Drag Performer The Vivienne Has Died at Just 32, but How Did They Die?
Tributes are coming in to The Vivienne's legacy as a performer.
Published Jan. 6 2025, 10:08 a.m. ET
Following the news that James Lee Williams, who was a drag performer performing under the name The Vivienne, had died, many wanted to learn more about the circumstances around their death. The Vivienne was best known for winning the first season of the U.K. version of RuPaul's Drag Race, and following the news of their death, many wanted to learn more.
They reportedly died at just 32 years old, which meant that plenty of people had questions about their cause of death. Here's what we know.
What was The Vivienne's cause of death?
The announcement of their death came from The Vivienne's manager Simon Jones, who did not disclose a cause of death in his initial statement. The statement, which was posted on Instagram, instead paid tribute to James's legacy.
“It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams — The Vivienne, has passed this weekend. James was an incredibly loved, warmhearted, and amazing person," Simon wrote.
“Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career," he continued. "We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James's family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve."
Simon's statement makes it fairly clear that they aren't planning to share any additional details about James's death.
As a result, it seems possible that fans will never know exactly what happened to them, even if many of them choose to speculate anyway.
In a separate message posted to Instagram later, Simon paid tribute to the talent of his client. "Their talent was immense and the light they brought to every room was astonishingv...vRIP my wonderful friend. You left us way too soon," he wrote.
Fans are devastated by The Vivienne's death.
In addition to winning the first season of Drag Race in the U.K. in 2019, The Vivienne also competed in Drag Race All-Stars in 2022, making her well known to an even broader audience.
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of The Vivienne," the Drag Race Twitter account said in a statement. Her talent, humor, and dedication to the art of drag was an inspiration."
"She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will live on as a beacon of creativity and authenticity – she embodied what it means to be a true champion. Our hearts go out to her family and fans during this difficult time," the statement continued.
"Utterly shocked. Rest in peace The Vivienne. Probably the best drag act we’ve had on Drag Race UK and someone I thought would be a staple of British TV for many years to come," another person added.
The tributes continue to pour out, and while some details of their death remain unclear, it's clear that they were beloved in the drag community and made millions of people feel like family.