The hype was unreal. For years, fans begged for a "World Cup of Drag," and when the Global All Stars cast finally dropped, the internet basically melted. Twelve queens from twelve different countries. One stage. A massive $200,000 prize. Honestly, it felt like the Avengers assembling, but with more sequins and significantly better hair.
But now that the dust has settled on that first season, there is a lot of revisionist history floating around. People remember the runways, sure. They remember the lipsyncs. But they often miss the actual friction and the weird, wonderful cultural collisions that made this specific cast so different from a standard US-based season.
The Twelve Queens Who Shook the World
You’ve got to understand the scale here. This wasn't just a few international guests showing up in Hollywood. This was a calculated cross-section of global drag culture.
Alyssa Edwards represented the US, and let’s be real, she was the elephant in the room. As a legendary pageant queen from Texas with decades of experience, she brought a level of "Drag Race" fame that the others simply didn't have yet. But the international talent wasn't there to just play backup.
From the UK, we had Kitty Scott-Claus, the runner-up from Series 3 who basically breathes camp and British wit. Then you had powerhouse performers like Kween Kong from Drag Race Down Under, who carries Tongan and Samoan heritage into every backflip she sticks.
The rest of the roster looked like this:
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- Pythia (Canada): A whimsical, historical-obsessed artist who was a finalist on her home season.
- Gala Varo (Mexico): A former model and acrobat who brought serious athleticism to the stage.
- Nehellenia (Italy): The emotional heart of the season and a former runner-up/Miss Congeniality.
- Soa de Muse (France): An absolute powerhouse from the inaugural French season.
- Eva Le Queen (Philippines): A queen defined by elegance and poised Filipino storytelling.
- Vanity Vain (Sweden): A self-described "rock and roll" queen who says drag saved her life.
- Miranda Lebrão (Brazil): An actress and visual artist with a background in naval engineering.
- Tessa Testicle (Germany): Known for her "stunt queen" energy and a name that definitely needs no explanation.
- Athena Likis (Belgium): A conceptual, edgy finalist who draws from sci-fi and mythology.
Why This Specific Cast Was a Huge Risk
On paper, putting the Global All Stars cast together is a dream. In reality? It’s a logistical and cultural nightmare. You have queens who are used to being the biggest stars in their respective countries suddenly being judged by RuPaul, who might not "get" the specific cultural nuances of, say, Italian camp or Brazilian "transformism."
Take Nehellenia. She was huge in Italy, but on the global stage, she often felt like she was fighting to be heard. Or Soa de Muse, whose French sensibility didn't always translate perfectly to the US-style judging panel.
The panel itself was a bit of a mix. RuPaul and Michelle Visage were the anchors, but they brought in Jamal Sims as a permanent fixture. Then they rotated in judges from the international franchises—like Graham Norton from the UK and Dianne Brill from Germany—to try and bridge that gap. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it felt like a total disconnect.
The Alyssa Edwards Factor
We have to talk about Alyssa. There was a lot of chatter about whether it was "fair" to have her in this cast. She’s a veteran. She’s been on the show twice before. She has a huge fan base.
Honestly, it changed the dynamic.
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Some queens looked at her as a mentor; others saw her as the final boss they had to defeat. The tension wasn't always about who was the "best" queen, but about whose style of drag—US Pageant/Comedy vs. International Concept/Art—would reign supreme. In the end, Alyssa took the crown, but queens like Kween Kong and Nehellenia proved they were 100% on that same level.
What Fans Still Get Wrong About the Results
A common misconception is that the international queens were at a disadvantage because of the language barrier. That’s actually a bit reductive. Most of these queens are fluent in multiple languages. The real barrier was the "Drag Race" formula itself.
The show has a very specific "language" of humor and timing that is rooted in American pop culture. If you didn't grow up watching the same sitcoms or listening to the same 80s icons, you were playing catch-up.
Tessa Testicle is a great example. She’s hilarious, but her brand of humor is very specific to the German-speaking scene. Vanity Vain brought a gritty, Swedish rock-and-roll vibe that was a breath of fresh air but didn't always fit the "glamazon" mold the judges often look for.
The Legacy of the Global All Stars Cast
This season wasn't just about a winner. It was a proof of concept. It showed that the Drag Race brand is truly a global ecosystem.
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If you're looking to dive into this world, don't just watch the highlights. Watch the Global Talent Extravaganza episodes. Seeing Gala Varo do pole dancing and Miranda Lebrão perform a trapeze routine shows you that global drag isn't just about lip-syncing to Top 40 hits. It’s a massive, multi-disciplinary art form.
If you want to support these queens, follow them on socials and look for their international tours. Most of the Global All Stars cast are currently traveling the world, and seeing their art live is a completely different experience than seeing it through a Paramount+ edit.
Pay attention to the smaller franchises too. If you liked Eva Le Queen, go watch Drag Race Philippines. If Pythia was your favorite, Canada's Drag Race is waiting for you. The real value of this "Global" experiment was giving us a roadmap to the best drag on the planet.
Check out the individual seasons for these queens to see where they started. You'll realize very quickly that the "All Star" version is just the tip of the iceberg for what these artists can actually do when they are on their home turf.