The drag artist James Lee Williamsknown as The Viviennedied at the age of 32, as confirmed by his representative, Simon Jones, last weekend. The news has generated a wave of tributes and condolences in the world of entertainment and the drag community.
Simon Jonesin a statement released on social media, described The Vivienne as “an incredibly loved, big-hearted and amazing person.” He also asked for privacy for the artist’s family, noting that no further details about the cause of his death will be released.
“His family is heartbroken over the loss of their son, brother and uncle. “They are very proud of the wonderful things that James has achieved in his life and career,” he wrote in the message shared via Instagram.
Who was The Vivienne?
Born in Wales, Williams adopted the name The Vivienne as a tribute to his admiration for the designer. Vivienne Westwood. In 2019, she became the first winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UKachieving notoriety after an outstanding performance in the final lip sync to the rhythm of “I’m Your Man” by Wham!.
In a 2019 interview, he described his drag style as a mix of “old school and new school,” marked by comedy and his ability to perform vocal impersonations of characters such as donald trump and Cilla Black.
In addition to her success on the UK competition show, The Vivienne expanded her career into other areas. In 2023, he placed third in the program Dancing on Ice.
She also played the Wicked Witch of the West in the UK and Ireland tour of the musical The Wizard of Oza role she reprized in the West End last year at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
Among her television works, the BBC series The Vivienne Takes On Hollywood in 2020 stands out, where she ventured into the creation of music videos.
Likewise, he appeared in film productions such as Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie and television series such as Emmerdale.
In 2022, he participated in the All Stars edition of the drag contest in the United States, reaffirming his talent on the international stage. Most recently, he played Childcatcher on the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tour.
James Lee Williams He was also a strong defender of LGBTQ+ rights and, as a gay man, faced discrimination firsthand. In 2022, he was the victim of a homophobic attack in Liverpool.
Although he suffered injuries, he told the court that he considered himself lucky for his physical strength. The case highlighted the violence that people in the LGBTQ+ community still experience.
Source: Ambito
