They Said the Sequel’s Never Better. The Drag House Rules Season 2 Cast Begs to Differ.

Season 2 has a completely new cast. What was the energy like going into production knowing how different this lineup would be?

Jujubee: The energy for me was excitement, because I didn’t have to compete. I could be shady and cause a little chaos. I think I’ve had it out for some of these girls for a few years, so I finally get to be bad Juju.

John Mark: I think any time you have an ensemble show, the tone naturally comes out of the cast members. As a director, my job is always to elevate and support each talent to be as funny as they can be, rather than force a performance.

Jujubee, you're one of the few returning faces from season 1. What made you say yes to coming back?

Jujubee: John Mark. I love working with John Mark. He’s such a great writer, so funny, a great director. But also, with the way the world is right now and how people who don’t know drag talk about drag, I feel it’s so important to have drag queens on a TV show act their asses off, be fierce, show our queerness, and have people understand that we’re not going anywhere. We’re talented, and we’re gorgeous.

John Mark, how much of what ends up on screen is truly scripted versus improvised?

John Mark: There’s a lot of improv. I always tell the queens that the script is there as a suggestion. Something they really appreciate about the show is that they all get to participate in telling a story together. By contrast to competing on reality TV where they have no control, here they really get to come together and play. They know the arc of the season and the important beats to hit, but I always encourage them to be in the moment. A lot of funny comes out of that. And Jujubee is such an incredible improviser, which is part of why it was so effective to make her this producer character.

Is there anyone in the season 2 cast who surprised you, Jujubee?

Jujubee: BeBe Zahara Benet. The first thing she said to me when she stepped on set was, “How do you learn all these words?” She showed up and was like, “Wait, this is scripted? I need cue cards.”

John Mark: Yes we actually worked in scenes where Petey, the PA character who’s back this season, is literally on camera holding BeBe’s cue cards.

Jujubee: And she didn’t know he was in the show! She thought he was a PA for production. When she saw him acting in scenes she was like, “Wait, I’m confused.” And I was like, yeah girl, we know.

What do you want viewers to feel when they watch season 2?

John Mark: Disgusting. And unprofessional…..

Jujubee: But also happy….I want them to feel like they’re just watching chaos and forget about everything going on in their life. Take 30 minutes and just enjoy it.

How does it feel joining this cast?

Heidi N Closet: The girls are crazy. Being part of it was definitely insane. I was like, am I the sane one here? Which is crazy to say because I’m pretty out there already. But it was a lot of fun. I got to work with some girls I’ve worked with many times before, like Angeria and Trinity, and some I hadn’t really gotten to know, like Plane Jane and Salina. And I got to work with legends like Sherry Vine, which was a beautiful moment personally.

The show is a scripted satire, which is pretty different from competing. Did that feel freeing?

Heidi N Closet: That’s the thing. On Drag Race it was very demanding and stressful. Slay had its own constraints. This one was like, we’re in LA, we’re having a good time, and we’re getting the project done. It was definitely one of the more chill experiences I’ve had on a set.

Who in the cast matched your energy, and who completely surprised you?

Heidi N Closet: None of them could match my energy because they’re all monsters. I’m joking. I think we all did a really good job matching each other once we got into the thick of it. Plane Jane surprised me the most. I didn’t know if I was going to like her, and she became one of my favorites. And seeing Jujubee there as a scripted producer was a lot of fun. I was a little jealous of her because she got to do a lot more stuff out of drag. Lucky ho….

You've come a long way since joining Drag Race Season 12 with 33 cents in your bank account. What does it feel like to look back at that?

Heidi N Closet: It’s not really a look back. It’s more like a look inside, because I feel like that part of me is always going to be with me. The scrap, the fight for it all. I’m a college dropout from the South. I have been blessed with so many amazing opportunities. Looking back, I always felt like I was meant for more, something bigger. Apparently I was right, and I’m just happy it panned out the way it has.

Is performance outside of the drag competition world starting to feel like the main lane for you going forward?

Heidi N Closet: Doing drag and the gigs, that’s always going to pay the bills. But being able to step out of that and do projects like Drag House Rules and Slay, it’s always a fun experience. This show in particular, I was able to play a heightened version of myself, so it was easy to connect to the character because it is me. It’s just the version of me where everything goes straight from my brain to my mouth with no filter. I was having great fun.

What's going to surprise fans about season 2?

Heidi N Closet: Just how crazy the girls get. How insane and batshit crazy they really go. Sapphira definitely lets it hang out a lot. Angeria really impressed and surprised me. Salina was also very out there. They say the sequel’s never better, but I have to beg to differ with this one. Season 1, you’re figuring out how it flows. Season 2, that’s when you start gunning it.

Welcome to the party. How does it feel being on Drag House Rules season 2?

Scarlet Envy: It feels incredible. It’s really exciting to be part of a scripted comedy because I feel like it highlights some skill sets that normal reality TV might not.

How does it compare to, say, an acting challenge on Drag Race?

Scarlet Envy: It does feel similar to an acting challenge, especially around this cast of Drag Race girls. Of course it’s scripted, but similar to an acting challenge, we’re welcome to improv or make it our own, to make it feel more drag.

Your character is still you, just a heightened version. How much do you relate to the Scarlet in this world?

Scarlet Envy: Yes. I think the writers created the script with us in mind. The things our characters do and say are inspired by us. They’re heightened versions of ourselves, which is funny because drag is already kind of a heightened version of ourselves. So it’s like turning the knob up even more. It’s pretty wild.

Who pushed you in a way you didn't expect?

Scarlet Envy: Plane Jane, without a doubt. We have a lot of scenes together, and I didn’t expect it, but it’ll make more sense once you see the season. Also, Jujubee is incredible. Working with her felt like Saturday Night Live, all these big cameras, and I just couldn’t help but break character because she’s so ridiculous. She’s such a pro.

Who were you most excited to work with before you started?

Scarlet Envy: I’ve always loved Tammie Brown. She’s not in the main cast but she does come back for a cameo, which is worth mentioning. We also have a lot of amazing cameos this season. And Angeria, she’s a friend. It’s always nice to have someone on set you know is going to be real, professional, and funny.

You also had a busy year outside the show. Tell us about the poetry book.

Scarlet Envy: It’s called Scarlet Envy: She’s A Poet, and it’s my debut poetry collection. It’s a love letter to my fans, a snippet of my life. A lot of the poems are really silly, but some are really beautiful. It’s basically from the perspective of a drag queen. I always have been writing, so who knows, we might have another one on the way one day soon.