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Drag Race UK star Zahirah Zapanta on Asian drag domination & those showmance rumors
Plus she opens up about the Drag Race queens who changed her life when she was just a queer kid.
Zahirah Zapanta might not have gone as far in the competition as she and the fans expected, but she had plenty of time to make a lasting, positive impression. From her stunning lewks, to her lovable bubbly personality, to her moving conversion with fellow Filipina queen Sake Yew, Zaharia was a force to be reckoned with.
And she’s not done yet — not even close.
While one small mistake in her opening lift during the Girl Group challenge would be enough to drop her to the bottom on a particularly tough challenge (seriously, the talent of this season is beyond) this queen has big, big plans for the future. Yes, we’re talking world domination, and we’re more than happy to welcome our new drag overlord! PRIDE sat down with Zahirah to talk about how Asian representation on Drag Race changed her life as a baby queer and why it's so meaningful to pay it forward now. She also discussed her plans to crossover with the many, many queens of the franchise who are serving Asian excellence for the tour of our dreams.
And of course, we needed to ask about that budding, possibly, maybe romance — or at least flirtation with Actavia.
PRIDE: When we first chatted before the season, my impression was: “Wow she’s gorgeous and a total charisma bomb” and I was proven RIGHT. How do you feel about your time on the show?
ZAHIRAH ZAPANTA: I really feel like I came across authentically, in terms of my energy, and also being vulnerable. People probably just expect me to just be fun or whatever, but for them to see that vulnerable human side of Zahirah was absolutely amazing. The topics that I got to talk about, whether it was Asian representation or my family was important — and I was beautiful.
I would imagine that you’ve dreamed of being on Drag Race for a while. How did the experience live up to what you imagined and how was it different than you expected?
I started watching season three of Drag Race US — illegally — back when I was a teenager because you couldn’t stream it anywhere back in the Logo days. Seeing Manila and Raja as an Indonesian winner and a Filipino runner-up really made me think to myself, ‘Oh my God, if they can do that, then I can do it. too.’ That was me as a queer kid and now I have the potential to be that person for somebody young, who’s finding out who they are, who may not have figured things out yet and can look up to me and see themselves in me, is such a wonderful thing. It is such a dream come true. Placement aside, whatever happens on the show, it’s what you make out of it, and the real work begins now.
That’s right. I think it’s Trixie Mattel who coined the phrase that the real race starts after the show ends.
And let me tell you something, the episode that Trixie Mattel went home in on season seven was episode four. Like me, baby.
This week’s challenge is one of my faves, the Girl Group challenge! The UK always brings it and the song and performances were so amazing this time, so the judging was so hard. Were you surprised it went the way that it did?
When RuPaul announced that it was going to be Girl Groups Week, I was so excited, because especially in the UK franchise, the girl group challenge is so iconic, and it is such a staple. I am a girl group member now. Dead or Alive by Dracula’s Child is available now on all streaming platforms. So, yeah, stream it, baby, let’s get that Halloween No. 1. Judging-wise, this cast especially is so strong. I was looking around every week thinking, ‘Who’s gonna go home?’ And the other queens felt the same way. We’re all so talented, and it only takes one bad day. In rehearsals, I was smashing it, and it just took that one crunchy lift that made me lose track, a little bit. But as soon as I got back on my feet, I was like “‘Let’s kill the rest of the song.” I did that, and I’m super proud of us. We’re going to tour, so it’s amazing.
Watching it back and seeing that Rileasa knew the hand placement was off on the lift, did you feel it was a bit shady that she didn’t say anything?
At the end of the day, it’s a competition. That’s the first time I heard it, and I was like, “Ri!” Maybe the first mistake was even thinking that my twink sisters’ arms could lift me up like that.
LOL so shady! But one thing that really did come through were the bonds you formed with your sisters. You talked about being authentic and showing vulnerability, you also showed your silly side, especially this episode with you and Kyran. I loved that moment so much. I’m curious which of your sisters you feel like you grew the closest to this season?
Walking away from the competition. I felt really, really connected to the girls, especially my design challenge sisters. Actavia was somebody that I worked with prior to the show, and the show really solidified not just a friendship or a sisterhood, but a brotherhood. And the same with Kyran. They are literally my family always. You can look back and see every time I was called out safe that Kyran was always the first person to hug me and comfort me — and even defend me in Untucked.
