10 December 11-17, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Represent! Three South Florida queens will compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 18 BY CELIA ALMEIDA I t’s time to sashay again: RuPaul’s Drag Race has announced its Season 18 cast, and South Florida queens continue to dominate on the long-running reality TV drag competition. Three local com- petitors — Athena Dion and Juicy Love Dion from Miami, and Mia Starr from West Palm Beach — will compete to become America’s next drag superstar when the show pre- mieres on MTV on Friday, January 2. Tuesday’s cast reveal continues a now four-season streak in which Florida drag per- formers — particularly those from South Florida — have played an outsized role on the show. Two South Florida queens, Lucky Starzzz of Miami and Suzie Toot of Fort Lau- derdale, competed on the show last year, while Miami’s Morphine Love Dion and Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige faced off the year prior. That followed Season 15, in which Malaysia Babydoll Foxx repped for Miami. Eighteen Florida queens have competed on past seasons of the show, with eight of them coming from South Florida. Season 18 will add five new Florida contestants, with St. Pete’s Discord Addams and Orlando’s Myki Meeks competing alongside the three local queens. As one can glean from their per- former names, Athena and Juicy Love’s par- ticipation marks a milestone for Drag Race: the first time a drag mother/daughter duo has competed on the show. Both are part of the House of Dion, also home to Season 16’s Mor- phine Love. Many of these queens cut their teeth at lo- cal venues like R House, which has emerged as a drag incubator of sorts for the show. Both Dions are fixtures at the venue, while Starr has also performed at the Wynwood hotspot. “This is a defining moment not only for Athena, Juicy, and R House but for South Florida drag as a whole,” R House co-owner Owen Bale said in a statement following the cast reveal. “We couldn’t be prouder of Athena and Juicy, who have poured years of passion and art- istry into our stage. Their casting rein- forces what insid- ers already know: R House is the birthplace of some of the best drag tal- ent in the country, a testament to the commu- nity and creative legacy we’ve built in Miami.” The restaurant and drag venue’s involve- ment goes beyond giving the performers gigs before they had a national platform. R House says it also “provided financial sponsorship for Athena and Juicy’s wardrobe packages during filming.” That involvement continues, with R House hosting watch parties every Friday throughout the season, including a premiere viewing party with appearances by Season 18’s three South Florida queens and a surprise guest to be announced later. Athena and Juice Love will also perform at the venue this month ahead of the season premiere. While you wait, get to know the season’s three local competitors. Athena Dion Drag mother to Season 16 alums Morphine Love Dion and Plane Jane, Athena Dion is step- ping into the Drag Race spotlight in her own right, albeit alongside another drag daughter: Juicy Love Dion. Her influence looms large in Miami’s world-famous drag scene, where she’s known as the “Mother of R House.” Juicy Love Dion The drag daughter (technically, granddaugh- ter) of Athena Dion may be a formidable op- ponent solely because of her experience on reality TV show competitions. She competed on the 18th season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2024. Mia Starr West Palm’s Mia Starr has reality competition experience under her belt, too, having been a contestant on The Voice and America’s Best Dance Crew. She’s also a seasoned dancer who toured with Rihanna, danced for Britney Spears in Vegas, and backed Jennifer Lopez at the Super Bowl. She also appeared in fel- low South Florida girl Camila Cabello’s music video for “Havana.” RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 Premiere Party. 6:30 p.m. Friday, January 2, at R House, 2727 NW Second Ave., Miami; 305-576-0201; rhousewynwood.com. Book reservations via sevenrooms.com. [email protected] RuPaul’s Drag Race/MTV photos “THIS IS A DEFINING MOMENT NOT ONLY FOR ATHENA, JUICY, AND R HOUSE BUT FOR SOUTH FLORIDA DRAG AS A WHOLE.” ▼ Culture Mia Starr Juicy Love Athena Dion
