TRAGIC

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Star The Vivienne Dead at 32

Their cause of death was not immediately known.

British drag queen The Vivienne has died, their manager Simon Jones confirmed in an Instagram post on Sunday. The performer was 32. “Their talent was immense and the light they brought to every room was astonishing,“ Jones wrote. ”No one has ever made me laugh in my life as much as Viv did. Their comedic genius and quick wit was like no other.” The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams, was the first winner of RuPaul‘s Drag Race UK and appeared in the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in 2022. They were the first drag contestant on the U.K. series Dancing on Ice, placing third in its 15th season, and they also appeared as the Wicked Witch of the West in the West End production of The Wizard of Oz. “It’s tragic that their career was only just beginning,” Jones wrote. “In musical theatre Viv had found a space and career they loved, excelled and thrived in. I am heartbroken and devastated at this news. RIP my wonderful friend. You left us way too soon.”