How The Vivienne became a breakout star of British drag

Known to the satellite arsenic The Vivienne, James Lee Williams was 1 of the biggest breakout stars of British drag, and it each started with an content of Donald Trump successful 2019 connected the archetypal play of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

Like galore of the resistance queens connected the show, The Vivienne was unapologetically unsocial and hilariously straight-talking, but she besides had thing more: pizzazz.

Described by justice Michelle Visage arsenic "the champion Snatch Game quality successful the past of the show", it was The Vivienne's President Trump content - implicit with pouted lips, orangish constitution and a floppy blonde wig - successful the Snatch Game that won her the show.

That triumph consolidated The Vivienne's power successful the resistance assemblage and her vocation successful the satellite of TV and philharmonic theatre flourished.

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Giving 1 of the astir memorable performances successful the Snatch Game is nary casual feat, but The Vivienne's highlights from the amusement spell acold beyond her Trump content arsenic she was liable for immoderate of the show's astir iconic moments.

Having adopted the resistance sanction The Vivienne due to the fact that of a emotion for wearing Vivienne Westwood clothing, her play outfits connected the catwalk were 2nd to none.

On the show, she described her resistance benignant arsenic being "like a Scouse woman who has travel into money, she moved to LA and blew it each and past she's had to determination backmost to Liverpool".

Without a contour enactment retired of spot and a perfected locomotion successful stilettos, she wooed the judges with her bold, glitzy and saucy looks.

Her 'Queen Elizabeth walking astir Balmoral' outfit, which saw her deterioration a golden poncho and grey knitted skirt with fluffy ducks attached to it, was 1 of her astir memorable.

Combine that with her doing the floss creation successful the outfit and she had viewers, chap contestants and adjacent RuPaul crying with laughter.

In the last she was described by justice Graham Norton arsenic having "it all". Fellow justice Alan Carr added that she had "trademark wit" and delivered a "comedy masterclass" with her impressions of Trump, Margret Thatcher and Kim Woodburn.

The Vivienne went connected to beryllium a contestant successful the seventh play of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars successful 2022.

In January 2023, The Vivienne became the archetypal resistance queen to look connected Dancing connected Ice and was partnered with American skater Colin Grafton.

She finished successful 3rd spot down gymnast Nile Wilson and Joey Essex.

The brace skated to songs by cheery icons specified arsenic Dolly Parton and Cher and peculiarly excelled successful the movies and philharmonic weeks, whether performing to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious oregon Don't Cry for Me Argentina.

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Her jaw-dropping quality to skate perfectly from time 1 meant not lone did she ne'er look successful the bottommost two, but she besides ne'er appeared little than 3rd connected the person board.

But it was the week 5 show that struck a chord with galore arsenic James chose not to execute successful resistance for the archetypal time, confessing that it made him affectional dancing to Beyonce's Halo "without my armour".

James was wide praised for their decision, with 1 idiosyncratic connected X saying that "'The Vivienne skating arsenic James and not successful resistance successful itself is inspiring".

Williams starred successful a fig of theatre shows, astir precocious successful a relation that seemed to beryllium the cleanable acceptable - the misunderstood yet beardown and compassionate Wicked Witch of the West successful the revival of The Wizard of Oz musical.

Starring alongside Aston Merrygold successful the UK and Ireland tour, the performer reprised the relation successful the West End astatine the Gillian Lynne Theatre past year.

"I don't person galore words to accidental arsenic this is 1 immense dream," they wrote connected Instagram. "Dream large kids."

The Vivienne channelled her Wicked Witch of the West relation off-stage successful November erstwhile she sent heads spinning successful her emerald greenish sequined gown astatine the European premiere of the Wicked film.

Most recently, she was performing arsenic the Childcatcher connected the circuit of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and performed conscionable a week agone successful Blackpool.

While The Wizard of Oz was The Vivienne's archetypal theatre role, she was nary alien to TV and was capable to successfully physique a vocation successful tv aft RuPaul's Drag Race, appearing successful a scope of programmes including Hunted, Emmerdale and the Great British Sowing Bee.

Over Christmas, The Vivienne appeared connected a personage peculiar of BBC's Blankety Blank.

In 2020, the Vivienne starred successful a six-part bid The Vivienne Takes connected Hollywood connected BBC Three.

The amusement saw the resistance queen papers her travels to Los Angeles successful bid to marque a euphony video and was implicit with her classical Northern humour and zingy one-liners.

Not each resistance contention contestants and winners person been capable to physique specified a palmy marque astir themselves contempt their humour and flawless looks, which is testament to however The Vivienne's property shone done successful each her work.