Shortly following the victory of Taiwanese fashion queen Nymphia Wind, RuPaul’s Drag Race announced its official All Stars Nine cast. Wind won the reality competition’s sixteenth season, becoming the first East Asian winner in the program’s history.
On April 23, the series’ official social media accounts shared the cast with the public. Fans first saw the returning stars in a “Meet the Queens” video posted to YouTube.
The first look showcases the queens’ Werk Room entrances and reflects on some of their most iconic moments from previous seasons.
Season 9 premieres on Paramount+ on May 17. The season features the following eight queens:
- Gottmik (Season 13)
- Roxxxy Andrews (Season 5 and All Stars 2)
- Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (Seasons 10 and 11)
- Angeria Paris VanMichaels (Season 14)
- Nina West (Season 11)
- Plastique Tiara (Season 11)
- Jorgeous (Season 14)
- Shannel (Season 1 and All Stars 1)
Along with the video, viewers saw the queens showing off their first looks in stunning promotional art for the new season. A tagline accompanied the superhero-themed post stating, “Drag queens save the world!”
Drag queens save the world! 💫
8 iconic queens return to #AllStars9 streaming FRI MAY 17 on @paramountplus! 👑 pic.twitter.com/2dDTzvzEzz
— RuPaul’s Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) April 23, 2024
This season, the queens are competing to help prove that statement true. The $200,000 prize will be donated to a charity of the winner’s choice.
After the announcement, some cast members reacted online, sharing their excitement with fans. While promoting the upcoming season, Shannel asserted, “I’m back to snatch that crown!” Roxxxy Andrews also commented, “It’s time…. We’re spilling the chari-TEA!”
I’m back to snatch that crown! 🌎💖 #AllStars9
Advertisementpremieres May 17 on @wowpresentsplus worldwide outside USA, Canada, and Australia and exclusively on @paramountplus in the USA 🏁 pic.twitter.com/iAjZ6TsVRoAdvertisement— Shannel (@ShannelOfficial) April 23, 2024
Gotmik described her look as a “Yassified chucky sacrifice.” When seeing her original promo look compared with her new one, the queen expressed, “this promo side by side has me SO excited to come back. you guys have seen baby gottmik and have been with me on this wild journey the past few years to come back fiercer than ever for charity! LOVE YOU ALL THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH LOVE TODAY AND ALWAYS.”
Yassified chucky sacrifice pic.twitter.com/ZlPb5au5uT
— Gottmik (@gottmik) April 23, 2024
Shannel also addressed the support from fans. She added, “The love yall are showing is everything!!!!! So much appreciation and joy from the bottom of my heart.”
Andrews, who faced public backlash due to appearances on the program before, remarked, “I hope this love stays! Yall really showing out for ALL THE GIRLS!” The drag star explained, “we do this for YALL! So that’s what we want in return and appreciate yall so much!”
I hope this love stays! Yall really showing out for ALL THE GIRLS! we do this for YALL! So that’s what we want in return and appreciate yall so much! ALLSTARS 9!
— Roxxxy Andrews (@RoxxxyAndrews) April 23, 2024
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars returns to Paramount+ on May 17. Until the ninth season’s premiere, viewers can catch up by streaming previous seasons of the queer competition program.