Bianca Del Rio Signs to CAA, Proving That Drag Does, Indeed, Pay

As conservative lawmakers continue their desperate attempts to push drag into the shadows, drag queens are thriving in the spotlight. In yet another victory for mainstream visibility, Bianca Del Rio has just signed with the Creative Arts Agency (CAA), one of the biggest talent agencies in Hollywood, Deadline reports.

Over its long history, CAA has represented several of the most recognized names in Hollywood, including Steve McQueen, Cate Blanchette, Sandra Bullock, Will Smith, Tom Hanks, Chris Evans, and rising talent like Jenna Ortega, Jojo Siwa, and Zendaya. In addition to film and TV stars, their musician client roster boasts Beyoncé and Harry Styles. In joining such a star-studded agency, Bianca Del Rio is a symbol of the enduring appeal of drag, despite right wing efforts to sow controversy.

Del Rio earned her first mainstream breakthrough as the season 6 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race back in 2014. But even before this, Del Rio had accumulated an impressive resume, winning New Orleans Gay Entertainer of the Year three years in a row during her early performances in the 2000s. After Hurricane Katrina, Del Rio moved to NYC, where she steadily built a following working in nightclubs and acting in plays, her popularity leading to her casting in RPDR.

Following her season 6 win, Del Rio displayed her acting chops on screen, starring in the 2016 indie film Hurricane Bianca and its 2018 sequel Hurricane Bianca: From Russia With Hate. In between her many standup shows and her 2019 stint on the West End stage, she published a book, Blame It On Bianca Del Rio: The Expert on Nothing With An Opinion on Everything.

Related:

Even With Her Memoir, Pop Icon Britney Spears Is Still Being Silenced

Oops, they did it again: silencing Britney that is.

Suffice it to say, mamma’s been hard at work for a while now, and it’s about time Hollywood took notice.

Over the past year, Republican legislators have ramped up their attacks on gender-nonconformance, with Tennessee becoming the first state to criminalize public drag shows. While the law is currently stalled by a court injunction, it has inspired other red states to advance similar legislation. But as drag continues to find mainstream acceptance in film, it seems unlikely that Republicans’ efforts to foster ignorance and fear of drag will succeed.

For now, Bianca Del Rio is scoring high-profile opportunities left and right. She is set to judge Hulu’s upcoming drag competition series Drag Me to Dinner, which will premiere on May 31.