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Eureka O'Hara

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Eureka
Eureka performing in 2018
Born
David Huggard

(1990-08-26) August 26, 1990 (age 33)[1][2]
Johnson City, Tennessee, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
Known for
Websiteeurekatheelephantqueen.com

Eureka, also known as Eureka O'Hara and Eureka!,[3] is the stage name of David Huggard (born August 26, 1990), an American drag queen and reality television personality.[4] Eureka rose to prominence competing on the ninth and tenth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race.[5] After becoming the first queen in the history of Drag Race to be removed from the competition due to an injury on the ninth season,[6] Eureka returned to compete on the tenth season in 2018, placing as a runner-up.[7] In 2021, Eureka competed on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, where she once more placed as a runner-up.[8]

Since 2020, Eureka has co-hosted We're Here on HBO alongside fellow Drag Race contestants Bob the Drag Queen and Shangela.[9] The series has received acclaim from critics.[10][11]

Early life and education

Huggard was born August 26, 1990,[1] in Bristol, Tennessee, and started performing in drag at the club New Beginnings.[12] They chose the drag name Eureka for its phonetic similarity to their mother's given name, Ulrike,[13] and the last name O'Hara from the Gone with the Wind character Scarlett O'Hara.[14]

Eureka's drag mother is Jacqueline St. James,[15] a former winner of the Miss Gay USofA at Large competition. Eureka won the National title for anti-bullying organization as Miss Don't H8 DIVA and was awarded Hall of Fame.[16] Prior to their appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race, Eureka had participated in the drag pageantry system. They withdrew from East Tennessee State University to compete on RuPaul's Drag Race.[17]

Career

Rupaul's Drag Race

Eureka has competed on the ninth and tenth seasons of Rupaul's Drag Race and on the sixth season of Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars. She has also competed on the Rupaul's Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular.[18]

On February 2, 2017, it was announced that Eureka was selected alongside thirteen other contestants to compete on season nine of RuPaul's Drag Race.[19] She was removed from the competition in episode five due to a torn ACL from the episode two challenge, making her the first contestant in the history of RuPaul's Drag Race to leave due to an injury.[5][6] She received physical therapy before returning to compete on the show's tenth season in 2018.[20] During this season, Eureka won two main challenges (in episodes five and six) and also had to lip sync for her life twice.[21][2] Eureka ultimately finished as a runner-up of season 10,[7] alongside Kameron Michaels and behind eventual winner Aquaria.[22]

After competing on season 10, Eureka continued to work prominently as a drag queen in the entertainment industry. She starred in the music video for country singer Brandon Stansell's song "For You", released in July 2018.[23][24] In September 2018, she gave a drag makeover to Zachary Quinto for Them's makeover series Drag Me.[25][26] In December 2018, Eureka competed in the television special RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular.[27] In 2019, she appeared as a guest for the first challenge in the premiere of season 11 of Drag Race.[28]

In June 2021, Eureka was revealed to be one of the thirteen cast members of the sixth season of Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars.[29] After failing to win any main challenges but remaining safe throughout the season, Eureka was voted out by her competitors at the top five,[30] but subsequently won re-entry into the competition after winning a lip sync battle against Silky Nutmeg Ganache.[31] Upon returning to the competition, Eureka won the next main challenge (episode 11) and a $25,000 cash prize.[31][32] In the season finale, Eureka once again placed as a runner-up alongside Ginger Minj and Ra'Jah O'Hara, losing out to eventual winner, Kylie Sonique Love.[8]

We're Here

Since 2020, Eureka has co-hosted We're Here on HBO alongside fellow Drag Race contestants Bob the Drag Queen and Shangela.[4] In the series, the trio of drag queens travel across the United States to recruit small-town residents to participate in one-night-only drag shows.[33][9] After premiering on April 23, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on October 11, 2021.[34][35] In December 2021, the series was renewed for a third season.[36] The series has received acclaim from critics.[37][38]

Music

Eureka in 2017

In April 2017, O'Hara and Adam Barta premiered a single and music video for "Body Positivity", which features Kandy Muse (who is known for being in the Haus of Aja).[39][40] The video features cameo appearances by RuPaul's Drag Race contestants Charlie Hides and Cynthia Lee Fontaine, as well as reality television personality Farrah Abraham.[41] "Body Positivity (part ii: Electropoint)" was released in March 2018.[20]

O'Hara released her first solo single, "Stomp", on April 28, 2017.[42] She released her second solo single, "The Big Girl", co-written by Bob the Drag Queen, on June 28, 2018.[43][44] The accompanying music video has been viewed more than two million times on YouTube.[45]

As part of the final challenge of season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race, O'Hara and the other top four contestants wrote and recorded their own verses for RuPaul's song "American". The song reached number 12 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart.[46] In November 2018, VELO released the single "Where My Man At", featuring O'Hara and Drag Race season three runner-up Manila Luzon.[47] The two also appear in the song's music video, together with Thorgy Thor, Ginger Minj, and Trinity Taylor.[48]

