The thirteenth season of ''

RuPaul's Drag Race ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the Drag Race (franchise), ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder (company), World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, ...

'' premiered on January 1 and concluded on April 23, 2021. The cast was announced via Twitter on December 9, 2020. The competition is broadcast on

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...

in the United States and showcases 13 new queens competing for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar". VH1 renewed both ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' and its spin-off ''

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars ''RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars'' is an American reality competition spin off edition of the original ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', which is produced by World of Wonder, for Logo TV and later VH1. The show premiered on October 22, 2012, on Logo TV, ...

'' for a thirteenth and sixth season respectively on August 20, 2020. Casting calls for season 13 were opened in December 2019. In addition to airing on VH1, the premiere episode was simulcast across 5 other channels:

Logo A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

MTV2 MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television Cable television, channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global, through PMN’s MTV Entertainment Group Subdivision. The channel launched initially as an all-music ...

Pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

, and

The CW The CW Network, LLC (commonly referred to as The CW or simply CW) is an American commercial broadcast television network which is controlled by Nexstar Media Group through a 75% ownership interest. The network's name is derived from the firs ...

, becoming the most-watched episode in the franchise's history. After the season's first teaser trailer was accidentally leaked a day prior, the cast was officially revealed by

season 12 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...

winner Jaida Essence Hall on December 9, 2020. The teaser revealed that the season's premiere would consist of six "Lip-Sync for Your Life" battles in a Lip-Sync Extravaganza, along with a new socially distanced stage and design. The season welcomed Gottmik, the show's first ever openly

transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...

male and

assigned female at birth Sex assignment (also known as gender assignment) is the discernment of an infant's sex, typically made at birth based on an examination of the baby's external genitalia by a healthcare provider such as a midwife, nurse, or physician. In the ...

contestant since the series began in 2009. The season was filmed during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, relying on strict protocols, including isolation and testing of contestants, judges, and crew. On February 26, 2021, the series aired ''Corona Can't Keep a Good Queen Down'' detailing the season's production amid the pandemic, including unseen footage and reflections from the cast. The winner of the thirteenth season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' was Symone, with Kandy Muse as the runner-up and LaLa Ri as Miss Congeniality.

Contestants

''Ages, names, and cities stated are at time of filming.'' Notes:

Future ''Drag Race'' appearances

* In 2023 Kandy Muse and LaLa Ri competed on ''All Stars'' season 8. * In 2024 Gottmik competed on ''All Stars'' season 9. * In 2025 Denali, Olivia Lux and Tina Burner competed on ''All Stars'' season 10

Contestant progress

Lip syncs

Legend: Notes:

Guest judges

* Jamal Sims, choreographer (episodes 2 and 8) *

Nicole Byer Nicole Byer (born August 29, 1986) is an American comedian, actress, and television host. She is known as the host of the Netflix comedic reality bake-off series '' Nailed It!'' (2018–present), for which she has received four Primetime Emmy ...

, stand-up comedian (episodes 3 and 5) *

Loni Love Loni Love (born July 12, 1971) is an American comedian, television host, actress, author, and former electrical engineer. While working as an electrical engineer in the early 2000s, she switched to music engineering, until later launching a caree ...

, comedian and television host (episodes 4, 6, 10 and 12) * Ts Madison, LGBT activist (episodes 7 and 9) *

Cynthia Erivo Cynthia Chinasaokwu Onyedinmanasu Amarachukwu Owezuke Echimino Erivo ( ; born 8 January 1987) is a British actress and singer. Known for her work on both stage and screen, she is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Cynt ...

, English actress, singer and songwriter (episode 13)

Special guests

Guests who appeared in episodes, but did not judge on the main stage. ;Episode 4 *

Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman (born October 21, 1984) is a Canadian actor, model, and television personality. He is known for appearances in films and television, most notably as Jay in the Lifetime dark comedy- drama series '' Unreal'' (2015–2018) a ...

, Canadian actor and ''

Canada's Drag Race ''Canada's Drag Race'' is a Canadian reality competition television series based on the American series ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' and is the Canadian edition of the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by Blue Ant Studios. In a similar format to t ...

