a&e features
Haus of Stone savors joys and trials of breaking into D.C. drag scene
New venues, new faces, shade from established performers affects new generation of queens
April drag events:
Birds of Prey Drag Show
Friday, April 12
10 p.m.
The D.C. Eagle
3701 Benning Rd., N.W.
Brooklyn Heights, Sasha Adams Sanchez and Iyana Deschanel.
with special guest “Drag Race” alum Roxxxy Andrews
Hosted by Ba’Naka
Pitchers Drag Picnic
Saturday, April 13
1 p.m.
Pitchers D.C.
2317 18th St., N.W.
Hosted by Brooklyn Heights
Glass House
Sunday, April 14
7 p.m.
Variety show with movie night theme
Ten Tigers Parlour
3813 Georgia Ave., N.W.
Haus of Stone Drag Show
Wednesday, April 17
8 p.m.
Denizens Brewing Co.
1115 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Md.
City Tap Dupont
1250 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sunday performances (same hours) start April 28
Ba’Naka hostesses
Avalon Saturdays
Saturday, April 13
Soundcheck
1420 K St., N.W.
Hosted by Carson Kressley and Ba’Naka
Special guest Todrick Hall
Performances by Iyana Deschanel, Judas Elliot, Crystal Edge
dougiemeyerpresents.com
As people attend drag brunches and shows at bars and restaurants throughout the D.C. area, they may be focused on ordering bottomless mimosas or snapping pictures of the soon-to-come drag performances. But the amount of blood, sweat and sequins it takes for new, local queens to make a name for themselves, especially in a post-Town/Cobalt D.C. drag scene, is something that isn’t readily apparent.
It’s a situation that DMV-based drag group Haus of Stone knows all too well. Comprised of five queens, the house was birthed from a group of college friends who simply loved the art of drag.
Citrine (AJ Williamson), 27; Logan Stone (William Burlew), 25; Drew Thatcher, 26; and Vagenesis (Anderson Wells), 28, began putting drag looks together while attending University of Maryland, Baltimore County. After performing a few times, Citrine, Logan and Vagenesis decided it would be easier to brand themselves as a drag house while performing together.
“Most drag houses take the matriarch’s last name but since we didn’t have a matriarch or a mother, we thought we should just come up with our own group name,” Citrine says. “Logan was the only one out of the three of us that had a last name. So we were like, Haus of Stone, that has a nice ring to it. Logan didn’t mind, we didn’t mind. We just ran with it.”
Haus of Stone was officially born in spring 2018. Citrine, Logan and Vagenesis dipped their toes in the water at attempting more professional drag by performing private talent shows in their living room. The evening included playing instruments, a spoken word performance and lip-syncing, backed by speakers hooked up in their apartment blaring music, all with the intention of asking their friends to pose as judges. Even though the event was fun, the trio asked their friends to sincerely give them critiques.
The girls were taking this seriously.
Shortly after, Venus Valhalla and Kittney Stone joined the group rounding out Haus of Stone.
Thatcher, who originally began performing drag with the group at University of Maryland Baltimore County, realized that he wanted to be a part of the house in a different capacity. Instead of taking on a drag persona he decided to become a self-proclaimed “drag sidekick” to the group. Among his Jack-of all-trades assistance to Haus of Stone, is to serve as a soundboard for the queens’ looks.
“One of the things that I really like about being part of the Haus of Stone is just how amazing all these queens are in the house and how much I appreciate their sisterhood and the family we’ve built,” Thatcher says. “And also just being there to help them execute the vision that they have for their drag is an awesome honor. I know there are a lot of times when they have some grand visions, as any artist often does, and I like to be there for them as a resource to help them execute their visions.”
The group started to become more active in taking their show from the living room with friends to a public audience. As new queens trying to establish themselves locally, they say they’ve encountered plenty of support.
“When we first started, the drag community was extremely welcoming,” Logan says. “We met one drag performer and they told us to go to this event and go talk to this queen named Desiree Dik because Desiree had a show at Uproar and she did nothing but support new girls coming up. We went to that show and we got the booking and through that we made so many friends that we still talk to today and have harbored relationships that are going to last forever. Now is that true of everybody in the community? No, but through that we got to meet other people like Kristina Kelly who has done nothing but support us. While personalities don’t always mesh up, there has been a support of new girls in this city ever since we started.”
