James Lee Williams, a.k.a. drag star The Vivienne, died earlier this year. Now, their family has revealed they passed away from a cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine.
The RuPaul’s Drag Race winner was found dead at their home in Cheshire, England this past January. They were 32 years old.
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Williams—nicknamed The Vivienne for their tendency to wear Vivienne Westwood’s clothing—was an instant star as soon as they appeared on the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019, and later became the only British drag performer to compete on the US version when they appeared on the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in 2022.
After their appearances on RPDR, Williams went on to release plenty of music, including the EP Bitch on Heels. They also went on to perform as The Wicked Witch of the West in the UK’s 2024 tour of The Wizard of Oz.
Williams was praised for raising awareness of drug abuse while on RPDR, as they openly spoke about their struggles with addiction. Their family “continues to be completely devastated,” Williams’ sister Chanel told the BBC, and plan to work with a substance abuse charity to inform the public about the dangers of recreational ketamine usage.
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