15 of the best queens ever on RuPaul’s Drag Race

AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 11: Manila Luzon and Bob the Drag Queen pose with a Culture Trip London Double Decker Bus as Part of “Soho in SoCo” for SXSW at Austin Motel on March 11, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Culture Trip)

Manila Luzon

You can’t discuss Drag Race legends and not bring up Manila Luzon. She is one of the most popular and well-known queens in the show’s canon, and like Latrice, has competed on several seasons and spin-offs of the show.

Manila first appeared on season 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race after her longtime partner, the late Sahara Davenport, competed on season 2. She did very well on her season, only landing in the bottom one time. That lip sync ended up becoming one of the best lip syncs in the show’s history, and demonstrated Manila’s impeccable lip sync skills. Manila was also known for her memorable runway looks and her great sense of comedic timing. She made it to the final three with Raja and Alexis Mateo, but was the runner-up to Raja.

Along with Latrice, she returned for the ill-fated first of All Stars but got eliminated on the third episode, losing to Jujubee and Raven. Fans were shocked, as both of them were frontrunners. As we already pointed out, both queens returned once more for All Stars 4, and Manila proved why she was the ultimate All Star.

She was a force to be reckoned with, turning out more iconic runway looks and hilarious performances. She won three main challenges, and was only in the bottom one time on episode 8. Despite being on track to win the entire season, she landed in the bottom and Naomi Smalls chose to send her home in a shocking elimination. Fans were outraged by the move, and many say she was robbed of her spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame.

Since being on the show, Manila has released two studio albums, six EPs, and has appeared on several other singles with her Drag Race sisters. Even without a crown, she’s definitely one of the show’s all-time best.