For Citrine, the drag community is helpful to new girls but there’s an edge of competition in the mix.
“I’ve come to find once they notice that you’re working hard and getting close to their level is when that support and fellowship starts to stop,” Citrine says. “I think part of it is that now you’re starting to look like competition and these are the people that have worked just as hard as you and now are trying to build a legacy or maintain it. ‘Yeah, sure, we’ll give you a platform, you can perform at our show, you’re going to come and go.’ That’s the expectation they think when new queens come about. But once you start to build and get a little bit stronger, that to them is a sign. Some of them love it. And then there are some that are jealous or they don’t want to support that because they’re like, ‘I don’t want you to be just as successful because now you’re taking something away from me.’”
Citrine and Logan both note that they don’t often see local drag performers at their shows showing their support, which they agree could be due to a conflict in performance schedules.
“It’s this weird melting pot where we all love each other but we’re also out for ourselves but we do support each other,” Citrine says.
Haus of Stone’s breakout on the drag scene after the closing of gay nightlife venues Town and Cobalt, which drew significant patronage for drag shows, has placed the group in a transitional period in D.C. gay nightlife.
As more venues are now opening their spaces to drag performances, Logan has noticed a surge in non-LGBT specific bars and restaurants hosting drag shows.
Venus says that specifically Town’s closing has made “things easier” for local queens.
“Town was kind of a central point for the gay community in the city. You had the cast of girls who were there every Friday and Saturday. So now with Town gone, and that rigid cast gone, there’s more opportunities for all of us other girls and people are still looking for places to replace Town, which is something that’s been kind of difficult for the community over the last year. I think Town closing was actually kind of the perfect storm that’s allowed us to be so successful. If Town was still open, I don’t think any of us would have been able to perform there,” Venus says.
An influx in venues hosting drag shows and seeing the benefit of having one place to look up all things D.C. drag, inspired Logan to create D.C. Drag Digest (facebook.com/dcdragdigest).
The directory will allow people to search for drag shows near them, look up if their favorite bars or restaurants are hosting drag shows and to see where their favorite drag performers will be next.
“There had been a lot of conversation on social media about supporting and finding the shows. I had always gotten a lot of questions. When people like what they see in a show the first thing they come up and ask you is, ‘Hey, where can I see you next?’ And for a lot of performers we have 10 shows coming up and we want people at all of them. And it’s hard to just be like, ‘You can come here, here and here.’ Nobody is going to remember any of that. So one day I had decided to just make a list of everything going on,” Logan, who runs the directory with a couple friends, says.
The queens say that “RuPaul’s Drag Race” does influence the popularity of their shows especially during the times of the year that “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” and the regular season run. They say it sparks an interest in people to check out what their local drag community is doing. The support is welcomed but Haus of Stone members say the jump from “Drag Race” to a local show can lead to unfair expectations.
“Drag Race” can pack on the pressure for local talent, according to Citrine.
“They’re seeing it on TV and enjoying it and then when they go to a local show and they’re not seeing that same level matched from what they can just see on TV that’s when they start to lose that interest,” Citrine says. “‘Drag Race’ has certainly made it a little bit more difficult for local queens to keep up. When we see it on TV we’re like ‘Oh God.’ Some of us have that internal expectation of ‘How can I be better and impress this audience when I don’t have those kind of resources?”
Money is an important factor when watching an episode of “Drag Race” versus checking out a local show.
“A prime example of that is girls we get on ‘Drag Race’ end up making a lot more money than us local girls,” Venus says. “A lot of them have connections because of their following on social media and are able to work with designers and have these glorious costumes and they see those costumes on the runway. Then a drag queen comes out who is a local girl who spent $50 on a leotard that she made herself. And it’s not as exciting as the giant Victoria’s Secret wings that Plastique Tiara wore on the runway.”
Another added challenge is keeping their shows as fresh as possible.
