A brilliant new documentary called Dear Viv, celebrating the life and legacy of beloved UK drag icon The Vivienne, is officially in production.
James Lee Williams, better known to many as the incredible drag entertainer The Vivienne, sadly passed away in January 2025 at the age of 32.
The heartfelt project hopes to honour The Vivienne’s profound legacy by showcasing their “unbreakable spirit, quickfire and hilarious wit and undeniable talent.” In addition to celebrating The Vivienne’s dazzling career, the documentary will pay tribute to the beloved drag superstar who left an undeniable impact on the drag community.
Dear Viv will feature “a compelling blend of archival footage,” alongside deeply personal fan letters, as well as interviews with many of James’ friends, family, and fellow Drag Race contestants such as Baga Chipz, Michael Marouli, and Danny Beard.
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The Vivienne rose to fame during the first-ever series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019 when they amazed viewers with their hilarious impersonations of Donald Trump and Kim Woodburn.
After taking the crown during that first season, they became a fan favourite. The Vivienne later competed in the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in 2022, and became the first drag performer to compete on Dancing on Ice in 2023.
They also took the theatre stage by storm after being cast as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 2024 UK tour of The Wizard of Oz.
Dear Viv will highlight James’ path from their humble beginnings growing up in North Wales, moving to Liverpool to becoming a make-up artist at the age of 16, to their incredibly impactful career and “meteoric rise on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.”
The film will be produced by the award-winning media company behind the Drag Race franchise, World of Wonder. Executive Producers and co-founders, Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey said: “We want to celebrate The Vivienne’s extraordinary life and work so everyone can experience her incredible talent, sass and enormous heart.”
They added: “Although her stay here on Earth was far too brief it is with tremendous admiration and affection that we share her legacy in ‘Dear Viv’.”
Dear Viv will premiere exclusively on WOW Presents Plus later this year, joining a catalogue of original programming and documentary films including the entire international Drag Race franchise.
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