James Lee Williams, a drag performer and winner of the inaugural season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” who was best known by the stage name The Vivienne, died over the weekend. They were 32.
Williams’s death was announced in a statement by their manager, Simon Jones, which did not cite a cause.
Williams, who adopted the stage name for a love of dressing in Vivienne Westwood clothes, rose to prominence as one of the world’s most recognizable drag queens after winning the first season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.”
On the show, The Vivienne was known for comedy and vocal impersonations — particularly that of Donald Trump — and opened up about a struggle with substance abuse and recovery.
“The Viv is a perfect example of a 21st century British Queen,” RuPaul said in the 2019 final.
James Lee Williams was born on April 12, 1992, in Colwyn Bay, Wales. At 16, Williams moved to Liverpool, England, to pursue a career as a makeup artist. It was in Liverpool where they earned their nickname Vivienne for dressing “head to toe” Vivienne Westwood and discovered a passion for drag, Williams said in a 2020 interview with The Sunday Times.
“I saw some drag queens at a club one night and was stunned,” Williams said in the interview. “These people were getting paid to have a great night and entertain people. I knew immediately that was what I wanted to do.”
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