For the tenth All Stars season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the show is switching up the format in a major way: the 18 returning queens are split into brackets of six. This silos the queens from the majority of their competitors from day one, a fact that becomes obvious as PAPER catches up with the cast in the week leading up to the season’s premiere. The drama is segmented and ultimately more focused than ever, given that there are only six queens in the Werk Room at a time.
The show’s largest cast ever is also one of its most broad, with queens returning from as far back as season two (Nicole Paige Brooks) and as recently as season 17, which just wrapped last month (Lydia B Kollins). The tournament-style season is a showcase of RuPaul’s Drag Race herstory.
Ahead of the All Stars 10 premiere, PAPER caught up with the queens at Oscar Wilde bar, who dressed in their best Met Gala-inspired looks for the occasion.
Jorgeous
Jorgeous
Tell me about your look today.
It’s giving “Heavenly Bodies.” I picked it out of my closet. My body’s heavenly, you know?
Who were you most excited to see when you walked into the Werk Room?
It was Mistress Isabelle Brooks for me. That’s my Texas sister. We’ve known each other since we were teenagers.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I’m gonna say my good sister Nicole Paige Brooks. That bitch will keep me entertained. Also, why she kinda cute though? Why do I kinda want her?
Aja
Aja
Aja
Tell me about your look today.
My outfit was supposed to be Black dandyism but turned out to be camp. But that’s like every event in my life, it starts off one way and ends up camp. My entire life is just one long John Waters film. I’m just trying to be a normal little, you know, harlot.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Phoenix. I was expecting the new girls to be there, because it’s giving Drag Race, it’s giving double digits. They got the girls lined up like literal chickens. But Phoenix, that’s a whole different breed of bird.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I spent too much time with the girls in my bracket. It’d have to be Jorgeous or Lydia. I need the girls who can engage in recreational activities that offset our emotional imbalance. You know, actually, I’d love to be stranded on an island right now.
Ginger Minj
Ginger Minj
Ginger Minj
Tell me about your look today.
I chose this Anne Hathaway 2023 Met Gala look, with all these safety pins. I have a new body — I recently lost 150 pounds — and I wanted something that would show it off, make me feel sexy, cute.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Nicole. I love a bitch that can read you, make you laugh, and you don’t realize you’ve been read until she walks away. I’ve been waiting for her to return. She never did get to show all of who she is on her original season.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I’d say Tina. She can sew and make our clothes, I’ll build the house and cook the food. We have been referred to as the mom and dad of this cast. I am mother.
Tina Burner
Tina Burner
Tell me about your look today.
I decided to go with Miranda Priestly, which is camp, and obviously Met Gala because of the Anna Wintour nod. Ginger and I are in the same movie, kind of.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Nicole Paige Brooks. I love when they bring back early season girlies. And I just love anything Nicole Paige Brooks has to say, I live for it. She shuts the girls down really quickly, which is fun to watch.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I’d say Ginger. I’ve known Ginger for a very, very long time, and she is just really laid back, easygoing and sweet. And she can cook.
Irene The Alien
Irene The Alien
Tell me about your look today.
I’m inspired by that model who showed up to the Met Gala in full rhinestones. There is not a part of me that’s not covered in stones.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
My sister, Bosco. She’s my Seattle sister. We’ve been friends for like eight years, so it felt like family was in the room with me. It made it easier to take risks. And I had someone I could lean on for advice.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I’d say Mistress, because I know I’d be eating good longer.
Deja Skye
Deja Sky
Tell me about your look today.
We are doing Met Gala inspired looks, so I’m giving a nod to Zendaya here. I was trying to be a little cute and colorful.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
I was so excited seeing Olivia [Lux] walk in, I was such a fan of hers on her season. I was like, she’s giving. The face is always giving.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
If it could be anyone? I’d say Bosco, just so I can look at how beautiful she is, and she could really teach me how to tell a proper joke.
Denali
Denali
Tell me about your look today.
I chose one of my favorite divas, Anok Yai, for her 2024 Met Gala look, just completely covered in stones with a blue ombré. I was like, I think I can take that on tour.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
In my bracket, either Daya or Acid, both of the Bettys. Daya and I are Chicago sisters, it was fun to be able to connect with her. Acid was the one girl I’d never met. By the end of our group, I was obsessed with her.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I would say Cynthia. She’s such a queen’s queen. And I feel like she would be in survivalist mode and just help everybody. Also, her ass is very buoyant.
Bosco
Bosco
Tell me about your look today.
I worked backwards, the way some girls do when they go to the Met Gala, I made the look and then figured out how to shoehorn it into the theme. We ended up with feathers, so I’m thinking “Heavenly Bodies.” I’m working with this stylist, her name’s Jeauni Cassanova.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
I was really excited to see my girl Irene there. I remember back in the day, we’d back in her car until five in the morning, talking about wanting to be on Drag Race, and we finally got to do a season together.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I’d say Denali, because she has the ice skater heels and can open up a coconut with it. She brings them as weapons. I would love to see her crawl through the sand in them, too.
