RuPaul’s Drag Race Australia To Begin Filming In New Zealand

The first ever season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Australia is set to begin filming in New Zealand later this month.

Due to recent COVID-19 cases in Sydney and across New South Wales, Auckland will be home to Australia’s competing queens as they vie for the title of Australia’s first drag superstar.

The filming date and location for the long-anticipated Aussie incarnation was posted by Drag Race Australia’s Instagram page on December 30.

The post read, “It’s coming!!! The Queens will fly to Auckland to start their 14-day isolation at the beginning of January and start filming around the 29th. Start your engines ladies.” It was deleted less than 24 hours after being posted.

 New Zealand’s Express confirmed the location and date, reporting “the Australian girls fly in on January 6th to start their 14 days of isolation, with filming beginning on the 29th.”

The same article teased the possibility of competitors from New Zealand joining the cast, with an industry source stating “it is rumoured that some Kiwi talent has been signed to the show.”

Competing queens have not yet been revealed, but fans from across the country have begun speculating and hoping.

Potential cast members mentioned across forums and social media include Sydney’s Vanity Faire, Felicia Foxx, Coco Jumbo and Etc Etc, Brisbane’s Scarlett Fever and Sellma Soul, Newcastle’s Jojo Zaho and Melbourne’s Karen from Finance, Sabrina and Art Simone.

Some are even speculating that, after starring in her own series Highway to Heels, Art Simone could appear as a judge, à la Brook Lynn Hytes from Canada’s Drag Race.

[IMAGE: Art Simone’s Instagram post for Highway to Heel – www.instagram.com/p/CJhPbTJnxbs/ ]

Despite rumours about who will be hosting the series circulating for more than two years, the show’s judging panel remains a mystery.

Some have suggested that Season 6 winner Bianca del Rio, who sold out her last four Australian tours, could be a strong contender.

 Bob the Drag Queen, who took the crown in season 8 posted on Twitter back in 2019 that she was willing and able to host or appear as a guest judge.

The same Tweet caused stir from our very own Courtney Act, who replied “Bloody immigrants coming and trying to take jobs from the locals! Crikey!”

[ IMAGE: Bob the Drag Queen’s Twitter post]

Due to her prominence in Australian drag, Act would be a logical choice for the job. However, a history of disagreements with the franchise and Ru himself has left many doubting whether she would be offered or interested.

Act would also be unlikely to complete quarantine in New Zealand in time for filming, having just commenced a 14 day quarantine in Sydney on January 2.