Personal life

Eureka lived as a transgender woman for about five years before deciding to detransition. They now identify as "genderfluid and gender-neutral" and use they/them pronouns out of drag.[49] Eureka supports body positivity and has nicknamed themself "The Elephant Queen".[50] Huggard cites Divine as an influence to their drag aesthetic.[51]

Discography

Title Album
"Body Positivity" Non-album single
"Stomp" Non-album single
"The Big Girl" Non-album single
"American" Non-album single

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 9) Herself Contestant (11th place; exited due to injury)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (season 9) Herself
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 10) Herself Contestant (runner-up)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (season 10) Herself
RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular Herself Contestant
2019 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 11) Herself Guest (one episode)
2020 AJ and the Queen Herself Guest appearance
2020-present We're Here Herself Main cast
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 6) Herself Contestant (runner-up)
American Horror Story: Double Feature Crystal DeCanter Episode: "Blood Buffet"

Web series

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Fashion Photo RuView[52][53] Herself Guest host with Trinity Taylor, Kameron Michaels and Yuhua Hamasaki
Bestie$ for Ca$h[54] Herself with Kameron Michaels
2020 Fashion Photo RuView Herself Guest host with Raja, Raven and Manila Luzon
2021 Whatcha Packin’[55] Herself Guest
Ruvealing the Look[56] Herself Guest

