She's corny!
Hailing from Greentown, Indiana, Darlene Mitchell has become one of the undeniable breakout stars from RuPaul's Drag Race season 18. After making it all the way to the finale, the hilarious and adorable queen tied the knot with her husband Branden Marcus in March 2026.
Since her debut on Drag Race, Mitchell has won over fans across the globe for her hilarious sense of humor, silly approach to drag, and shining positive personality. Plus, she even received plenty of compliments for her natural good looks out of drag all over social media.
"It was unexpected! It's truly insane to comprehend. I got sexy Trixie! That one I'm keeping in my pocket. I've been a kept woman for 10 years, so getting that reaction was nice. Baby, the men out there are thirsty. It's the wild west," Mitchell tells Out.
Even RuPaul admitted towards the end of season 18 that Mitchell was a dark horse throughout the competition who picked up momentum following her iconic roast. Although she didn't dominate challenge wins in the beginning of the season, her bright light helped carry her all the way to the top three.
Mitchell's run on Drag Race was inspiring not only for her upbeat personality, but also for her transparency. She confided in RuPaul that her conservative family wasn't completely aware that she even pursued drag as a career.
"Looking back, I wouldn't have done it any differently. I showed my personality and my style of drag. Don't count me out when it comes to the looks! Right before leaving for the show, a lot of my family still didn't know that I had done drag. I literally threw everybody in a group chat and there were mixed responses. It was emotional to give up my phone and not know where a lot of people stood."
Thankfully, Mitchell received some encouraging words from her biological father as she finished packing up her things and made her way to the World of Wonder lot to film season 18.
"I have to give my dad a huge shout-out. He ended up sending a message the day before I left basically saying, 'I may not understand it, but I've always seen your light and courage. I don't know what the show, but I'm sure everyone will fall in love with your smile.' I was not expecting that at all. It blew me away. Everything in my life was coming together."
Now, Mitchell is closer than ever with her family after making such an incredible splash on Drag Race. Her support system showed up and showed out on her big day when she finally said 'I do' to her now-husband.
"The whole family came to the wedding. I'm dragging my conservative family along, opening up their mind a little bit at a time and making that bubble a little bigger. My dad just came to his first drag show a few months ago. Babe, it was water works! The stage was wet. It's been such a crazy turn of events. When you just embrace living authentically and happily in your truth, everyone takes note of that. It's hard to argue with that. It's been nice to be that inspiration for change."
Even Mitchell's father had to admit that the wedding served as a wonderful opportunity to bring worlds together as her conservative biological family got to finally meet many members of her chosen family, including her season 18 sisters.
"It was the campiest thing! It was such a beautiful day. My dad came up in the middle of the ceremony, stuck his head in between the two of us, and said, 'I've never been in a room where it feels like there's this much love in the room. I feel like I can talk to anybody. I've never experienced a place where it feels like joy is abundantly available.' It's been a wild, amazing year."
Although Mitchell has had a monumental year, she's closing out 2026 by spreading some holiday cheer by joining the stacked lineup for A Drag Queen Christmas. Hosted by Nina West, the stacked lineup features Mitchell reuniting with other Drag Race alumni such as Nini Coco, Myki Meeks, Discord Addams, Crystal Methyd, Juicy Love Dion, and Silky Nutmeg Ganache on the iconic tour's 12th anniversary.
It's safe to say Mitchell has had a packed schedule since appearing on season 18, but she's teasing fans with an eventual Werk Room return as she manifests her own crowning on a future season of All Stars.
"I think a crown would look great on one of those mullets! Stay tuned for that. I think one of those little wigs would look great in the Hall of Fame! Mullet, the shoes, and a little $20 dress. That's the future! It all comes back."
Fans can get tickets to A Drag Queen Christmas by visiting the official website here. Follow Darlene Mitchell on Instagram here.
