Drag Race's Symone Would Do An All-Winners Season...Eventually

For three straight years “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has taken the Competition Series Emmy Award versus some formidable competition. The global phenomenon is likely to take its fourth trophy thanks to a historic season that featured the program’s first trans man contestant, Gottmik, and the fact it was one of the first television shows to seamlessly head back into production with strict COVID safety protocols just as the “stay at home “orders were easing. A big chunk of that critical, industry and fan-fueled love, however, is thanks to the winner of Season 13, Symone.

READ MORE: “Drag Race” and “Jersey Shore Family Vacation” big winners at MTV Movie And TV Awards Unscripted

An Arkansas native who moved to Los Angeles only a year before getting on the “Race,” Symone wowed viewers with her throwback runways with a twist (a “B.A.P.S.” reference, an insanely long durag train), her comedic performances, and a “Say Their Name” statement piece that was filmed just weeks after nationwide protests sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The now 26-year-old had one advantage the previous 13 winners did not. Before she headed to set (after a period of extended quarantine), the pandemic provided an unexpected silver lining: she had zero outside distractions while preparing for the show.

“1000%, because it’s the only thing I could do. There wasn’t like we’re going to the club, or I have to go to work, or anything,” Symone recalls. “We had about three full weeks to get ready, so that was all I was worried about. So there was 1000% all the advantages to it for me, personally. And I am much more of a stay-at-home anyway, outside of drag. I enjoy my time at home. So yeah, it was more of a benefit to me, I think, had I gone on a little bit earlier to a different season and having to worry about juggling my day job, too. It would have been a little bit more difficult for sure.”

During our conversation late last week, Symone also reflected on her mindset during the almost two months of filming, her acting aspirations, and, most intriguingly, if she’d ever participate in an “all-winners” season.

This interview has been condensed from a longer conversation.

____

The Playlist: I know that you took the crown home to Arkansas, but I do want to say, as a longtime Los Angeleno, I appreciate you also bringing it home to L.A., I hope you have gotten a lot of love because I feel like New York always embraces their queens, and I don’t know if we do it enough.

Symone: I was very shocked by how much love I received here because I’m not a native-born. I don’t really go out in the scene that much. So the people love me here, so I’m very grateful for it. I’ve received so much love, so yeah.

In the context of the show, clearly your friend Gigi Goode had been on it, and you were watching her experience getting to the finale during the pandemic when everything was shut down and she couldn’t tour. She couldn’t do all the things that the queens normally did while the show was airing. Was that something you were cognizant of during filming your season?

Oh, for sure. I mean, how could it not have been at the back of my mind? You know what I mean? We didn’t know. First of all, just even going through and filming it, we had no idea what was going to happen because it’s a different world. We had no idea what would happen afterward as far as touring, as far as how are we going to make money. She was very fortunate in being able to make a living for herself, but every situation is different, every girl is different. Going through it, I didn’t really think about that. You have to try to win, so let’s make that happen first and we’ll worry about the rest later.

I’ve seen interviews with queens over the years, and they say they went on the show with the mindset, “You know what, I’m just going to go do as well as I can and hope for the best.” Other queens are very much focusing on, “I want to win.” Sometimes wanting it too much screws with them as a contestant of a reality competition series. What was your mindset going through the show?

I think mine was a healthy dose of both. I had the mindset of, “O.K., I’ve always done drag my way. I’ve always presented my drag in the way I wanted to, so they’re either going to like it or not.” I’m not going to binge in that respect, but I also was like, “I want to win. I’ve done a lot of work on myself. I’ve done a lot.” We had just moved to L.A. the year before. I’d been going out, I’d been working on my drag. I wanted to prove to myself, I wanted to prove to the people around me. Also, it was a moment of being like, “O.K., I came from Arkansas, and I came to this big city, and then now I get to be on this show, and I want to win.” I want to have a story for other people. But I definitely wanted to win, and I put a lot of work in going in and a lot of thought in my package, so I wanted to show who I was, of course but also wanted to win, yes, for sure. So I say a healthy dose of both.

This season’s queens were cast at like the height of the stay-at-home. Most things were closed at the time. Was there any benefit to not having outside distractions during that period to prep for the show?

1000%, because it’s the only thing I could do. There wasn’t like we’re going to the club, or I have to go to work or anything. We had about three full weeks to get ready, so that was all I was worried about. So there was 1000% all the advantages to it for me, personally. And I am much more of a stay-at-home anyway, outside of drag. I enjoy my time at home. So yeah, it was more of a benefit to me, I think, than had I gone on a little bit earlier to a different season and having to worry about juggling my day job, too. It would have been a little bit more difficult for sure.

Before you arrived to film was there anything, in particular, you were most worried about? Was it your Snatch Game character? Was it, “Shoot, I’m going to arrive with two outfits not finished that I have to finish in my room”?

I think I was the most nervous about not being good at something. I think that was my biggest worry. And falling flat on my face in front of RuPaul and the judges and in front of other girls because I love drag, I love what I do, and I wanted to be good at it, and I wanted to be good in front of RuPaul. I’d crafted what I wanted to look like. I had inspiration photos. I just was ready in that aspect, so that didn’t really worry me. So it was just doing well. I wanted to make everyone proud, so that was my biggest worry, really.

And obviously, like most contestants, even winners, you had a couple of stumbles along the way.

Oh, yeah.

But was there a moment, while you were shooting it where you thought, “Oh, I’m going to win this”?

I’m going to be really honest with you. It was a really strong top four. I had an inkling that I would be top two. I’ll say that. I didn’t know filming it because I didn’t know the story they wanted to tell for the season. You just never know. So I wouldn’t say that I thought I had this in the bag. Absolutely not. Because I also was like, “I made it to the top four, but there’s also a grand finale, so anything can happen.” But I had various strong inklings that I did pretty good.

