Jaymes Mansfield reveals she lied about skills in ‘Drag Race’ audition tape

“I literally lied on my audition tape and said I could do a million things that I could not do,” Jaymes exclusively tells EW ahead of her All Stars 8 return.

Before becoming an early-out icon, Jaymes Mansfield was already engaged in legendary behavior without yet setting foot on the RuPaul’s Drag Race stage.

Ahead of her RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 return, season 9‘s first eliminated queen — who went on to forge a successful career as an actor, appearing in projects like VH1’s epic holiday film The Bitch Who Stole Christmas — exclusively reveals to EW that she lied about her special skills in her original audition tape.

“There were some things that I wanted to put out there and try and do over again. When I got on Drag Race the fist time, I was what you call a baby queen. I literally lied on my audition tape and said I could do a million things that I could not do,” she explains.

She continues, “I was just like, in my audition tape, ‘You don’t understand. I’m a fierce dancer. I’m an amazing lip-syncer,’ like, everything drag queens should probably know how to do a little bit. I was like, ‘I’m a great makeup artist,’ but they saw the makeup, so I don’t know how they got me on there. Maybe it was a rough day that day!”

Luckily, she’s had a few years to refine her craft, rising through the ranks of the queendom to become a fan-favorite comedy queen despite her last-place finish on season 9.

“I learned somewhat how to do some of those things now,” Jaymes says of joining 12 queens vying for a shot at the crown and a spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame across All Stars 8. “I’m coming back with a much stronger arsenal of things to use in a competition.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 premieres May 12 on Paramount . Watch Jaymes’ full interview above.

Subscribe to EW’s Quick Drag podcast for recaps of RuPaul’s Drag Race, including reactions with the cast, special guests, and more.

Related content: