Workhorse Queen (2021)

Set against the gritty backdrop of post-industrial Rochester, New York, Workhorse Queen tells the captivating story of Ed Popil's transformative journey from a telemarketing center manager by day into the larger-than-life drag queen Mrs. Kasha Davis by night. For eighteen years, the daytime saw Ed navigating the challenges of a 9-to-5 job, while the nighttime transformed him into a 1960s-era housewife character, liberating herself from the shackles of domesticity through secret performances – a loving tribute to his own mother. Having auditioned for seven long years, Ed finally breaks into mainstream entertainment at the unlikely age of 44, thanks to the reality television phenomenon, RuPaul's Drag Race. The film delves into the intricate layers of how mainstream TV impacts queer performance culture and explores the growing chasm within a tight-knit drag community, dividing those who've tasted television fame from those who haven't. Workhorse Queen takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride alongside Ed Popil, as he grapples with the dizzying highs and crushing lows of chasing the elusive fame that a reality TV platform promises. Poised on the threshold of Hollywood, keeping one foot firmly rooted in his cherished Rochester community, Mrs. Kasha Davis finds an unexpected audience right at home. As Ed strives to become the queer role model he yearned for in his youth, the film paints a poignant picture of his quest to inspire the next generation.

Workhorse Queen is a documentary movie featuring Darienne Lake and directed by Angela Washko.

Workhorse Queen is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Plex and Plex Player and it's also available on DIRECTV and Starz Apple TV Channel.

It is also possible to buy Workhorse Queen on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies and YouTube.