Mistress Isabelle Brooks
Mistress Isabelle Brooks
Tell me about your look today.
Well, when you’re a fabulous drag queen, you get things made, but when you’re an amazing drag queen, you just dig in the closet. So I dusted a little one-two off and I’m giving beautiful, sexy cheetah girl. Or it might be leopard. I’m a little stupid.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Jorgeous, I’ve known her for years. And I was really excited to see Lydia — I think I was the only one who really knew her, because we were on the Villain’s Roast together for Season 17. I had my third eye open.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
If I had to be with someone, it’d be Jorgeous. I’m kind of like the rat from Ratatouille. I’m just pulling her hair and she would listen to me. I would have her build me a beautiful house in the sand and go break open coconuts for me.
Lydia B Kollins
Lydia B. Collins
Tell me about your look today.
I’m wearing a red latex dress made by Pittsburgh designer Brian David.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
I was really excited to see Mistress, I was like, maybe she might recognize me from the Villain’s Roast. But she’s a very busy woman so I wasn’t sure. I also knew Nicole from before, I did a show with her in Pittsburgh.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I mean, Mistress is so nurturing and caring but I feel like she might eat me. Maybe Jorgeous or Aja, it just seems like it would be a good time.
Daya Betty
Daya Betty
Tell me about your look today.
I was inspired by Doja Cat at the Karl Lagerfeld Met Gala. I didn’t want to do a direct knock-off, so I just took inspiration from it. I wanted it a little more campy and a little more pussy, you know.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
None of them, are you kidding? [Laughs.] Probably Denali, because I also live in Chicago, so she was a comfort zone person. And Acid Betty and I clicked immediately.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I would take Mistress, because I’m going to be hungry.
Acid Betty
Acid Betty
Tell me about your look today.
This is vintage Acid Betty from more than 10 years ago, I pulled it out of the archives. I was a famous New York bitch. So I figured since I’m back, she’s back.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
I was excited to meet Daya and Denali. I know people compare Daya and I, and I know some people thought we would be enemies. But I was very excited to see she was on the show. And CuCu [Cynthia Lee Fontaine], she made more much more comfortable to be here. We had met in that environment. It was like literal home, like, oh, we’ve done this before.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I’d say Mistress, so I’d have something to eat.
Nicole Paige Brooks
Nicole Paige Brooks
Tell me about your look today.
Very punk rock, bikes, very uncomfortable. I took it off already.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Me. I checked the mirror and said, “I look good up in here, girl.” [Laughs.] I wasn’t excited to see nobody but Ru and Michelle.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
Mistress, probably, because she could hunt and gather for me.
Cynthia Lee Fontaine
Cynthia Lee Fontaine
Tell me about your look today.
This is a replica of Rihanna’s look from the Met Gala in 2017. And a Latinx person made it, which I’m very happy about.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Oh, Alyssa Hunter. She’s my sister from Puerto Rico. And my season eight sister, Acid Betty, it was full-circle.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I would take Daya Betty. Because we’re very conversational, firstly, and secondly, because we like cannabis products. We can just smoke and talk about the universe.
Kerri Colby
Kerri Colby
Tell me about your look today.
Today I am paying homage to my angelic sister, Ariana Grande.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
For me, it was Lydia. We got a little briefing on her before the show, since her season hadn’t aired yet, they didn’t want us to be complete strangers. I was obsessed with her personality.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
Oh, Bosco. I’d want a little T girl vacation.
Phoenix
Phoenix
Tell me about your look today.
I took it back to the archives. I’m wearing a Cher look from the 1974 Met Gala when she went with Bob Mackie. It was giving romance and glamor.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Probably Bosco. We hadn’t really met each other, but I think her style is so cool, and her aura and energy.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
I’d say Alyssa Hunter, she’s a good friend of mine, we always have a good time together.
Olivia Lux
Olivia Lux
Tell me about your look today.
This is inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme and Black menswear. It encompasses all of my identities.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
My sister Aja, we’re part of the same ballroom house. I was excited to see her outside of her place as my sister. And Bosco — she’s such an amazing artist, her artistry really resonates with me.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
Absolutely not Mistress Isabelle Brooks. [Laughs]. I would probably bring someone like Ginger Minj, who is so entertaining.
Alyssa Hunter
Alyssa Hunter
Tell me about your look today.
It’s inspired by Thierry Mugler, the look Zendaya wore for the Dune 2 premiere. Very futuristic, very me, very Gaga, too.
Who were you most excited to see in the Werk Room?
Oh, CuCu Cynthia, my auntie, she’s my number one fan and motivator. She motivated me to even audition. And now we’re in the same bracket, it’s insane.
Who on this season’s cast would you want to be stuck on a deserted island with?
Oh, none of them. I’d want to be alone.
Photography: Santiago Felipe