When Eva Le Queen was announced as part of the cast for “RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars,” it felt correct. She was a runner-up on the inaugural “Drag Race Philippines” season, where she showcased glamour, comedy and star power.
It’s surprising, then, that her run on “Global All Stars” came to an end so quickly. She landed in the bottom alongside “Drag Race Mexico” queen Gala Varo after episode 5’s acting challenge. A lip sync to “Take On Me” by A-Ha sealed Eva’s fate, and she was sent packing.
But like Ru sings, this is the beginning of the rest of your life. And Eva knows it.
“Competing on ‘Drag Race Philippines’ Season 1, it feels like you’re in home court, everything is comfortable. We didn’t have any expectations. And then suddenly, everything just skyrocketed. Things are different. Expectations are way, way, way higher. Everything can get easily lost in a blur,” she says. “But you gotta bet on yourself no matter what. Whatever the output is, no matter what happens, it doesn’t diminish the greatness that you already have inside you. It takes some time, it takes some courage to believe it, but once you do, you are unstoppable. You can do anything in this world.”
Eva spoke about her elimination and the heart behind Filipino drag.
How did you feel going into the judging for “Boobie: The Shequels?”
I was thinking, “Really? Where is this coming from?” Michelle was saying that I probably didn’t understand my role. You could have told me that when we were filming, not on the main stage. But you guys are the judges. It was weird. But I also felt probably it is for the best.
Why do you say that?
These are the cards I’ve been dealt at that moment. This isn’t about looking for the next Anne Hathaway or the next Meryl Streep kind of acting. They’re looking for someone who makes Mama Ru laugh the most. I think that my understanding of my character, in my head, was funny. It might have translated differently to the one that needs to call the shots. I tried to channel it to a Filipino aunt that I know, and apparently that Filipino aunt isn’t Karen enough.
Michelle also said she wanted “more” from your look. Did it feel like you were in an alternate universe?
I’m like, “Really, this was a B for you? Have you been watching the runway?” Suddenly, for Miss Eva, this is unacceptable. And then probably, I don’t know, a cute dress would land safe for someone else. At the end of the day, it’s a reality TV show. I am far from basic, definitely. I know what I am. I know what I’m capable of. Maybe at that moment it might have looked differently. I would say that was my least favorite runway, and they’re the ones calling the shots. I wanted to dress up as a cockroach, but someone already did that.
You spoke on the show about the carrying the weight of an entire country on your shoulders. What was that pressure like?
It was smashing. It was ginormous pressure. I’ve never had that much pressure. It feels like I’m (Miss Universe 2015) Pia Wurtzbach or (Miss Universe 2018) Catriona Gray representing an entire country. But also, at the same time, I was very firm in wanting to represent me first, more than anything else. If I break from that pressure, the country wouldn’t be there for me. I’m just all on my own. So I got to say to my God, I am an artist, I am an amazing human being, I need to stick with myself. It also taught me a lot of lessons about myself and how strong I am as a human being.