Katya Zamolodchikova

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Katya Zamolodchikova performing in San Francisco in 2015

Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova ( Russian Екатерина Петровна Замолодчикова born, 1. May 1982 in Boston as Brian Joseph McCook ), often only as Katya called (Russian Катя), is an American drag queen , comedian and actress . Katya is best known for her participation in the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the second season of the offshoot RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, as well as her frequent artistic collaborations with her colleague Trixie Mattel , who also participated in the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race . In June 2019, Katya was named one of the top 20 most influential drag queens in the United States by New York .

Life

McCook was born in Boston, Massachusetts , where he grew up. In 2001 McCook graduated from the local high school and was a student at Boston University for a year before moving to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in the same city. There he studied video and performance art as a member of a program at The Studio for Interrelated Media , an arts faculty . McCook first showed an interest in drag in his final year at university and created a video show for his graduate portfolio in which he played a Russian drag queen.

The surname Zamolodchikova of his fictional character is a reference to Jelena Mikhailovna Samolodchikova , one of McCook's favorite gymnasts. McCook attended several language courses and used a language learning tape to perfect the accent. In addition to Russian, McCook is also fluent in French and has a command of Japanese and Portuguese .

In January 2018, McCook announced that he would be taking an indefinite break from the drag scene due to problems with his mental health, and his comedy tour entitled Help Me, I'm Dying was scheduled for spring 2019 postponed. In March 2018, McCook announced in his podcast that he had suffered psychosis due to a methamphetamine relapse . Because of this, he spent some time with his family and eventually went to a rehab clinic in Arizona .

Career

Beginnings

From 2006 to 2013 Katya worked as an actress in the alternative drag bar Jacques Cabaret in Boston. There she was initially a member of the ensemble of the monthly revue with the title TraniWreck , she also performed at hen evenings in the bar. In 2011, Katya finally got her own show in the bar called Perestroika . As a result, her popularity in the local drag scene grew, with her supposedly Russian origins and humorous, extravagant appearances standing out. She also often sang lipsyncs , for example Russian versions of My Heart Will Go On in a boat outfit and Memory from Cats in a kind of litter box , as well as songs by Alla Borissowna Pugacheva , TATu and Natalja Ilyinichna Ionowa, among others .

RuPaul's Drag Race

Katya had unsuccessfully applied for RuPaul's Drag Race four times , but was finally announced at the end of 2014 as a participant in the seventh season. She was featured in the first episode of the third season alongside other candidates like Chad Michaels , who came to audition in 2011 but were not accepted.

In her season Katya won two of the eleven challenges named, these were the presentation of a skit about the jurors RuPaul , Michelle Visage and Merle Ginsberg as well as a live partner dance with Violet Chachki . In the second episode Katya was among the last two and had to compete against another participant in lipsync, but was able to prevent her from being eliminated with the win. In the eleventh episode, she finally dropped out after the lipsync, although this decision was controversial due to its high popularity among viewers in the media. In the penultimate episode of the season, Katya was crowned Miss Congeniality , the title always given to the participant who was eliminated before the finals and who was most popular with the television audience.

On June 17, 2016, Logo announced the participants in the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars , an offshoot in which only former contestants from the main series participate, including Katya. She won three of the eight challenges . It was the improvisation game Snatch Game , in which she imitated Björk , marketing and design for products influenced by drag culture and a makeover of her mother as a drag queen. Katya was among the last candidates in the third and fourth episodes, but due to a rule change, the best participants in each episode competed against each other in lipsync, the winner ultimately decided who had to be eliminated, Katya was not selected and remained in the competition. Katya eventually reached the finals and came in second.

In 2018 Katya starred in the Russian-set film Hurricane Bianca: From Russia with Hate , a 2016 sequel to Hurricane Bianca starring Bianca Del Rio and Rachel Dratch .

