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Home / Entertainment

SnapChat: Manila Luzon from Dragfest talks about meeting Kylie Minogue

NZ Herald
26 Jun, 2019 07:00 PM3 mins to read

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Drag star Manila Luzon performs at Dragfest 2019 - The Realness Tour at Logan Campbell Centre on July 2. Photo / supplied

Drag star Manila Luzon performs at Dragfest 2019 - The Realness Tour at Logan Campbell Centre on July 2. Photo / supplied

My first job was: When I was 16, my Grandfather made me get my first job one summer. I was grilling burgers at Burger King.

It taught me: How to make the most perfect Whopper!

My big break came: Many years later I moved to New York and started working at a design firm as a graphic designer.

The last job I quit was: After I was already on Drag Race, I returned to my design job and would work there half the week and then leave to tour! Eventually I was making more money as a drag queen in one weekend than at the firm, so I quit! (Or maybe they fired me because I was always taking off to travel to my shows, I forget.)

The most famous person I've ever met is: I met Kylie Minogue backstage at an awards show! For some reason I was dressed as a zombie.

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She was: Amazing, my husband Michael (who was still just my boyfriend at the time) was chatting her up while chomping on a cookie and had no idea who she was until I asked him to take a photo of me with her and Jake Sheers from the Scissor Sisters. It wasn't until Michael saw her through the iPhone screen that he recognised who Kylie was! I suppose it makes sense, until that moment he'd only seen her in two-dimensional photos!

Manila Luzon with Kylie Minogue and Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters. Photo / supplied
Manila Luzon with Kylie Minogue and Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters. Photo / supplied

The best time I've had on set/stage was: My favourite moments were on set filming the Drag Race spin-off Show RuPaul's Drag U. It was fun that I was "talent" and not a "contestant"! I enjoyed sitting down eating lunch with RuPaul and Lady Bunny and having random conversations about laser hair removal. Filming that show I even got to give a drag makeover to my own sister, Rachel!

But the worst was: I filmed an episode of Smash on NBC. It was a fabulous time, I had several lines with Megan Hilty. And we filmed a whole dance routine, well she did all the singing and dancing, I just got to sit there and watch her. I was so excited to see the episode, and then I found out the whole scene was cut!

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My dream role would be: As some kind of alien in a sci-fi movie. I wanna be in full prosthetic make up playing a Klingon on Star Trek or something!

Manila Luzon performs at Dragfest 2019 – The Realness Tour at Logan Campbell Centre 2nd July.

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