Venus says that an advantage that queens performing at Town had is that oftentimes audiences included new people due to the larger audience numbers. As smaller venues are tackling drag shows, the audiences are smaller and a good way to drum up interest is to nab repeat patrons who have already seen certain routines and want new material.
“It has to do with a shift in the market,” Venus says.
Even with a smaller audience size, the queens still don’t always know who is attending their shows.
“Even for me I had two girls come up to me at brunch yesterday and I had never noticed them before but they both came up and were like, ‘We saw you at this show.’ You never know who is going to come back and see you and you don’t want them seeing the exact same thing over and over,” Logan says.
a&e features
MISTR’s Tristan Schukraft on evolution of HIV prevention
From ACT UP to apps, embracing stigma-free care
It was not too long ago that an HIV diagnosis was read as a death sentence. In its earlier decades, the HIV/AIDS crisis was synonymous with fear and loss, steeped in stigma. Over recent years, open conversation and science have come together to combat this stigma while proactively paving the way for life-saving treatments and preventive measures like PrEP. Now, in 2026, with discreet and modern platforms that meet people where they’re at in their lives, HIV prevention has evolved from hushed words of warning into something far more sex-positive and accessible. Game-changing services like MISTR are a testament to this shift, showing our community that healthcare doesn’t have to feel clinical or shaming to work. It can be empowering and, dare I say, celebratory.
Few people embody this evolution quite like Tristan Schukraft, founder of MISTR. With one hand in healthcare and the other high-fiving through queer nightlife, Schukraft gets that, from the bar to the bedroom and beyond, prevention happens in person and in real life. His approach has helped turn PrEP, DoxyPEP, and testing into normalized parts of our daily queer life, reaching hundreds of thousands of people across the US.
In our conversation, Schukraft shares candidly about stigma, policy, and why the future of sexual health depends on keeping it real.
BLADE: You have one hand in healthcare and the other in nightlife and queer spaces. Can you share with us how these two spheres impact and inform each other? How do they impact and inform you?
SCHUKRAFT: Honestly, for me, they’ve never been separate. Nightlife and queer spaces are where people meet, date, hook up, fall in love, and make friends. That’s real life. Being in queer spaces all the time keeps me grounded and reminds me who we’re building MISTR for.
BLADE: MISTR markets sexual health in a sex-positive, stigma-free fashion. Can you share with us how you measure the impact of this approach?
SCHUKRAFT: This year, we held the first-ever National PrEP Day. Dua Lipa performed, and Cardi B was there. After the event, Cardi B went on her Instagram live to encourage people to sign up for PrEP.
When you make sexual health stigma-free and sex positive, people talk about it. We see it in how people use the platform. When 700,000 people are willing to sign up, get tested, start PrEP, and add things like DoxyPEP, that tells us we’ve made it feel safe and normal instead of scary or awkward. And then we see it in the results. Since we expanded DoxyPEP, STI positivity among our patients dropped by half.
BLADE: How have you seen the conversation of sexual health in our LGBTQ+ community change in mainstream culture in recent years?
SCHUKRAFT: Ten years ago, nobody was casually talking about PrEP, and if they did, it likely referenced one being a Truvada whore. Now it’s part of the culture. Popstars like Troye Sivan post pictures of their daily PrEP pill on social media. Cardi B goes on Instagram Live telling people to get on PrEP.
For many sexually active gay men, taking PrEP is simply part of the gay experience. For people in more remote areas, it might not be as talked about. Particularly in rural or more conservative places, MISTR can be a life-changing option. No awkward visits to the family doctor or the local pharmacy where everybody knows your business. It’s all done discreetly online and shipped straight to your door.
BLADE: You have publicly argued that cuts to government HIV prevention funding are of high risk. Would you please elaborate for us on what those budget decisions mean on an individual level?
SCHUKRAFT: It means real people fall through the cracks. Someone doesn’t get tested. Someone waits too long to start PrEP. Someone finds out they’re HIV-positive later than they should have. Community clinics will be the hardest hit, especially those in underserved communities. The good news is that MISTR is ready to help people who might lose their access to care. All you need to do is sign up at mistr.com, and it’s totally free with or without insurance.