More work

On her official YouTube channel, which she has been running since December 2014, Katya regularly publishes her own comedy web series , including RuGRETS about situations in her life that, looking back, would have made her different, RuFLECTIONS , in which she reports on her fictional everyday life and "Philosophical" thoughts are expressed by Drag 101 , a kind of documentary about the art of drag, Total RuCall about her participation in RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars and Irregardlessly Trish about her neighbor Trish, a hairdresser who recently lived in a dumpster in Boston is drug-free (with the exception of cannabis ) and performs at Jacques Cabaret . Katya writes scripts for her skits with Avi Paul Weinstein , but often improvises in them.

In March 2018 Katya acted as co-host of the Whimsically Volatile podcast by Craig MacNeil for the first time , in which, in addition to their private lives, topics of pop, drag and LGBT culture are discussed with changing guests. Katya was heard in several episodes in 2018, but only sporadically in 2019, before MacNeil announced the end of the collaboration in November of the same year.

In the spring of 2019 launched Katya's international stand-up - Sketch tour entitled Help Me I'm Dying , an appearance in the Wilbur Theater in Boston was filmed for a one-hour television movie the same name, in February 2020 as a video-on-demand under published on Prime Video and broadcast on Logo on March 4th of the same year.

Cooperation with Trixie Mattel

Katya and Trixie in a 2017 play

On March 25, 2016, UNHhhh was first broadcast on the YouTube account of World of Wonder, the drag race production company. In this, Katya and Trixie Mattel humorously discuss various topics that are often related to drag culture or the LGBT community. The series was nominated for a Streamy Award in the Show of the Year category and, due to its popularity, has been extended to four more seasons so far, which can be viewed on the streaming service WOW Presents Plus in addition to YouTube.

Katya also appeared on the song The Night Before Contact on Mattel's Christmas album Homemade Christmas , which was released on December 1, 2017.

On August 18, 2017, an UNHhhh spin - off called The Trixie & Katya Show , also produced by World of Wonder and broadcast on Viceland, which is owned by the magazine , was announced. The Trixie & Katya Show was a comedy talk show on various topics, but in contrast to UNHhhh , the moderators also interviewed guests and passers-by in street surveys and presented products, games and everyday tips. The show consisted of a season consisting of 14 episodes. It premiered on November 15, 2017, but Katya could not moderate the last five episodes from February 28 to March 28, 2018 due to her therapy after her relapse, which is why her colleague Bob the Drag Queen stepped in for her.

Since November 2019, Katya and Trixie Mattel have been moderating the web series I Like to Watch on the official Netflix YouTube channel , in which they watch and comment on the station's own productions such as The Crown or AJ and the Queen .

In March 2020, the production of UNHhhh had to pause temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Trixie and Katya Save the World served as a replacement broadcast on WOW Presents Plus, in which Katya and Mattel talked to each other via video chat . In their respective apartments, they answered questions from the audience and offered them solutions for problem descriptions sent in, similar to the Asking For a Friend segment in The Trixie & Katya Show . The show was discontinued on June 22nd because episodes for UNHhhh could be filmed again, the episodes of the fifth season have been broadcast regularly since August 5th.

On July 14, 2020, the book Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood , which they wrote together, was published by Plume, a publisher belonging to Penguin . Through essays , dialogues and instructions , they give readers humorous advice on beauty, fashion and beautification of living spaces, and they also explain in a satirical way how women in particular can be happy. The book was placed second on The New York Times Best Seller list in the Advice section.

bibliography

Filmography (selection)

  • 2015: RuPaul's Drag Race (participant, 5th place)
  • 2015: RuGRETS with Katya (web series, eleven episodes)
  • 2015: RuFLECTIONS with Katya (web series, eleven episodes)
  • 2015–2017: Irregardlessly Trish (web series, ten episodes)
  • since 2016: UNHhhh (web series, moderation)
  • 2016: Drag 101 (web series, 21 episodes)
  • 2016: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (participant, 2nd place)
  • 2016: Total RuCall with Katya (web series, nine episodes)
  • 2017: Sebastian
  • 2017: Playing House (TV series, episode 3x8)
  • 2017: Redmond Hand, Private Dick (short film)
  • 2017-2018: The Trixie & Katya Show (moderation, nine episodes)
  • 2018: Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate
  • 2018: The Quiet Room (short film)
  • 2018: Room 104 (TV series, episode 2x3)
  • since 2019: I Like to Watch (web series, moderation)
  • 2019: EastSiders (web series, two episodes)
  • 2019: Stadtgeschichten ( Tales of the City , TV series, episode 1x7)
  • 2019: Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts (documentary, interview partner)
  • 2019: The Queens (documentary, interview partner)
  • 2020: AJ and the Queen (TV series, episode 1x2)
  • 2020: Help Me, I'm Dying (TV film, also screenplay and production)
  • 2020: Love, Victor (TV series, episode 1x8)

