RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 announced its judging panel, including some big names as guest judges, as it moves to MTV. The RuPaul’s Drag Race judging panel searches for “America’s Next Drag Superstar.” In Drag Race season 15, 16 queens will compete for the title and $200,000, which is the biggest prize in the “herstory” of the franchise. The season premiere will be a commercial-free episode, and part two will have limited commercials.
According to Deadline, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 has enlisted some fan-favorite celebrities as guest judges. Grammy Award-winning pop and R&B superstar and actress Ariana Grande will be the guest judge for the season premiere, which will include two episodes. She’s set to judge a talent show. RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 guest judges will also include stand-up comedian and actress Ali Wong, actress Amandla Stenberg, actor Harvey Guillén, and singer and actress Hayley Kiyoko. In addition, actress Julia Garner, singer and actress Janelle Monáe, singer-songwriter Maren Morris, comedian Megan Stalter, and country musician Orville Peck will appear as Drag Race guest judges.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Mainstay Judges Are Returning
Deadline also reported that the RuPaul’s Drag Race mainstay judges, including Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, and Ross Mathews, will return to the panel for Drag Race season 15. In addition, Ts Madison has been promoted to a rotating member of the judges’ panel. The judging panel will decide among a group of queens that includes Amethyst (West Hartford, CT), Anetra (Las Vegas, NV), Aura Mayari (Nashville, TN), Irene Dubois (Seattle, WA), Jax (Queens, NY), Loosey LaDuca (Ansonia, CT), Luxx Noir London (East Orange, NJ), and Malaysia Babydoll Foxx (Miami, FL). Also competing will be Marcia Marcia Marcia (New York, NY), Mistress Isabelle Brooks (Houston, TX), Princess Poppy (San Francisco, CA), Robin Fierce (Hartford, CT), Salina EsTitties (Los Angeles, CA), Sasha Colby (Los Angeles, CA), and Drag Race‘s first-ever identical twin contestants Sugar and Spice (Los Angeles, CA).
RuPaul’s Drag Race is always a celebration of authenticity, which inspires people to reveal their true selves. The Drag Race guest panelists for this season are both interesting and talented. They will mesh well with the mainstay judges and RuPaul. RuPaul’s Drag Race is not only loved by fans, but it is also critically acclaimed. It has been nominated for 56 Emmy Awards and has won 26 of them. This includes seven consecutive wins for RuPaul as Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program since 2016. These awards helped to bring him the title of the most decorated Black artist in Emmy Awards history, with 12 statues.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 is sure to be spectacular. The guest judges will each bring different skill sets to the table as they come from the worlds of comedy, television, film, and music. As they work with the mainstay judges, they will decide which of the talented Drag Race season 15 queens will win the grand prize. Fans should get ready for another fabulous season of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 premieres Friday, January 6 at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.
Sources: Deadline, RuPaul’s Drag Race/Instagram