The Creative Mind Behind the Banana Costume at the Emmys Is a 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Champ
The person underneath the costume further milked a memorable 'Drag Race' moment at the Emmys.
Published Sept. 16 2024, 10:12 a.m. ET
The Primetime Emmy Awards were full of glitz and glamour on Sunday, Sept. 15, but one look stood out against the rest at the award ceremony.
The red carpet became more nutritious after onlookers noticed someone commanding attention by wearing a banana costume. Here's who the creative behind the suit was.
Who was in the banana costume at the Emmys?
RuPaul's Drag Race fans will appreciate the person behind the banana costume. The person was none other than Nymphia Wind, real name Leo Tsao, who won the competition in Season 16. Nymphia made history as Drag Race's first East Asian winner and did so with the help of a real banana. During the 2024 season, Nymphia slipped on a banana peel in the show's workroom. Despite the slip-up, the competitor soared through the rest of the challenges and eventually became the one to watch until the very end.
According to Queerty, the win earned Nymphia a shout-out from the winner's home country, Taiwan, as its president, Tsai Ing-wen, took to X (formerly Twitter) in April 2024 to celebrate the drag queen's win.
"Congratulations to you, Nymphia Wind," the president wrote, adding elsewhere, "Right after being crowned queen, you said “Taiwan, this is for you.' Taiwan thanks you for living fearlessly."
Since Nymphia's Drag Race win, she has traveled the country representing Taiwan and her reality TV win. She's also continued using her banana moment for financial gain, as she announced on her Instagram that she's going on a Banana Ball tour in the U.K., Amsterdam, and Berlin, which kicks off in November 2024.
And while Nymphia's banana look received mixed reviews, many applauded the drag queen for adding spice to the event. Underneath Nymphia's repost of E! News covering the outfit on the red carpet, many felt the Drag Race winner "ate" overall.
