Symone | |
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![]() Symone at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2022 | |
Born | Reginald Gavin [1] January 14, 1995 |
Other names | Delilah Alamaine [2] Erykah [2] Symone Alamaine [2] Symone Seymour-Cox [2] |
Education | University of Arkansas, Little Rock (BA) |
Occupation | Drag queen |
Years active | 2013–present |
Television | RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) |
Predecessor | Jaida Essence Hall |
Successor | Willow Pill |
Website | thesymone |
Reginald "Reggie" Gavin (born January 14, 1995), [3] known by the stage name Symone, is an American drag queen and model. She is best known as the winner of season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race (2021). She is a member of the queer art collective House of Avalon. [4] [5]
Born Reggie Gavin, Symone was raised in Conway, Arkansas, [4] as the youngest of three children, with two siblings who are significantly older. [6] A shy child due to anxiety about being gay, Symone discovered drag as a teenager in 2009 after RuPaul's Drag Race debuted, [6] and began to experiment with makeup and drag, attending senior prom in a dress. [5]
Shortly after high school graduation in 2013, she performed drag for the first time at Triniti Nightclub under the name Delilah Alamaine. [6] While a student at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, she began to build a following as a performer at Discovery and The Factory, and later changed her stage name to Symone, after a character in a play she wrote in high school. [6] She hosted a series called Symone Says. [4] Of her drag identity, she said Symone represents "the person that I really am. I would say Reggie is a mask I put on every day." [4]
Symone is a member of the queer fashion and pop culture collective House of Avalon along with season 12 Drag Race finalist Gigi Goode. [4] The collective was started in 2016 in Little Rock by designer Marko Monroe, Hunter Crenshaw, and Grant Vanderbilt. [7] [8] Vanderbilt is Symone's drag mother. [6]
Symone moved to Los Angeles in 2019 and joined other relocated members of House of Avalon. [9]
In 2021, Symone gained wider prominence as a contestant on season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race , where she became the show's first Arkansas contestant. [10] She has received positive reception from critics for her drag fashion and persona, which frequently nod to Black cultural icons like Lil' Kim and Grace Jones. [6] [5] After the first two episodes aired, pop culture websites Vulture and Jezebel stated that Symone was a frontrunner to win season 13. [11] [12] Rihanna sent Symone an Instagram DM after seeing her on the show: "You soooo EVERYTHING! Nasty Lil bitch! I live for every second of it! You're a true joy to watch!" [9]
Symone received media attention for her runway dress worn on episode 9: a white faux leather dress with exaggerated hips, red crystal bullet holes on the back, and a white headpiece emblazoned with Say Their Names. [10] [8] As she walked the runway she recited the names of several murdered Black Americans: Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Brayla Stone, Trayvon Martin, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, and Monika Diamond. [10] The dress was designed by Marko Monroe and created by Howie B. [8] Symone said her intention with the dress was to state: "No matter how pretty or beautiful or non-threatening I—and Black people—seem, we're still seen as a threat." [10] Symone ultimately won the season in the grand finale that aired on April 23, 2021. [3]
In August 2021, Symone was a featured performer in Drag Fest, a live music festival. [13] Symone was featured on the cover of the September 2021 issue of Interview . [14] That same month, Symone attended the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards, [15] the 2021 Met Gala, [16] and walked the red carpet at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards. [17]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race | People's Choice Award for The Competition Contestant of 2021 [18] | Nominated |
2022 | Herself | Queerty Award for Drag Royalty [19] | Runner-up |
2022 | 2021 Met Gala | The WOWIE Award for Best Red Carpet Look [20] | Won |
Jimmy Kimmel Live! | The WOWIE Award for Best TV Moment (Shared with Rupaul) [21] | Won | |
House of Avalon | The WOWIE Award for Fiercest Party People | Won |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Star-Crossed: The Film | Heist Girl 2 | ||
2022 | Bros | Marty | Feature film | [22] [23] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) | Contestant | Winner | [11] |
2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked | |||
2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Corona Can't Keep a Good Queen Down | Herself | Stand-alone special | [24] |
2021 | 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards | Herself | Guest | [25] |
2021 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Herself | Guest | [26] |
2021 | Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 | Herself | Amazon Prime Exclusive | [27] |
2022 | Gutsy | Herself | Episode 1: Gutsy Women Have the Last Laugh | [28] |
2023 | Drag Me to Dinner | Herself | Hulu original | [29] |
2023 | Celebrity Family Feud | Herself | Guest | [30] |
2023 | Avalon TV | Herself | World of Wonder original | [31] |
2024 | Ridiculousness | Herself | Guest |
Year | Title | Artist | Role | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | "Simple Times" | Kacey Musgraves | Featured | [33] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | The X Change Rate | Herself | Guest | [34] |
2021 | Ruvealing the Look | Herself | Guest | [35] |
2021 | Whatcha Packin' | Herself | Guest | [36] |
2021 | Beauty Secrets | Herself | Guest | [37] |
2021 | Binge | Herself | Guest | [38] |
2021 | The Awardist | Herself | Guest | [39] |
2021-23 | The Pit Stop | Herself | Guest | [40] [41] |
2023 | Billboard Cover | Herself | Guest | [42] |
Title | Year |
---|---|
"Condragulations" (cast version) [43] | 2021 |
"Social Media: The Unverified Rusical" [44] |
Title | Year |
---|---|
"Lucky" [45] (RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 13) | 2021 |
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