BLADE: From your (and MISTR’s) perspective, how do these funding cuts threaten ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic?
SCHUKRAFT: For the first time, we have all the tools to end HIV. If everybody who is HIV negative is taking PrEP and everyone HIV+ is virally suppressed, we can end all new HIV transmissions in the United States. We have everything we need today. All we need is to get more people on PrEP. Cutting funding risks losing that momentum. Ending HIV requires scale and consistency. Every time funding gets cut, you lose momentum, trust, and infrastructure, and rebuilding that takes years.
HIV transmissions don’t pause because budgets change.
BLADE: In our current climate of decreased federal investment, what role do you feel private healthcare and business should play in sexual health?
SCHUKRAFT: With reports that the current administration is considering cuts to HIV and prevention funding, we face a moment of reckoning. At the same time, some employers are seeking to exclude PrEP and HIV prevention from their coverage on religious freedom grounds. If these challenges succeed, and if federal funding is slashed, the consequences for public health will be devastating. But this is where the private sector must step up to fill the gap, bridge divides, and deliver results.
Businesses have the power and platform to normalize HIV prevention and drive measurable outcomes. At MISTR, we see firsthand what’s possible: since introducing DoxyPEP, STI positivity rates among our patients have been cut in half. But it’s not just about medication. It’s about messaging.
Our sex-positive, stigma-free marketing speaks directly to our community, making sexual health part of everyday life. No awkward doctor visits, no needles, no paperwork — just free online PrEP and STI testing, prescribed by real physicians and delivered to your door. That kind of impact could grow exponentially if more employers embraced this approach and made HIV prevention part of their employee wellness programs.
Employers, this is your call to action. Start by making sure your health plans cover PrEP and DoxyPEP. Partner with platforms like MISTR to give employees private, stigma-free access to care. Offer on-site testing. Talk openly about sexual health, not just during Pride, but every day of the year. This is not political — this is about protecting lives, strengthening communities, and building a healthier, more productive workforce. Because healthy employees aren’t just good for public health — they’re good for business.
When the private sector steps up, outcomes improve. And when businesses align with platforms like MISTR, scaling impact isn’t just possible — it’s happening.
BLADE: Has MISTR experienced any direct effects from these recent shifts in public health funding?
SCHUKRAFT: MISTR’s unique model is totally free for patients with or without insurance, and we don’t cost the government or taxpayers a penny. We are scaling up our efforts to reach people who might be losing their access or care.
BLADE: What would be your message to policymakers who are considering further cuts to HIV/AIDS programs?
SCHUKRAFT: During his first term, President Donald Trump committed unprecedented resources to the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative here at home. Bipartisan support has shown what’s possible when bold leadership meets smart strategy. To policymakers: I urge you to reconsider any cuts to HIV prevention funding. This is not the time to pull back. It’s the time to push forward. Ending HIV is within reach — but only if government, private industry, and community organizations stand together.
BLADE: What is one perhaps overlooked win from last year that impacted you on a personal level?
SCHUKRAFT: Seeing our STI positivity rate drop by half after expanding DoxyPEP.
BLADE: Looking at the year ahead, what are MISTR’s most significant priorities for sexual health in 2026?
SCHUKRAFT: Expanding access, especially in the South and in communities that still get left out. Rolling out injectable PrEP. And just continuing to make sexual healthcare easier and more normal.
a&e features
Visible and unapologetic: MAL brings the kink this weekend
Busy lineup includes dances, pups, super heroes, and more
MLK Weekend in D.C. brings the annual Mid-Atlantic Leather (MAL) Weekend. Just a short walk from where Congress has been attacking queer Americans this year, MAL takes place at the Hyatt Regency Washington for several days of intrigue, excitement, leather, and kink.
The Centaur Motorcycle Club — one of several similar groups dedicated to leather in the country — has been hosting MAL in its current form for more than 40 years. Originally a small gathering of like-minded people interested in the leather lifestyle, MAL has grown to include a full four days of events, taking place onsite at the Hyatt Regency Washington (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.). Select partner happenings take place each night, and many more non-affiliated events are scattered across the DMV in honor of and inspired by MAL.
