RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne is being remembered in a new documentary, Dear Viv, which traces the beloved performer’s life from a rising star of British drag to an international fan favorite—and the sudden tragedy that took them far too soon.
The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams, died in January 2025 at age 32 of cardiac arrest due to ketamine complications. A trailblazer in and out of drag, they were the first winner of Drag Race UK, a contestant on All Stars 7, and the first drag queen to ever compete on Dancing on Ice.
When The Hollywood Reporter revealed the release date for Dear Viv on August 7, the team behind the doc said they made it because the outpouring of love after The Vivienne’s death made it clear her story needed to be told.
“Viv died just shortly before DragCon UK, and it was devastating,” said World of Wonder co-founder Fenton Bailey. “We called [her memorial booth] ‘Dear Viv,’ and the outpouring, what people wrote on the wall and in the book, was just so moving and powerful… It was like, we’ve got to document this.”
'Dear Viv' trailer
On the heels of the release date announcement, Entertainment Weekly has released an exclusive first look at the upcoming film—and the result is already tugging heartstrings.
The preview clip features emotional interviews with The Vivienne’s fellow queens and friends, including All Stars 7 castmate Raja and Drag Race UK season 1 sisters Cheryl Hole and Baga Chipz. “The Vivienne was British drag with this modern polish,” says Tia Kofi, while Baga adds: “If you’re gorge and you’re talented, you’ve got nothing to prove.”
There’s also never-before-seen childhood footage and a glimpse at The Vivienne’s original audition tape, including a rough cut of the Donald Trump impersonation that helped them win Snatch Game. In the doc’s final moments, The Vivienne says, “It’s really nice to show people that you are a real person under all that glamor.”
'Dear Viv' exclusive clip
Alongside the doc’s announcement, The Vivienne’s family has launched a weekly support group in their honor. House of the Vivienne is a new drug and alcohol addiction center in Colwyn Bay led by their sister Chanel Williams. “James would want you to know you matter, your life matters and there is help. There is always hope,” she said to the BBC.
Dear Viv premieres August 28 on BBC Three and iPlayer in the U.K. and will stream globally on WOW Presents Plus.