Web links

Commons : Katya Zamolodchikova  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Most Powerful Drag Queens in America. In: New York . June 10, 2019, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Jonathan Parks-Ramage: Keeping up with Katya, the Russian Queen Racing Toward Fame. In: Vice . November 15, 2017, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  3. ↑ a b c Bernardo Sim: RuPaul's Drag Race: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Katya. In: Screen Rant. August 11, 2019, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  4. ↑ Stephan Lee: 'RuPaul's Drag Race': Miss Congeniality winner Katya speaks! In: Entertainment Weekly . June 2, 2015, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  5. ↑ Emma Kelly: Drag Race star Katya had 'complete psychotic break from reality' on crystal meth. In: Metro. March 23, 2018, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  6. ^ Claire Lobenfeld: Drag Race Alum Katya Zamolodchikova Revels in the Embarrassment of Being Alive. In: Jezebel. January 22, 2020, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  7. ↑ Andre Akimov, Konstantin Voronov: His name is Katya. In: Russian Chicago. May 29, 2015, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Lanford Beard: 'RuPaul's Drag Race': Meet the new queens and see first season 7 tease. In: Entertainment Weekly. December 7, 2014, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  9. ↑ Stephan Lee: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' recap: 'Ru Hollywood Stories'. In: Entertainment Weekly. April 7, 2015, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  10. ↑ Joe Ehrman-Dupre: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Recap - Season 7, Episode 10: 'Prancing Queens'. In: IndieWire . May 6, 2015, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  11. ↑ Stephan Lee: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' recap: 'Glamazonian Airways'. In: Entertainment Weekly. March 15, 2015, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  12. ↑ Joe Ehrman-Dupre: 'RuPaul's Drag Race': Season 7, Episode 11 Recap: 'Hello Kitty Girls'. In: IndieWire. May 12, 2015, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  13. ↑ Kevin Fallon: Justice for Katya: Inside the 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 7 Finale. In: The Daily Beast . April 14, 2017, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  14. ↑ Dylan Kickham: RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race season 2 cast revealed - exclusive. In: Entertainment Weekly. June 17, 2016, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  15. ^ Nicole Silverberg: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap: Snatch Your Tears. In: New York. September 1, 2016, accessed on July 6, 2020 .
  16. ↑ Joel Kim Booster: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap: When Life Gives You Lemonis. In: New York. September 29, 2016, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  17. ↑ Joel Kim Booster: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap: Miss Congeniality. In: New York. October 6, 2016, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  18. ↑ Joel Kim Booster: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap: The Future Is Now. In: New York. September 8, 2016, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  19. ↑ Joel Kim Booster: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap: The Rise of Lil 'Pound Cake. In: New York. September 15, 2015, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  20. ↑ Joel Kim Booster: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season Finale Recap: And the Winner Is… In: New York. October 13, 2016, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  21. ↑ Bobby Schuessler: Bianca, Katya, Shangela, and More Are in the New Hurricane Bianca 2 Trailer. In: Out . April 19, 2018, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  22. ↑ Katya Zamolodchikova: RuGRETS - Episode 01 - We Love Katya. In: YouTube . March 4, 2015, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  23. ↑ Katya Zamolodchikova: