Everything We Know About RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14

Since Drag Race crowned its Season 13 winner last April, viewers have been eagerly anticipating Drag Race Season 14. The Emmy-winning VHI reality competition series has continued to slay the ratings — Season 13’s premiere was the most-watched episode in franchise history — and amid the pandemic, it’s become an even brighter source of light.

“I didn’t realize how hungry people were for Season 13. Because there’s so many seasons, like, pumping out left and right, we thought people would get Drag Race fatigue,” Season 13 contestant Kahmora Hall told Entertainment Tonight in 2020. “But no, we’re getting such great response to it. It’s validating too. Like, “Wow, we filmed this during the pandemic just to entertain you all, but we're also happy to be the highlight of your week.”

VH1 officially renewed Drag Race for Season 14 in August. “I am extremely grateful to all the amazing and talented Drag Race queens — past, present and future — that continue to inspire us to find new ways to tell their stories," host and executive producer RuPaul said in a statement after the news broke. "Through love, light, and laughter, they remind all of us that the most powerful thing you can do is to become the image of your own imagination."

Here’s what we know about Season 14 so far.

The RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 Premiere Date

The two-part Season 14 premiere kicks off on Friday, Jan. 7, with Lizzo guest judging a talent show for the new queens. The following week, Alicia Keys will guest judge the talent show’s second round.

Though the pandemic forced Drag Race to film the Season 12 finale and reunion virtually in May 2020, the show was very much back on track for Season 13. “Competing safely and fiercely, our 13 queens proved that it takes more than a global pandemic to keep a good queen down,” RuPaul said in a December 2020 statement, noting that they were taking various health and safety precautions including quarantining the queens while shooting and regular testing for contestants and judges alike.

The RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 Cast

RuPaul announced Season 14 casting had begun in November 2020, listing an application deadline of Jan. 15. However, VH1 didn’t reveal the 14 queens competing in Drag Race Season 14 — including Maddy Morphosis (Fayetteville, Arkansas), the series’ first straight, cisgender male contestant — until almost a year later in December 2021.

Joining Maddy Morphosis in the competition are Alyssa Hunter (Cataño, Puerto Rico), Angeria Paris VanMicheals (Atlanta, Georgia), Bosco (Seattle, Washington), Daya Betty (Springfield, Missouri), DeJa Skye (Fresno, California), Jasmine Kennedie (New York City), Jorgeous (Nashville, Tennessee), June Jambalaya (Los Angeles), Kerri Colby (Los Angeles), Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté (Los Angeles), Lady Camden (Sacramento, California), Orion Story (Grand Rapids, Michigan), and Willow Pill (Denver, Colorado).

Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews, and Carson Kressley are all returning to the judges’ panel. And per usual, Drag Race is enlisting a roster of celebrity guests. In addition to Lizzo and Alicia Keys, that list includes Taraji P. Henson, Andra Day, Loni Love, Christine Chiu, Ava Max, Nicole Byer, Ts Madison, Alec Mapa, Dove Cameron, and Dulce Sloan. Jennifer Lopez and Sarah McLachlan will make virtual appearances, and Norvina and Leslie Jordan will also appear in special guest roles.

The RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 Twists

Every new Drag Race season includes some sort of ruveal, and Season 13 really upped the ante:Aall of the queens had to go head-to-head in a lip-sync-for-your-life battles immediately after arriving. “You always think you know what to expect when you come into this show, but every year, they say you have no idea what's going on and you don't,” contestant Elliott with 2 Ts told Entertainment Tonight ahead of the January 2021 premiere.

The Season 14 twists will leave viewers and contestants just as gooped and gagged. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in December, RuPaul gifted the audience with chocolate bars, teasing a “game-changing” twist. “It is an integral part of Season 14 of Drag Race. We have this sort of this Willy Wonka storyline going on in Season 14 where the queen..." he started before cutting himself off. You’ll have to tune in to find out what it is.