Inside Trixie Mattel and Katya's Friendship
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RuPaul’s Drag Race debuted back in 2009 and has managed to enthrall fans for 14 fabulous seasons. The competition-based reality series (which streams on Netflix) follows RuPaul in a quest to find the nation’s next top drag star (with many queens finding fame post-Drag Race.) The series has branched out beyond the original series, creating a large franchise, and some celebrity guest appearances, all while introducing America to a colorful cast of glamorous queens (all with many iconic runway looks, such as these 8.) Two of the most memorable cast members are undoubtedly Trixie and Katya.
Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova’s combination of comedic style, undeniable chemistry, and charisma have made the duo not only a hit with fans of the franchise, but also allowed the queens to venture away from the show and pursue their business opportunities. However, the pair’s friendship has experienced high and lows since forming on the show. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the bombastic friendship of Trixie and Katya, shall we?
8 The Pair First Met On The 7th Season Of Drag Race
Season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race introduced fans to Milwaukee’s Trixie and Boston native Katya. Trixie, who was 24 at the time, would come in at 6th place, while Katya would be one place in front of her future friend and collaborator, coming in at 5. Katya managed to win the title of Miss Congeniality but ultimately, becoming season 7’s winner was not in the cards for either contestant. One of the season’s highlights is Katya’s facial expression after Trixie introduces herself.
7 The Pair Didn’t Start Out As Friends
It's hard to imagine the duo of Trixie and Katya as anything other than close friends; however, while the drag duo are presently very close friends, this was not always the case. According to nickiswift.com, Katya had this to say about the pair’s first meeting, "We weren't that close of friends in the beginning, we didn't know that much about each other. It was never pitched as 'two iconic best friends', it actually turned into a close friendship."
6 Trixie And Katya Bonded Over Their Atypical Drag Nature
Trixie and Katya have stated that they differ from average drag queens with their motivation as well as desires. In an interview with Hello Magazine, Trixie had this to say, "I don't even think we were there for the same reason as the other drag queens. We weren't as good as competitors as the other drag queens, and we had both just made it to the end but didn't have the pressure of winning,” Trixie continued, “I also think that we both often felt like two reporters in a 'Live on the Scene' in a room full of drag queens. People were so odd, and a lot of times it just feels like The Twilight Zone watching the way people act and their personalities."
5 They Didn’t Become Good Friends Until After The Show
The YouTube series Fashion Photo RuView, which streams on WOWPresents' YouTube channel, is where the friendship between Trixie and Katya began to flourish. During one particular episode, both Trixie and Katya took it upon themselves to critique the judges’ (Raven and Raja) outfits. This led to the creation of UNHhhh (more on that to come.) According to Hello Magazine, Katya had this to say about the pair’s growing friendship, "We had a fun chemistry and so just ended up doing the web series from that and so it started really simply."
4 The Pair Are Business Partners As Well As Friends
Trixie and Katya took their friendship to the next level, becoming business partners and frequent collaborators. A few examples of the pair’s ventures include the web comedy series UNHhhh and its spin-off The Trixie & Katya Show, the duo’s first book, Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood and the podcast The Bald and The Beautiful. Katya and Mattel also co-hosted the 10th Streamy Awards in Los Angeles.
3 Trixie And Katya’s Podcast Covers Just About Everything
The world of podcasting is an ever-growing media market. With seemingly endless casts to choose from, podcasting not only allows countless hours of entertainment, It can also serve as a platform for friends to chat, vent, and just about anything else.
Trixie and Katya decided to dive into the podcasting world with the aforementioned the podcast version of UNHhhh, where the pair discuss everything from travel to fighting. The duo also host the aforementioned The Bald and the Beautiful. Why host one when you can host two?
2 The Pair Had A Falling Out
Even the best of friends can experience problems, and Trixie and Katya are no exception. Do to a mixture of Trixie’s growing fame and Katya’s substance issues, the duo would have a falling out and the pair would briefly break up. Likewise, during an episode of The Trixie and Katya Show, Katya would suffer a mental breakdown on the show, resulting in Katya would take a year-long break from the show, later revealing the break had to do with a relapse on meth and “a complete and total psychotic break from reality,” according to thecinemaholic.com.
1 Trixie And Katya Rekindled Their Friendship In 2018
Back in 2018, fans were more than pleased to find out that Trixie and Katya had reunited. Katya’s year-long break went a long way to rejuvenating the drag star mentally and physically. According to gaytimes.com, Katya said this about her previous state of mind and body, “It was time to take a vacation because my health, the drugs, my brain, that wasn’t good. But I am not crazy, you understand, of course. I’m a language student first, an artist second, a drag queen third. Health is the most important thing for me.” Just to hammer the point home, Katya took to social media to announce that, “the bitch is back.”
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