RuPaul says she has a ‘broken heart’ in first statement following The Vivienne’s death
RuPaul says her heart is ‘broken’ following The Vivienne’s death. (Getty)
RuPaul’s Drag Race host RuPaul has paid tribute to James Lee Williams, AKA The Vivienne, following the drag star’s death over the weekend.
“With a broken heart, I join the entire Drag Race universe in mourning the loss of The Vivienne,” RuPaul wrote in a statement on Instagram, posted alongside a photo of herself and Williams on the Drag Race main stage, taken prior to their appearance on the UK spin-off in 2019.
The TV star rounded off her tribute by calling The Vivienne “an incredibly talented queen and a lovely human being.”
RuPaul and The Vivienne became acquainted long before she would go on to win the inaugural season of Drag Race UK, as the host had personally anointed her as the official “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Ambassador” in a contest in 2015.
The Vivienne was then invited to make a guest appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race season eight in 2016, walking the runway in bonus footage and appearing in the audience during the “New Wave Queens” episode. At the time the episode aired, she was just 24-years-old.
The Vivienne’s death was confirmed on Sunday (5 January) by her publicist Simon Jones, who paid tribute to his “incredibly loved” client and “close friend”. Williams was 32-years-old.
Cheshire Police later confirmed that the circumstances surrounding their death are not suspicious.
“Police attended, investigated the circumstances of the death of the 32-year-old man and concluded there were no suspicious circumstances. A file will be prepared for the coroner,” a police representative said.
Since the news broke yesterday, a wave of stars from across the entertainment industry have shared heartbreaking tributes to Williams, who was best known as the first ever winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
She went on to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 7 in 2022 and ITV’s Dancing On Ice in 2023, where she reached the final alongside her skating partner, Colin Grafton.
Last year, she saw her “dream come true” as she appeared on stage in the West End, playing The Wicked Witch of The West in The Wizard of Oz, and the Childcatcher in the touring production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Drag Race judge Michelle Visage praised Williams as a “beacon to so many”, writing in a devastating social media post: “You were always there, always laughing, always giving, always on point. Your laughter, your wit, your talent, your drag. I loved all of it but I loved your friendship most of all.”
The Vivienne’s best friend in the Drag Race universe, Baga Chipz, shared a similarly moving tribute post, writing: “You will always be the Velma to my Louise and I’ll always talk to you before I go onstage for every single show I do because let’s face it you were a bloody power house when you hit that stage.”
Baga continued: “Always there for me when I needed you. My beautiful boy. My James. Our Viv.”
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