RuFLECTIONS - Episode 01 - We Love Katya. In: YouTube. March 4, 2015, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  24. ↑ Katya Zamolodchikova: Drag 101 - Episode 01: Identity: Lecture - We Love Katya. In: YouTube. February 3, 2016, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  25. ↑ Katya Zamolodchikova: Total RuCall with Katya - Episode 01. In: YouTube. August 6, 2016, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  26. ↑ Katya Zamolodchikova: Irregardlessly Trish - Episode 01 - We Love Katya. In: YouTube. May 20, 2015, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  27. ↑ Victoria Wasylak: Electric Street Queens swelter through a 'Hot Cream' summer with Katya. In: Vanyaland. July 31, 2018, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  28. ↑ Alex Vermillion: If the Truth Isn't Funny, Make it Up: An Interview with RuPaul's Russian Contestant Katya. In: Slug Magazine. February 29, 2016, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  29. ↑ Stephen Daw: 'Drag Race' Star Katya Reveals She Attended Rehab During Hiatus on New Podcast 'Whimsically Volatile'. In: Billboard . March 21, 2018, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  30. ↑ Craig MacNeil, Katya Zamolodchikova: 70: News! In: Whimsically Volatile. November 9, 2019, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  31. ↑ Katya: Help Me, I'm Dying. In: Amazon . Retrieved July 7, 2020 .
  32. ↑ Sean L. McCarthy: Logo TV to air drag queen stand-up special marathon with Bob, Trixie and Katya. In: The Comic's Comic. February 27, 2020, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  33. ↑ Kyle Zabawa: Let's have a kiki with Katya and Trixie Mattel. In: Gay Times . March 29, 2016, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  34. ↑ 7th Annual Nominees & Winners. In: Streamy Awards . Retrieved July 7, 2020 .
  35. ↑ Stephen Daw: Trixie Mattel & Katya Announce New Season of 'UNHhhh' & More at RuPaul's DragCon NYC Reunion Panel. In: Billboard. September 29, 2018, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  36. ↑ Joey Nolfi: Trixie Mattel and Katya announce UNHhhh season 5 premiere date. In: Entertainment Weekly. January 8, 2020, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  37. ↑ David Lopez: Trixie Mattel Serves Up A 'Homemade Christmas' with Holiday Tracks. In: Instinct . December 1, 2017, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  38. ↑ Jackson McHenry: Honey, RuPaul's Drag Race Contestants Trixie Mattel and Katya Are Getting Their Own Viceland Show, Honey. In: New York. August 18, 2017, accessed on July 7, 2020 .
  39. ↑ Katie Rife: Quick-witted and quotable, The Trixie & Katya Show is a soothing balm on the inflamed rash that is 2017. In: The AV Club. November 15, 2017, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  40. ↑ Joey Nolfi: Drag Race champ Bob the Drag Queen co-hosting The Trixie & Katya Show as Katya recovers. In: Entertainment Weekly. February 23, 2018, accessed July 7, 2020 .
  41. ↑ Brett White: Trixie and Katya's 'I Like to Watch' Is the Funniest Show on Netflix, and It Ain't Even on Netflix. In: Decider . March 2, 2020, accessed on July 5, 2020 .
  42. ↑ Nikki Nguyen: STAY THE F *** HOME! "Trixie and Katya Save the World" Premieres Today. In: The Wow Report. March 30, 2020, accessed August 7, 2020 .
  43. ↑ The Wow Report: Find Out What Made Katya Say “I'll Sacrifice Myself for a F **** ng Chicken Wing” on the New Episode of “Trixie and Katya Save the World”. In: The Wow Report. April 6, 2020, accessed on August 7, 2020 .
  44. ↑ George Griffiths: Drag Race's Trixie and Katya on why nothing is off-limits for UNHhhh season 5: 'We always have a negative point of view'. In: Metro. August 5, 2020, accessed on August 7, 2020 .
  45. ^ Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood. In: Penguin Random House . July 14, 2020, accessed on August 7, 2020 .
personal data
SURNAME Zamolodchikova, Katya
ALTERNATIVE NAMES McCook, Brian Joseph (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American drag queen, comedian and actress
DATE OF BIRTH May 1, 1982
PLACE OF BIRTH Boston , Massachusetts