MAL Weekend has become an internationally renowned event that celebrates fetish culture, yet it also raises funds for LGBTQ organizations, “reinforcing its legacy as both a cultural and philanthropic cornerstone of the global leather community,” according to MAL organizers.
During the day, MAL events at the Hyatt include workshops, social gatherings, shopping, and other in-person engagements for the community.
“The Hyatt underwent an extensive top to bottom renovation after last year’s event,” says Jeffrey LeGrand-Douglass, the event chair. The lobby, meeting spaces, guest rooms, and other areas have been updated, he notes, “so I am very excited for our guests to experience the new design and layout for the first time. And of course as with every year, we look forward to the contest on Sunday afternoon and seeing who will become our new Mr. MAL.”
In the evening, MAL hands the reins to partner KINETIC Presents, the D.C.-based nightlife production company. KINETIC will host four consecutive nights of high-production events that fuse cutting-edge music, immersive environments, and performance. This year, KINETIC is popping open doors to new-to-MAL venues, international collabs, play zones, and a diverse lineup.
According to KINETIC managing partner Zach Renovátes, 2026 is the most extensive MAL production to date. “The talent lineup is unreal: an all-star roster of international DJs, plus drag superstar performances at the Saturday main event,” he says.
Renovátes added that he’s “most excited about the collaborations happening all weekend — from bringing in MACHO from WE Party Madrid, to teaming up with local leather groups, to nonprofit partners, and Masc Diva [a queer nightlife collective].”
Official MAL events begin on Thursday with the Full Package/Three Day Pass Pick-Up from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hyatt.
Thursday night is also the KINETIC kickoff party, called LUST. Running 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., it’s being held at District Eagle. DJ Jay Garcia holds it down on the first floor, while DJ Mitch Ferrino spins in the expansive upstairs. LUST features special performances from the performers including Serg Shepard, Arrow, Chase, and Masterpiece.
Renovátes notes that the LUST opening party at District Eagle coincides with the bar’s grand re-opening weekend. The bar will unveil its new permanent home on the renovated second floor. “it felt like the perfect place to start Mid-Atlantic Leather weekend — right in D.C.’s only dedicated home for kink communities,” he says.
After Thursday night, Friday is when daytime events begin at the Hyatt. The Exhibit Hall, on the ballroom level below the lobby, hosts upwards of 30 vendors, exhibitors, and booths with leather goods, fetish wear, clothes, toys, other accessories, providing hours of time to shop and connect with attendees and business owners. The Exhibit Hall will be open on Friday from 4-10 p.m., as well as on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
DC Health is once again back at MAL, to provide preventative health services. In the past, DC Health has provided MPox vaccines, Doxy PEP, HIV testing, Narcan kits, and fentanyl test strips. This booth will be open on Friday 4-10 p.m.
Later, at 6 p.m., the Centaur MC is holding its welcome reception on the ballroom floor. After the Centaur’s Welcome Reception, the MIR Rubber Social is 8-11 p.m. A Recovery Meeting is scheduled at 10 p.m.
Many attendees enjoy visiting the guest room levels of the hotel. Note that to get in an elevator up to a hotel room, a staff member will check for a hotel room wristband. Non-registered guests can only access host hotel rooms if they are escorted by a registered guest with a valid wristband. Registered guests are permitted to escort only one non-registered guest at a time. Non-registered guests with a wristband who are already in the hotel before 10 p.m. may remain until midnight. However, non-registered guests without a wristband will not be admitted after registration closes.
Friday night, for the first time, KINETIC Presents is joining forces with WE Party to bring MACHO to Washington, D.C. This official MAL Friday event delivers two stages and two genres. On the UNCUT XXL stage, international Brazilian circuit superstars Erik Vilar and Anne Louise bring their signature high-energy sound. On the MACHO stage, Madrid’s Charly is joined by Chicago’s tech-house force, Karsten Sollors, for a blend of techno and tech house. UNCUT also features the XL Play Zone, a massive, immersive space exclusive to this event. The party takes place at the Berhta space from 10 p.m.-4 a.m..