I believe this is the longest regular season in the history of the show. Before you showed up, did you know you’d effectively be there for up to two months?

I had an idea. They give you a timeframe. You go in and they say, “You’re leaving on this date and you potentially will be gone for this amount of time.” So they give you the start date of when you film and the end date, so I knew how long I was going to be there, so I was able to mentally prepare myself. And also, we had a week we quarantined for like… I forgot how many exact days it was. But we quarantined, so I was able to sit with myself and my thoughts, which, I think, really helps me out. I was able to be by myself, really sit with myself, and be like, “Okay, you’re here.” It helped me tremendously, personally.

You had some stunning fashion on the show, and the outfit you presented with “Say Their Names” on it was instantly iconic and had a message that hasn’t always been on the show. What was your thought process behind that? And what made you want to do it for that particular runway?

Well, first and foremost, I knew I was going to do that. This is before I even knew what the runways were. So a matter of making it work for a runway, and the fascinator was the most appropriate. But I knew I wanted to have a message. I’m cognizant of the fact that I’m a very pretty person, and to look stunning is quite easy for me, and I say that in the most humble way possible. But I wanted to say something, and it was very important to me at the time because so much is happening when we were filming. The country, the world was just going through so much, and it was an election year. It was just important to me, no matter who won, that we stay cognizant of what was going on and that people knew that I had a point of view. I think that’s important, especially when you’re vying to win something. In the end, you’re on such a big platform. And I was aware of who watches the show, and I’m aware that we should show up. And it was my way of expressing myself through my art, because that’s the best way I know how. And it was my way of contributing to what was going on. So it was 1000% a no-brainer for me, and what an honor and what a privilege, so yeah.

It was utterly fantastic. I’ve seen so many queens over the years talk about how, especially queens who won, like it all went so fast, from shooting to the finale. But you were shooting for two months, a really long time, and then the past year, with the election, pandemic, vaccines, etc. It all feels like 10 years. Does it feel like you shot the show a long time ago yet, or does it feel like yesterday?

A little bit of both sometimes. It just depends on the day. Most of the time, yes, it does feel like it’s been 5,000 years ago and then I’m like, “Oh my God.” Because sometimes, I am sitting down, I’m thinking, “Wow, I did that. It wasn’t that long ago,” but then other times, “How I did that? That was 5,000 years ago. Jesus Christ. I don’t know, man.” It just depends on the day, really. Today, it was like, “Oh, that was long ago, a real long time ago.” Other times, it just depends on the day, really.

I know that the show has already won three Emmy Awards for reality competition series, but would it mean something to you knowing that your season won?

It would mean everything. Well, if someone’s like that I was on it, let me just sit down and say, “Yeah, all right. I was on that season. I won, the best of the year.” So of course, it would mean everything if we win, but it’s also just a recognition for the hard work that the girls did, that was just all put together, and to be one of the first shows to come back during this pandemic process? It was a canary in the [coal] mines moment.

Yeah, yeah.

And to get that award, to get an Emmy for being the best during such an uncertain time would mean everything, not just to me, I know, but to the cast, crew, everyone because we worked hard, and as much fun as it was, we gave a lot to it, so it would just mean everything that we would get recognized for it and be the best.

The good news is that your reign has barely started. You still have a long way to go. Do you have any goals or plans for the next year?

There are so many things I want to do. I would love to act. That was one of the things that I found out that I truly liked doing, and I was really good at it. I enjoy delving into a character, whether it be fun, or camp, or whatever, As far as fashion, I would love to walk in fashion shows. I’ve already done a campaign . So if they would also like to have, I would be so very honored, very grateful. I would love to do that. I would love to collaborate with beauty brands. There’s so much I want to do. I don’t want to be limited by what others have done before me. I want to do everything. I want to tour, I want to see the world, I want to see my fans. I’ve only left the country twice, so I want to keep doing that. I want to dip my feet into everything, really build my business and build my brand, because it’s just the beginning.

It is just the beginning. I might get in trouble for asking this question, but let’s say in some crazy world, there was an all-winners, superstars type season. I don’t know what I could be talking about, but would you consider doing that down the road?

Oh my God, yes. I would need a minute because let me tell you something. Filming is a beast, dog. It is a beast. So I encourage everyone who auditions to realize that because as fun as it is, it’s not easy as it looks, honey. But I would love to go back and show the growth that I would have over time. I would want to go back in like a few years or two. A little bit more growth, of course, pick up [inaudible 00:17:30] and a little bit more time in the world. Big star. But yeah, I would go back, for sure. I mean, any opportunity to be on TV, you take it, so yeah, I would love to go back.

What was the one celebrity or person, public figure that reached out to you or talked about you that blew your mind the most?

Oh, there’s more than one. Can I do that or is it just one?

You can name as many as you want. It’s fine by me.

Rihanna had come on, Jenifer Lewis… I know I’m going to miss some. I know I’m going to miss some, and I’m going to think about this thing, and I’m going to be so mad I didn’t say it. I mean, Ariana Grande, knowing who I am. Janet Jackson, watched the lip-sync between me and Tamisha Iman.

Oh, wow. I didn’t know that.

Symone:
Yes, she saw it. Who else? Hayley Williams from Paramore, she called me, she reached out, she spoke to me. Cara Delevingne, Lil’ Kim. There are so many people I look up to, and who else? I know I’m missing someone. Who else, who else? I mean, there are just so many that reached out. Yeah, I’m losing their names.

With Rihanna, didn’t she slide into your DMs or something?

Yes.

I mean, how can you top that? That’s amazing.

I was like, “What? Come on!”

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 14 is available on VH1.com.