Willam Belli

Willam Belli (born June 30, 1982 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American drag queen, actor, singer‑songwriter, reality‑television personality, author and YouTuber who rose to fame after competing on the fourth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2012, becoming the first contestant ever disqualified from the show. Before Drag Race, Belli built a solid acting résumé with recurring roles such as Cherry Peck on Ryan Murphy’s medical drama Nip/Tuck and guest spots on series including Boston Public, Cold Case and The Shield, as well as a small part in the film American Wedding. Music entered the spotlight when Belli released the parody single “Chow Down” and later formed the drag trio DWV with Vicky Vox and Detox, producing viral hits like “Boy Is a Bottom” that charted on Billboard’s Comedy Digital Songs. In 2015 the comedy album Shartistry in Motion debuted at number one on the Billboard Comedy Albums chart, and a third album followed in 2018, showcasing Belli’s talent for witty parodies and original comedy tracks. Beyond recordings, Belli’s film work includes a memorable cameo as the Dolly‑Parton‑inspired drag queen Emerald in the Academy‑Award‑winning movie A Star Is Born (2018), where much of the dialogue was improvised. The performer has also earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for the web series EastSiders and has authored the self‑help satire Suck Less: Where There’s a Willam, There’s a Way (2016). A prolific content creator, Belli runs the YouTube channel “willam belli” with over 900 k subscribers, hosts the Race Chaser podcast with Alaska Thunderfuck, and launched a makeup line and perfume collaboration. Married to Bruce Belli since September 9 2008, Willam continues to tour, act, and influence LGBTQ + culture through television, stage productions such as the West‑End drag comedy Death Drop, and a forthcoming courtroom series Iconic Justice.