Week after week,Lana Ja’Raepresented “something unique” for her.
I never allowed the negativity or my placements to get the best of me.
I always stay focused on the end goal and attempt to confirm I made it there.
Image by Zanda Rice, Paramount
So I’m very proud of myself for that."
She can actually be funny!
It’s New York’s pride and joy, Lana Ja’Rae.
LANA JA’RAE: I’m doing so good.
How are you doing, my love?
COLLIDER: I’m doing great.
Congratulations on a fantastic run onDrag Race.
I am so proud of you.
As I’ve told you multiple times, I saw you at C’mon Everybody.
And from that moment, I knew you were going to be a star.
LANA: Oh, thank you, baby.
That means so much to me.
COLLIDER: If you could describe yourDrag Racejourney in three words, what would they be?
LANA: Don’t.
It’s a lot harder than I thought.
And so, I think just like resilience, I pushed through so much.
It was easy for me to give up in the competition, but I never did.
I never allowed the negativity or my placements to get the best of me.
I always stay focused on the end goal and have a go at check that I made it there.
So I’m very proud of myself for that.
You are a competitor.
I feel like for you, success is equated to winning.
We did see you struggle when you weren’t necessarily connecting with the judges, being safe multiple times.
How much of a toll did that take on you?
LANA: It took a big toll.
I was fine being safe.
I just wanted to hear something.
I can always do better.
And not knowing if I was doing a good enough job for them was very frustrating.
COLLIDER: Did you feel the added pressure being compared to Luxx and her success on the show?
LANA: Oh, yes.
That was like the biggest frustrating thing ever.
Which I love Luxx so much.
She carries herself in such a beautiful way with her confidence.
I never grew up in a place where I could have that confidence.
I never felt like I was ever allowed to feel like I was the best of the room.
I was never the best.
I always told myself I was never the best.
Which now, I’m in a different mindset.
I have to keep going because I’m not the best.
Episode 2 is about to get juicy.
LANA: I’ve learned that I’m very funny.
Drag is not as serious as I tend to make it.
I tend to take it very seriously because it’s so personal to me.
it’s possible for you to be silly, goofy, unserious, fall, be unperfect.
COLLIDER: What has it been like having “something I normally don’t do” become a meme?
Did you realize how often you use that line?
LANA: You know, what’s funny?
So, quite literally, everything I wore on the runway was something unique and different for me.
So it is very funny that people are laughing with it, because I think it’s very silly.
I just don’t remember saying it that much.
I can’t explain why I said it as much as I did.
COLLIDER: Let’s touch on Snatch Game for a minute.
LANA: You know, I don’t know.
I don’t know.
I thinkRuPaulwas saying that joke.
Can I promise you, you could ask any of the other girls.
I was walking around the Werk Room so confident for Snatch Game.
I was like, “Oh, y’all can’t tell me nothing.
Rosa Parks is gonna hit.
I’m gonna ask RuPaul, ‘Is the bus still running?’
And then from there, it’s gonna be ki.”
When I get on set, it’s also so scary.
Snatch Game is so much scarier than you think.
It’s very daunting because it’s just people staring at you.
And it’s like, so many girls who know their characters so well.
And then that throws you off.
And then, there’s a lot going into it.
And when RuPaul said it, I was like, “Oh my god.
Oh my God, girl, I don’t know what to do.”
And I just panicked.
And I was like, “Let me just give it a day.
I’ll accept my bottom placement.
We’ll get through this.”
COLLIDER: This week was a very interesting challenge.
The Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent Monologues.
I wanted to be a dancer.
So I was like this is the perfect challenge for me.
But I think I just like misunderstood what they were looking for.
As I always did in the competition.
So I was excited for it.
It was very scary because for me, I knew this was my make-or-break challenge.
COLLIDER: Now,Drag Raceis inherently camp.
Was there an inkling in your mind that maybe, yeah, we should go in a campier direction?
I didn’t want to make fun of that.
I felt I just wanted to be as authentic to the story as possible.
And I think I just took it too seriously, which is my mistake.
I take drag too seriously.
I should have more fun with it.
COLLIDER: You worked withSam Starthis week.
Now, she tells us that she really wanted to work with Lexi Love.
Nothing against you, but she wanted to work with Lexi.
How was it working with Sam?
LANA: It was honestly really great.
I would never ever trust a pageant queen.
They’re just too serious.
But Sam showed a different side of herself with the later half of the competition.
I don’t think a lot of the girls got to see she was very sweet.
She was such a huge rock for me.
Don’t give up.
I see how much of a star you are.
Girl, I’m scared of you, c’mon don’t give up.
Cause like I see you getting defeated."
And that was prior to this challenge.
Two weeks before, you were able to roast her really well.
What is the relationship you have with Kandy?
LANA: I love Kandy so much.
I’m really close with her drag daughterJanelle.
And so that’s how I met her originally.
Ever since then, Kandy gave me great advice for Drag Race.
She gave me a great look forDrag Race.
She’s very nice, very sweet.
She’s kinda scary.
I’m still scared of her to this day just because she’s such a big personality.
Keep working, keep your head up, because it’s the end goal that matters.
COLLIDER: You had some spicy moments inUntucked.
This week, it was Suzie Toot who pushed you to the brink.
What was it about Suzie and her unsolicited opinions that got you heated?
We got ready next to each other for the majority of the season.
That’s my biggest pet peeve is when someone takes advantage of someone else.
I just don’t like that.
And for me, that was frustrating.
I also hate, hate, hate when people count me out.
I hate it so much.
It’s not over until RuPaul says “Sasha away.”
Don’t do that for RuPaul because you’re not RuPaul.
And that was the thing that was frustrating me the most.
And you’re not a judge, you’re still a competitor.
And from what I remember, you didn’t do as well in the challenge either.
So, that was the part that frustrated me.
And I was like, be a sister as everyone else was.
You don’t see anybody else kicking me while I’m down.
It’s very clear who the bottom two were or who the bottom half were.
You don’t have to hammer it into our heads, you know?
If I want to be hopeful, let me be hopeful.
Like, why attempt to crush that for me?
Because obviously everybody knew it was my last day on set.
Everybody knew that feeling.
So like, let me just enjoy my delusion for a little bit longer while I’m still there.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ collaborates with an iconic table top game.
COLLIDER: We’re gonna play a quick round of Tea Time.
Are you ready to play?
LANA: Oh, I’m so ready.
COLLIDER:Lucky Starzzz.
COLLIDER:Hormona Lisa.
COLLIDER:Acacia Forgot.
LANA: Country Music.
COLLIDER:Crystal Envy.
COLLIDER:Kori King.
COLLIDER: Lydia B Kollins.
LANA: Oh, Star.
COLLIDER: Jewel Sparkles.
COLLIDER: Lexi Love.
COLLIDER: Sam Star.
COLLIDER: Suzie Toot.
LANA: Musical theater.
COLLIDER:Onya Nurve.
LANA: The one.
COLLIDER: And finally, Lana’s Ja’Rae.
LANA: Oh, oh, that is…just one word?
I’ll say, I’ll say, I’ll say heart.
You really were the heart of the season.
Congratulations on an incredible run.
I am super proud of you.
LANA: Thank you, baby.
Thank you so much.
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