Music videos

Year Title Notes
2017 "Body Positivity"[40] with Adam Barta; featuring Kandy Muse
2018 "The Big Girl"[44]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Eureka O'Hara [@eurekaohara] (2017-08-26). "Having a great Birthday!! I love you all so much!! I hope everyone has a beautiful day! #beyourselftofreeyourself #season9 #phatfashionicon #rupaulsdragrace 🐘👑" (Instagram post). Archived from the original on 2018-08-11. Retrieved 2018-08-11 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ a b Deerwester, Jayme (2018-06-27). "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Which queen will win Season 10? Who should?". USA Today. Maribel Perez Wadsworth. Archived from the original on 2018-07-05. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  3. ^ https://www.instagram.com/p/CPWHHMOh_Pt/}}
  4. ^ a b "We're Here star Eureka O'Hara is welcoming the "queer change" in mainstream media". GAY TIMES. 2020-08-20. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  5. ^ a b Cuby, Michael. "Eureka On Getting Cut From 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Nylon. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  6. ^ a b "What Happened To Eureka On 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 9? Her Knee Injury Is Still A Roadblock". Bustle. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  7. ^ a b June 29, Joey Nolfi; EDT, 2018 at 08:35 PM. "'RuPaul's Drag Race' runner-up Eureka charges through controversy: 'It's still helping to spark the conversation'". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ a b Spencer, Samuel (2021-09-02). "Who Won Rupaul's Drag Race All Stars 6?". Newsweek. Retrieved 2021-12-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ a b Rudolph, Christopher (November 5, 2019). "Drag Race Legends Invade Small Town USA in New HBO Reality Series". NewNowNext. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  10. ^ "Stream It or Skip It: 'We're Here' on HBO, a Fierce Docuseries about the Power of Drag". Decider. 2020-04-23. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  11. ^ Williams, Mary Elizabeth (2020-04-22). "HBO's heartfelt "We're Here" is the drag show America needs now". Salon. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  12. ^ "East Tennessean to compete on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  13. ^ Friedman, Megan (2018-06-26). ""Drag Race" Finalist Eureka O'Hara Says It's Time for Big Girls to Rule the World". Seventeen. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 2018-06-26. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  14. ^ Cooper, Michael (June 28, 2018). "A Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peek at RuPaul's Drag Race Season 10 Finale". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  15. ^ Rudolph, Christopher (April 24, 2017). "Eureka Serves Up Sexy Librarian In New "Drag Race" Makeup Tutorial". LOGO News. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  16. ^ "Special: Catching up on the pageant scene". 15 September 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  17. ^ "#ElephantQueen: Eureka O'Hara represents East Tennessee on "RuPaul's Drag Race" | East Tennessean". easttennessean.com. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  18. ^ November 09, Joey Nolfi; EST, 2018 at 12:00 PM. "Eureka O'Hara previews 'RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular' episode: 'You know Kim Chi fell'". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ February 02, Dave Quinn; Pm, 2017 02:27. "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 Contestants Revealed". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31. {{cite web}}: |first2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ a b "'Drag Race' Star Eureka O'Hara Twerks Through Times Square in New Music Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  21. ^ "Hints That Eureka O'Hara Wins 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Are Stacking Up". Bustle. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  22. ^ "Eureka Wants to Hit It & Quit It in New Video". Instinct. 2018-07-03. Archived from the original on 2018-07-26. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  23. ^ Jones, Maggie (2018-07-10). "Tennessee 'Drag Race' star Eureka, country singer Brandon Stansell team up for music video". Knoxville News Sentinel. Journal Media Group. Archived from the original on 2018-07-14. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  24. ^ "Country Crooner Brandon Stansell Enlists Eureka O'Hara For Charming 'For You' Video: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  25. ^ "Zachary Quinto Just Made His Drag Debut — and You'll Never Guess Who His Drag Mother Is!". Hornet Stories. 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  26. ^ "Zachary Quinto Got an Amazing Full Drag Makeover from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queen Eureka O'Hara: WATCH - Towleroad Gay News". Towleroad Gay News. 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  27. ^ "Kim Chi, Shangela, Trixie Mattel & More to Compete in 'RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular'". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  28. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' 11 episode 1 recap: Which queen was sent packing on 'Whatcha Unpackin'? [UPDATING LIVE BLOG]". Goldderby. 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  29. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Moves from VH1 to Paramount+; Lineup of Returning Queens Unveiled". 26 May 2021.
  30. ^ August 14, Joey Nolfi; EDT, 2021 at 08:00 AM. "Eureka took a lover (and a hard look at themself) on 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6'". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ a b "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6 Episode 11 Recap: The Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent Monologues". IN Magazine. 2021-08-26. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  32. ^ "Here's who made the final four of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6". GAY TIMES. 2021-08-26. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  33. ^ Petski, Denise (November 5, 2019). "HBO Orders Unscripted Drag Show Series We're Here". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  34. ^ "HBO Renews "We're Here" for a Second Season". The Futon Critic. June 5, 2020.
  35. ^ "HBO's Emmy-Nominated Unscripted Series "We're Here" Returns October 11". The Futon Critic. September 9, 2021.
  36. ^ Cordero, Rosy (December 16, 2021). "'We're Here' Renewed For Season 3 At HBO". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  37. ^ "Stream It or Skip It: 'We're Here' on HBO, a Fierce Docuseries about the Power of Drag". Decider. 2020-04-23. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  38. ^ Williams, Mary Elizabeth (2020-04-22). "HBO's heartfelt "We're Here" is the drag show America needs now". Salon. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  39. ^ ""Drag Race" Queen Eureka O'Hara Channels "Body Positivity" In Empowering New Single". LOGO News. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  40. ^ a b "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queen Eureka O'Hara Promotes 'Body Positivity' on New Song: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  41. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Eureka O'Hara Drops Epic Music Video Featuring Farrah Abraham After Shocking 'Drag Race' Episode". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  42. ^ Stomp - Single by Eureka O'Hara, 2017-04-28, retrieved 2018-05-08
  43. ^ Rudolph 7/2/2018, Christopher. "Eureka O'Hara Wants You to Come Through for "The Big Girl"". LOGO News. Retrieved 2021-12-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  44. ^ a b "Eureka's Tests Come Back Body-Positive in 'The Big Girl' Music Video". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  45. ^ Eureka O'Hara - The Big Girl (Official Music Video), retrieved 2021-12-31
  46. ^ Youtt, Henry (2018-07-11). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queens Who Landed Entries on the Billboard Charts". Billboard. Lynne Segall. Archived from the original on 2018-07-18. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  47. ^ Lopez, David (2018-11-16). "If You're Wondering 'Where My Man At?' Manila Luzon and Eureka O'Hara May Know". Instinct. JR Pratts. Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  48. ^ Dalton, Paisley (2018-11-16). "WOW PREMIERE: VELO's New Album 'Outcast' & Vid Feat. MANILA LUZON, VANESSA VANJIE MATEO, EUREKA O'HARA, DERRICK BARRY, Nebraska Thunderfuck & more!!!". The WOW Report. World of Wonder Productions, Inc. Archived from the original on 2018-11-16. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  49. ^ Kiki with Eureka O'Hara, retrieved 2021-09-11
  50. ^ "Eureka O'Hara excited to represent Johnson City on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Johnson City Press. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  51. ^ "Watch Eureka O'Hara Give a Pride Month Herstory Lesson on Divine". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  52. ^ "Trinity and Eureka: Fashion Photo RuView 537". Fashion Photo RuView. Season 5. Episode 37. 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
  53. ^ "Eureka and Kameron: Fashion Photo RuView 541". Fashion Photo RuView. Season 5. Episode 41. 2018-09-22. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
  54. ^ "Bestie$ for Ca$h: Eureka and Kameron Michaels!". Bestie$ for Ca$h. Season 5. Episode 6. 2018-09-11. Retrieved 2018-09-11.
  55. ^ "Whatcha Packin': Eureka! | S6 Top 4 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars". Youtube.com. 2021-03-09. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  56. ^ "Eureka's Divine Look | Ruvealing the Look | RuPaul's Drag Race AS6". Youtube.com. 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
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