'' judge ;Episode 5 * Stuart Vevers, British fashion designer and

Coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

's executive creative director ;Episode 6 *Miguel Zarate, choreographer ;Episode 8 *

Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. List of awards and nominations received by Anne Hathaway, Her accolades include an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime ...

, American actress ;Episode 9 *

Victoria "Porkchop" Parker Victoria "Porkchop" Parker is the stage name of Victor Ray Bowling (born 16 January 1970), an American drag performer and actor who came to international attention on the first season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race''. She is notable in part for being t ...

, contestant on

season 1 Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: ...

Raven A raven is any of several large-bodied passerine bird species in the genus '' Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between crows and ravens; the two names are assigne ...

, runner-up of both

season 2 Season 2 may refer to: * ''Season 2'' (Infinite album), 2014 * ''2econd Season'', an album by Unk, 2008 * "Season 2", a song by Phoenix from ''Alpha Zulu ''Alpha Zulu'' is the seventh studio album by French indie pop band Phoenix, released on 4 ...

and the first season of ''All Stars'' ;Episode 10 *

Char Margolis Char Margolis is an American psychic medium and author. She has appeared on several television programs in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands. In the U.S., Margolis has been featured on shows such as ''Dr. Phil'">">[1/nowiki> ''Th ...

, author and self-proclaimed psychic medium ;Episode 11 * Jaida Essence Hall, winner of

;Episode 12 *Norvina, president of Anastasia Beverly Hills *Valentina (drag queen), Valentina, contestant and Miss Congeniality on season 9 *Nina West, contestant and Miss Congeniality on RuPaul's Drag Race season 11, season 11 * Heidi N Closet, contestant and Miss Congeniality on

;Episode 13 *

Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress and singer. The List of highest-paid film actors, world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019, she has been featured multiple times on the Forbes Celebrity 100, ''F ...

, American actress and singer *

Colin Jost Colin Kelly Jost (; born June 29, 1982) is an American comedian, writer, and actor. Jost has been a staff writer for the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' since 2005, and co-anchor of '' Weekend Update'' since 2014. He also serv ...

, American comedian ;Episode 14 * Jamal Sims, choreographer ;Episode 16 * Jaida Essence Hall, winner of

Cory Booker Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is an American politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democ ...

United States senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

from

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

Paris Hilton Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, and socialite. Hilton was born in New York City and raised there partially; shuttling between Los Angeles and New York City; she is a great-grandda ...

, television personality *

Bob the Drag Queen Christopher Delmar Caldwell (born June 22, 1986), also known by his stage name Caldwell Tidicue and better known by his drag name Bob the Drag Queen, is an American drag queen, comedian, actor, activist, musician, author, and reality television ...

, winner of season 8 *

Thorgy Thor Thorgy Thor is the stage name of Shane Thor Galligan, an American drag queen and musician who came to international attention on the eighth season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' and on the third season of ''All Stars''. Early life Galligan studied ...

, contestant on season 8 and ''All Stars'' season 3 *

Kennedy Davenport Reuben Asberry Jr. (born September 9, 1980), known professionally as Kennedy Davenport, is a drag queen, television personality, and dancer from Dallas, Texas, who came to international attention on the seventh season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', ...

, contestant on season 7 and ''All Stars'' season 3 *

Latrice Royale Timothy K. Wilcots (born February 12, 1972), better known by the stage name Latrice Royale, is an American drag performer, recording artist, and reality television personality. She is best known for her appearances on the fourth season of ''RuP ...

, contestant on

season 4 Season 4 may refer to: * "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock'' See also * * Season One (disambiguation) * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: * ''Season 2'' (Infinite album), 2014 * ''2econd Season'', an album ...

; ''All Stars'' season 1 and

* Cynthia Lee Fontaine, contestant on season 8 and season 9, Miss Congeniality on season 8 *

, contestant on

Eureka O'Hara Eureka, also known as Eureka O'Hara and Eureka!, is the stage name of Eureka D. Huggard (born August 26, 1990), an American drag queen and reality television personality. Eureka rose to prominence competing on the ninth and tenth seasons of ''RuP ...

, contestant on season 9 and

season 10 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...

* Heidi N Closet, contestant and Miss Congeniality on

Episodes

Ratings

References

{{Portal bar, LGBTQ, Television, United States 2021 American television seasons 2021 LGBTQ-related television Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBTQ community 13 Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic