Who Is Aubrey Haive? | Interview With Drag Race Down Under’s Aubrey Haive
Every Saturday, two things are certain to drop. The first? a new episode of Drag Race Down Under. The Second? The shots of tequila I’ll be downing at Rainbow House Club in about a halfa. (If you’re one of the smart-arses that guessed my balls were the things being dropped, you’re not only incorrect. You’re also shady, and you’re the girl that I knew you were.)
Episode two of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under begins with the queens attempting to decode the scribbling left behind by Faúx Fúr (and it was discovered that no, she didn’t write the n-word on the mirror in lipstick, thankyouverymuch).
Following this, many a Minnie drama took place, which is becoming a weekly occurrence at this stage.
Then, it was an Act A Fool maxi challenge, and a buggy runway which landed drag novice Aubrey Haive in the bottom, who then had to execute a LSYFL against performance powerhouse Kween Kong.
Ultimately, however, it was Aubrey Haive who was sent packing.
A self-proclaimed lockdown queen, Aubrey started her drag journey in 2020 as a way to escape the monotony of lockdown life. She explains, “I’ve always been the performing world; singing, dancing, busking, all that stuff. So, when we went into lockdown, I had no creative outlet. I just felt so lost.”
“So, I needed something to occupy my brain creatively. And I’d always wanted to do drag, like, it’s just so cool. And it’s something that I thought I’d feel really comfortable in. But I was always too scared to, because it costs too much money, and it takes so much time to perfect. So, I was like, ‘well, now I have heaps of time, and not heaps of money…but enough.’”
In the months following, Aubrey took to YouTube, learning how to paint her mug, and style her wigs. And unlike other queens – and we’re not naming names here – she even took the time to learn how to sew. Then, by the time Melbourne’s lockdowns finally eased, “I had gotten pretty good,” Aubrey says.
Pretty good, we think, is an understatement. In fact, we were surprised to see Aubrey leave the werkroom so quickly…and she was too. After filming episode one, she admits she ranked herself in the middle of her fellow queens and was shocked to be told to sashay away in the second week of the competition.
“I was in it to win it,” she says, “so it was a real kick to the gut for me.”
“Because I have so much more to show and offer, I really do. Like, singing is what I do. It’s what I’ve been doing my whole life, and I didn’t even get to do any of that which is such a shame.”
Adding to the disappointment Aubrey felt being asked to leave the mainstage is the financial burden that a show like Drag Race can place on queens. She explains, “No one really ever talks about the financial part of going on Drag Race, but I think in the end I dropped around $30,000 on the show. Like, that’s probably the most disappointing part for me. I did spend a lot of money on the show, as you can see from the quality of my looks. But as much as it sucks, I was just happy to be there, and I’ve only got things to gain from this experience.”
Despite only gracing our screens with her Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent for two episodes, Aubrey – like one or two other queens – was guilty of throwing (and catching) shade towards fellow teammate, Minnie Cooper.
In fact, it was even hinted at by Kween Kong in a confessional that some of the younger queens were ostracising Minnie (and Spankie), two of the more senior queens. To that, Aubrey responds, “honestly, I don’t remember any actual negativity towards age at all when I was there. If anything, the only thing I remember is Beverly (Kills) and I being in awe at Minnie, and just being like, ‘how amazing is she?!’ because of how experienced she is. She was on fire. And I was like, ‘sh*t, that’s a f*cking fully formed drag queen who knows what she’s doing.’ There was never anything malicious towards age whatsoever.”
While we may not be seeing Miss Aubrey Haive on our screens any longer, there’s no denying that her presence made for GREAT television. And she knows it. “I’m an actress,” she boasts, “so I’m gonna give you TV. I’m gonna give you the TV goods, baby. You wanna be entertained? Let me entertain you. If that means im going to act up a little more, so be it.”
Her only regret? Possibly giving us a little too much good TV. Given the opportunity, she admits, “maybe in hindsight, I may have chosen to act up slightly less. But, you know what? It still makes great TV.”
AUBREY HAIVE’S HOT TAKES
MGG: Hottest cast member in drag?
AH: Yuri (Guaii)
MGG: Hottest cast member out of drag?
AH: Yuri (Guaii)
MGG: Hottest look of the episode?
AH: Yuri…No it was me actually. It was me. Yuri is a close second.
MGG: Hottest mess of the episode?
AH: Also me (lol)
MGG: Hot head of the season?
AH: Ahh Minnie (Cooper)
MGG: Hottest (AKA sweatiest) cast member?
AH: Oh, that’s a good one. I actually hadn’t noticed anyone being super sweaty. But I just feel like Spankie (Jackzon) sweats. Don’t ask me why. I f*cking love her though, but I feel like she sweats.
MGG: Cast member who thought they were hot sh*t?
AH: I think Beverly (Kills) thinks that she’s hot sh*t…and I think she kind of is. Like, good for her.
