“Hello, I would like to know if all drag artists are homosexual. And at what age did you think about becoming a drag? » – Michelle Piché
“No, not all drag is. Do not assume a person’s sexual orientation. Anyone can do drag, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. It’s more common to be part of sexual and gender diversity and to practice this profession, but there are heterosexuals, pansexuals, bisexuals, asexuals who practice the profession and we can’t know it! I never thought about going into drag, in fact, I had friends who were into drag, and I had no attraction towards it. I had to take part in the game at the age of 19 to realize that it was really something that brought together a lot of artistic disciplines that I appreciated (playing a character, dancing, singing, theater, the comedy). It seems like I had to experience it to realize that, ultimately, this job is fantastic! »
“Are you sometimes tired of having to transform into your character to appear on television? » – Richard Salera
” No. And it’s always complex to answer that because what can be, let’s say boring or a little tiring, is the preparation time. It’s certain that if I compare with other artists on set, the preparation is not at all the same. I don’t arrive 30 minutes before check-in to sit in a chair and get my makeup done, and that’s it, that’s it. It takes me 90 minutes just for makeup. And before that, there is the search for costumes, sometimes you have to have accessories and wigs made. And as I make more and more, I want to make sure I don’t carry over something I’ve already worn, so it gets a little complex! […] Certainly if I could snap my fingers and it was done, that would be ideal. Especially if it’s early in the morning, when we’re called to a set at 9 a.m., that means I have to prepare three hours before. […] But transformation is also the engine that makes me capable of delivering a performance. This is what gives me the missing confidence to take part in the exercise. »
“You have to spend a fortune on costumes. I would like to know what percentage this cost of costumes represents compared to your annual salary. Do you spend 40% of salary on costumes, for example, compared to other artists? » – Gilles Rondeau
“It’s very difficult to calculate because sometimes, for television productions, we have budgets for that, negotiated in advance. But most of the time, we don’t have one. […] A very general approximation, I think it’s 25%, I don’t know if my accountant would agree, but I think it’s 25%! »
“Have you ever thought about making your physique a little more feminine or would it not help your character at all? » – Allan Moris
“It depends on what you mean by “a little more feminine”. I change my silhouette every time I’m in drag, basically, I wear padding on the chest and hips, to give myself a silhouette that is considered more feminine, without necessarily falling into a big caricature . It bothers me a little to answer this question, because what is femininity, ultimately? All bodies are different! »
“Do you spend more time in drag than as a man in a day/year? How do you manage to live with both worlds on a daily basis? » – Thérèse Fournier
No, I don’t spend more time in drag, on the other hand I have rushes, busier periods, or there, yes. For example, when we were filming The drag in me (Crave), it was 12 hour days of work, I would get up, I would drink a coffee, then I would start. In the evening, I was very tired, so I took off my makeup, ate and went to bed. In those rush moments, yes, I was more often in drag. But otherwise, normally, there is a fairly good balance, a good balance. It takes periods of calm where I give my face and body a break, where I recharge, it’s important to give yourself time to rest. When I’m in drag, it’s for work, so we plan the days accordingly. I’m also an entrepreneur, so there’s a big side where I’m not in drag, I’m in planning, organizing events, managing other artists. So there is really a balance between office life and life on stage. »