Eureka O'Hara

Eureka O'Hara, the stage name of David Huggard (born August 26, 1990),[3][1][2] is an American drag queen. O'Hara is known for competing on the ninth and tenth seasons of the reality competition television series RuPaul's Drag Race.

Eureka O'Hara
Eureka performing in 2018
Born
David Huggard

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

Early life and education

Huggard was born in Bristol, Tennessee, and started performing in drag at the club New Beginnings.[4] They chose the drag name Eureka for its phonetic similarity to their mother's given name, Ulrike,[5] and the last name O'Hara from the Gone with the Wind character Scarlett O'Hara.[6]

Eureka's drag mother is Jacqueline St. James,[7] 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.[8] 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.[9]

Career
Eureka in 2017

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.[10] They were 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.[11] She received physical therapy before returning to compete on the show's tenth season in 2018.[12] Eureka ultimately finished in the top 3 of season 10, alongside Aquaria and Kameron Michaels.[13]

After finishing as a runner up 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.[14][15] In September 2018, she gave a drag makeover to Zachary Quinto for Them's makeover series Drag Me.[16][17] In December 2018, Eureka competed in the television special RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular.[18] She appeared as a guest for the first challenge in the premiere of season 11 of Drag Race.[19]

Music

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).[20][21] 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.[22] "Body Positivity (part ii: Electropoint)" was released in March 2018.[12]

O'Hara released her first solo single, "Stomp", on April 28, 2017.[23] She released her second solo single, "The Big Girl", on June 28, 2018.[24][25]

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.[26] In November 2018, VELO released the single "Where My Man At", featuring O'Hara and Drag Race season three runner-up Manila Luzon.[27] The two also appear in the song's music video, together with Thorgy Thor, Ginger Minj, and Trinity Taylor.[28]

Personal life

Eureka lived as a transgender woman for about five years before deciding to detransition.[5][29] They now identify as "genderfluid and gender-neutral" and when asked what pronouns they prefer, answered, "I use all of them."[30][31] Eureka supports body positivity and has nicknamed themself "The Elephant Queen".[32] Huggard cites Divine as an influence to their drag aesthetic.[33]

On April 19, 2019, Eureka announced via Twitter that their mother had died after a long battle with cancer on April 18.[34]

Discography
Singles
  • "Body Positivity"
  • "Stomp" (2017)
  • "The Big Girl"
  • "American"

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 9) Herself Contestant (11th place; exited due to injury)
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (season 9) Herself
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 10) Herself Contestant (runner-up)
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked (season 10) Herself
2018 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 We're Here Herself

Web series
Year Title Role Notes
2018 Fashion Photo RuView[35][36] Herself Guest host w/ Yuhua Hamasaki
2018 Bestie$ for Ca$h[37] Herself With Kameron Michaels

Music videos
Year Title Notes
2017 "Body Positivity"[21] With Adam Barta; ft. Kandy Muse
2018 "The Big Girl"[24]

See also

References
  1. 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. 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. "'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 9 episode 1: Lady Gaga, the Queens and spoilers". International Business Times AU. 2017-03-09. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  4. "East Tennessean to compete on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Rudolph, Christopher (April 24, 2017). "Eureka Serves Up Sexy Librarian In New "Drag Race" Makeup Tutorial". LOGO News. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  8. "Special: Catching up on the pageant scene". Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  9. "#ElephantQueen: Eureka O'Hara represents East Tennessee on "RuPaul's Drag Race" | East Tennessean". easttennessean.com. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  10. "RuPaul's Drag Race Cast | logotv.com". Logo TV. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  11. "What Happened To Eureka On 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 9? Her Knee Injury Is Still A Roadblock". Bustle. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  12. "'Drag Race' Star Eureka O'Hara Twerks Through Times Square in New Music Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  13. "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.
  14. 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.
  15. "Country Crooner Brandon Stansell Enlists Eureka O'Hara For Charming 'For You' Video: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  16. "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.
  17. "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.
  18. "Kim Chi, Shangela, Trixie Mattel & More to Compete in 'RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular'". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  19. "'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.
  20. ""Drag Race" Queen Eureka O'Hara Channels "Body Positivity" In Empowering New Single". LOGO News. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  21. "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queen Eureka O'Hara Promotes 'Body Positivity' on New Song: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  22. "EXCLUSIVE: Eureka O'Hara Drops Epic Music Video Featuring Farrah Abraham After Shocking 'Drag Race' Episode". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  23. Stomp - Single by Eureka O'Hara, 2017-04-28, retrieved 2018-05-08
  24. "Eureka's Tests Come Back Body-Positive in 'The Big Girl' Music Video". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  25. Eureka O' Hara (2018-06-28), Eureka O'Hara - The Big Girl (Official Music Video), retrieved 2018-07-26
  26. 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.
  27. 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.
  28. 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.
  29. Masters, Jeffrey (22 October 2019). "Drag Race's Eureka O'Hara Shares Personal Journey With Gender". The Advocate (interview).
  30. "Eureka: "I Lived As Trans For A Period Of My Life"". LOGO News. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  31. "Drag Race's Eureka O'Hara Shares Personal Journey With Gender". www.advocate.com. 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
  32. "Eureka O'Hara excited to represent Johnson City on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Johnson City Press. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  33. "Watch Eureka O'Hara Give a Pride Month Herstory Lesson on Divine". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  34. https://twitter.com/eurekaohara/status/1119041847211495424
  35. "Trinity and Eureka: Fashion Photo RuView 537". Fashion Photo RuView. Season 5. Episode 37. 2018-08-24. WOW Presents Plus. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
  36. "Eureka and Kameron: Fashion Photo RuView 541". Fashion Photo RuView. Season 5. Episode 41. 2018-09-22. WOW Presents Plus. Retrieved 2018-09-22.
  37. "Bestie$ for Ca$h: Eureka and Kameron Michaels!". Bestie$ for Ca$h. Season 5. Episode 6. 2018-09-11. WOW Presents Plus. Retrieved 2018-09-11.
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