“This year we’re bringing back the two-room format we debuted at WorldPride for both Friday and Saturday, so attendees can really tailor their experience — whether they’re in the mood for circuit or tech house.” says Renovátes.
Directly after Friday’s UNCUT XXL, UNDERWORLD Afters takes over District Eagle, from 3:30-8 a.m. International DJ Eliad Cohen commands the music.
Saturday, the Exhibit Hall opens earlier, at 11 a.m.. DC Health will also be back from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday is also time for one of the most anticipated events, the Puppy Mosh, running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the event, pup culture comes to life, when pups, handlers, and friends can enjoy an inclusive, safe pup zone. There is also a Recovery Meeting at 11 a.m., and the IML Judges Announcement takes place at noon.
The popular Super Hero Meet Up will be held 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., sponsored by One Magical Weekend, for cosplayers, comic enthusiasts, and their friends.
From 2-6 p.m., the Onyx Fashion Show will take place to showcase and highlight people of color in leather.
Finally, the Leather Cocktail Party – the original event of MAL – will be held 7-9 p.m. in the Ballroom. While this requires special tickets to attend, at 9 p.m. is the MAL cocktail party, which is open to wider attendees.
The last event of Saturday leaves the hotel, again a partnership with KINETIC. Kicking off at 10 p.m. and running until 4 a.m., it’s just the second time that KINETIC’s Saturday night party is an official MAL event and serves as the main weekend engagement.
Saturday night’s centerpiece is called KINK: Double Trouble. The night will feature a first-ever back-to-back set from international electronic music icons Nina Flowers and Alex Acosta on the Circuit/Tribal Stage. The other room – the Tech House Stage – curated by The Carry Nation and Rose, provides a darker, underground counterpoint, reinforcing the event’s musical depth and edge.
Beyond the DJs, KINETIC has called in the big shots for this party: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” legends Nymphia Wind and Plastique Tiara are set to headline. The party also takes place at Berhta.
Sunday, back at the hotel, there will be another Recovery Meeting at 10 a.m., and the Exhibit Hall opens again from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
At 1 p.m., the anticipated and prestigious Mr. MAL Contest that celebrates the achievements of the leather community will be held in the Ballroom. This highly sought after title gives one man the power to become the Mid-Atlantic Leather man of the year. Sash and title winners must be (1) male, (2), a resident of North America, (3) At least 21 years of age; and (4) self-identify as gay. The first Mr. MAL was crowned in 1985. The Winner of Mr. MAL has the privilege of later competing in International Mr. Leather (IML) in Chicago on Memorial Day Weekend 2025.
From 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., MAL will hold its Game Night for the gaymers in attendance. There will also be a special screening of A24’s new film, “Pillion,” about a man who is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
Sunday closes with a community partner event produced by Masc Diva, featuring Horse Meat Disco with support from Coach Chris, at A.I. Warehouse in the Union Market district. It’s the same team that produced HMD during WorldPride at A.I. Warehouse.
Note that there are several types of passes for attendance to the hotel and parties. KINK VIP Weekend Passes include express entry, VIP areas, and enhanced amenities throughout the weekend, while MAL Full Weekend Package holders receive access to the official Sunday closing event.
At last year’s MAL events, KINETIC Presents raised more $150,000 for LGBTQ charities, and expects to match or exceed that impact in 2026.
Renovátes stated that “now more than ever, it’s important to create safe, affirming spaces for our community — but it’s just as important to be visible and unapologetic. We want to make it clear that the LGBTQ+ and leather communities aren’t going anywhere. We’ve fought too long and too hard to ever feel like we have to shrink ourselves again, no matter what the political climate looks like.”
In addition to the KINETIC events, various LGBTQ bars will hold parties celebrating the theme of the weekend. For example, Kiki, located on U Street NW, is hosting a party called KINKI, hosted by DJ Dez, on Saturday night. Sister bar Shakiki, on 9th Street NW, is hosting a party called Railed Out, a fetish-inspired party that features a play zone, on Thursday night. Flash, on U Street NW, will hold its infamous Flashy Sunday party to close out the weekend.
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
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