Two-time Emmy winner RuPaul Friday March 16, became the latest celebrity immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
RuPaul fought back tears as he accepted the star in front of the World of Wonder production offices at 6652 Hollywood Blvd. World of Wonder produces VH1’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” which brought RuPaul prime-time Emmys as outstanding host of a reality or reality-competition program in 2016 and 2017.
“I am overcome with so much emotion right now,” RuPaul said. “You know, … as a kid we’d come up here and they’d drop me off right here on Hollywood Boulevard so I could look at all the stars and dream that one day I could be one of the starts on Hollywood Boulevard. In fact, it was a dream that I wasn’t sure how I would achieve it, but I had so much support from my family and my faith in a benevolent universe, and that is what has brought me here today.
“I love all of you and I wish for each and every person within the sound of my voice that your dreams can come true as mine have,” he said. “This is absolutely the most important moment of my professional career. Thank you so much.”
Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda was among those joining RuPaul at the ceremony. She said she got to know RuPaul when she and Lily Tomlin appeared on his show for her sitcom “Grace and Frankie.”
“Behind the glamour, behind the drag queen, is a man of great depth, incredible intelligence, compassion,” Fonda said. “… Lily and I were interviewed by RuPaul and … I have never had anybody that created such a great interview. … There were questions that came from his depth and his heart to bring me and Lily out as human beings. I was so impressed by that.”
RuPaul’s star is the 2,631st on the famed walk.
Born RuPaul Andre Charles on Nov. 17, 1960, in San Diego, he later studied theater at the North Atlanta School of Performing Arts.
RuPaul settled in New York City in the mid-1980s, becoming a popular fixture on the nightclub scene earning himself the title “Queen of Manhattan.”
RuPaul’s first prominent national exposure came in 1989 with a featured role dancing in the B-52’s “Love Shack” music video.
RuPaul released his first album, “Supermodel of the World” in 1993. It would top Billboard’s Heatseekers chart for new and developing recording artists. He has released 10 more studio albums, two soundtrack albums, six compilation albums, three remix albums, one extended play and 32 singles.
RuPaul has produced and hosted the competition series “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” since 2009. He also hosted “RuPaul’s Drag U,” where women are given drag makeovers and “Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul,” both on Logo.
RuPaul has also been a judge on the Game Show Network’s body-painting competition, “Skin Wars.”
RuPaul has appeared in more than 50 films and television shows both in and out of drag including “Crooklyn,” “The Brady Bunch Movie,” “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,” and “But I’m a Cheerleader.”
