoping to follow in the footsteps of her sisters Bosco and Irene The Alien as she enters Season 18. With a striking runway presence and a Seattle drag heritage that includes legends like Jinkx Monsoon, she certainly doesn\u2019t plan on being the first to sashay away.<\/p>\n

Juicy Love Dion, Miami, Florida<\/p>\n

\"JuicyRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

\u201cMiami\u2019s Afro-Cuban dancing doll\u201d may be small, but she is\u00a0mighty. Competing against her drag mother, Athena Dion, she\u2019s sure to pull out all the stops to prove that daughter can outshine mother.<\/p>\n

Kenya Pleaser, Sumter, South Carolina<\/p>\n

\"KenyaRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

As the first South Carolina queen to compete on the main Drag Race series, Kenya Pleaser is hoping to please the judges just like she does in her home clubs. A fierce performer and a professional Lizzo impersonator, she\u2019s ready to bring all the\u00a0\u2018juice\u2019\u00a0to the competition.<\/p>\n

Mandy Mango, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

\"MandyRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

A queen in healthcare, Mandy Mango is as fierce as she is sweet. A registered sexual health nurse and the winner of Pennsylvania\u2019s Miss Gay Gettysburg 2024, she\u2019s ripe and ready to hit the main stage and show the world exactly what she can do.<\/p>\n

Mia Starr, West Palm Beach, Florida<\/p>\n

\"MiaRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

A star is born! Florida\u2019s own Mia Starr is the self-proclaimed \u201cgangstar mob wife\u201d of the Sunshine State. With attitude and high-energy performances, she\u2019s bound to bring something fierce to Season 18.<\/p>\n

Myki Meeks, Orlando, Florida<\/p>\n

\"MykiRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

From opening for Chappell Roan\u2019s Orlando stop on the\u00a0Midwest Princess\u00a0tour to being a beloved piece of Ginger Minj\u2019s drag family, Myki Meeks is ready to be the theatrical powerhouse of the season. An actress, a performer, and now a contestant on\u00a0RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race\u00a0\u2013 what\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0she do?<\/p>\n

Nini Coco, Denver, Colorado<\/p>\n

\"NiniRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

This pageant queen is bound to bring the glamour as Nini Coco takes the Drag Race main stage. Crowned champion of the Denver Drag Olympics in 2023 and stepping down this year, one question remains: will \u201cAmerica\u2019s Next Drag Superstar\u201d be her next big win?<\/p>\n

Vita VonTesse Starr, Montgomery, Alabama<\/p>\n

\"VitaRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race season 18 (Image: MTV)<\/p>\n

From Montgomery, please take centre stage: Vita VonTesse Starr, a pageant queen and devoted lover of opulence. Promising \u201celegance, precision, and a flair for the dramatic\u201d in every performance, she\u2019s ready to compete for that winning cash prize.<\/p>\n

RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race\u00a0season 18 arrives on WOW Presents Plus on 2 January 2026 with RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race: Untucked following immediately after.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to\u00a0Attitude magazine in print<\/a>, download the\u00a0Attitude app<\/a>, and follow\u00a0Attitude on Apple News+<\/a>. Plus, find Attitude on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0TikTok<\/a>,\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Tiara(Images: Attitude\/Mark Cant)
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