I feel like maybe there was a little budding showmance with Actavia happening in the Werk Room? Any thoughts or comments on that?
Well, Actavia is actually in the other room. She’s in the bedroom. She’s in the bedroom right now resting. You know the fans are like, “Are you Team ZacTavia or Team ZacKyran?”
Do we have to choose? We’re all modern women here.
We could be a thruple. Why not? We were a throuple on the challenge.
If Derek Barry can do it, why not?
Yeah, absolutely. Why not? I am gonna leave it to the fans to speculate.
I mean, telling them that Actavia is resting in your bedroom right now, you’re not beating any allegations today.
What can I say? I’m not going to say anything.
I love it! OK, I want to circle back to a little bit more of a serious topic. As heartbreaking as it was to see Sake Yew leave because of her injury, I am so glad that before she left we did get some time with you two having a mirror chat, which is my favorite part of the show, talking about what it is to be an Asian queen in the UK and some of the absurd ways that fans treat you, like conflating the two of you. I’m curious if, after speaking out that way, you’re starting to see any change on that front.
Absolutely, it was so important because it’s a learning tool, and it’s great that you say that the mirror chats are your favorite, because that is the human moment of Drag Race, and that’s what makes our show so amazing. Even though we are glittery and sparkling with colorful neon hair and all of this, is that we get to relate to the queens, and that’s what makes the fans connect to the queens, and why the fans love us so much.
In terms of Asian representation, we came into the show and Ru wanted Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent, so that for me was: “Fans, please recognize our uniqueness. What makes us beautiful is our uniqueness.”
Especially this year with the Asian movement, the representation and the recognition, which is important, is that I want to be able to gather up my Asian sisters from all over the world and, hopefully, do like an Asian takeover or more, whether that be in the UK or be a part of that elsewhere in the world, whether that be in the Philippines, Thailand, or America, wherever, to just continue to show Asian excellence. It doesn’t matter where you place. It doesn’t matter if you got an injury. We are excellent, we’re beautiful, and we are talented.
I agree. I feel like this is a conversation that has needed to happen for a very, very long time. But you can tell me, if you feel this way, too — but I feel like there is momentum in this moment. Can you feel that energy?
Oh, my god, I feel it. I feel it so much! Every time an Asian queen gets cast in an international season, I’m like, “Wow! I look up to them and I think they’re so brilliant.” Now to be in that same bubble, that circle of Ru-girls is so, so impactful.
I’m curious, are you in communication with some of these queens?
Absolutely. I don’t want to name people, because then people will expect stuff. But as I said, I want to be able to take some of my Asian sisters from [some of the other] franchises and do some Asian domination shows here in the UK. So maybe have a look out for that. Maybe, just maybe. We’re working on it, I want to make it happen.
I love it! Well, let’s end with a fun question: What is the best advice another drag queen gave you? Did you take it? And what advice would you pass on to a baby drag queen?
The best advice that I could give to a baby drag queen is to just do it. Go for it. I’ve been meeting so many fans who are saying, “Oh, I want to do drag,” and I’m like,
“Just go for it. You know what? Look busted, because you’ll still feel amazing.” I’ve been a busted Queen. In episode four you see my Halloween first time in drag, she does not look like this now, but she did it. She put that makeup on her face, and she did the damn thing. And look at the growth. Do you see the elevation? Period. Advice that another drag queen gave me? From Marmalade: “stay fierce.”
I’m gonna answer the third part for you: You took it.
Rachel Shatto, Editor in Chief of PRIDE.com, is an SF Bay Area-based writer, podcaster, and former editor of Curve magazine, where she honed her passion for writing about social justice and sex (and their frequent intersection). Her work has appeared on Dread Central, Elite Daily, Tecca, and Joystiq. She's a GALECA member and she podcasts regularly about horror on the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network. She can’t live without cats, vintage style, video games, drag queens, or the Oxford comma.
Rachel Shatto, Editor in Chief of PRIDE.com, is an SF Bay Area-based writer, podcaster, and former editor of Curve magazine, where she honed her passion for writing about social justice and sex (and their frequent intersection). Her work has appeared on Dread Central, Elite Daily, Tecca, and Joystiq. She's a GALECA member and she podcasts regularly about horror on the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network. She can’t live without cats, vintage style, video games, drag queens, or the Oxford comma.
