Fit for a queen: Bailey’s big race
Bailey Dunnage is already a familiar name in his hometown and he will soon become a well-known face throughout the world – under a persona inspired by a favourite family movie.
Dunnage, 25, who grew up in Timaru, has been picked to be among the Kiwi contenders on this year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
In the programme, the New Zealand and Australia spin-off of the American show RuPaul’s Drag Race and in its second season, drag queens compete for the crown and the chance of winning $100,000.
Now residing in Melbourne, Australia, after completing his studies at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Dunnage began dabbling in the art form of drag in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dunnage will be performing as Aubrey Haive, a character his father, Cam Dunnage, of Timaru, said was inspired by the movie Austin Powers.
‘‘It is from Austin Powers, we used to watch it as a family. It is from the catchphrase ‘Oh Behave’,’’ he said. Dunnage said he was excited to watch Bailey perform, with his son making a name for himself in Timaru by busking in Stafford St to raise money for his studies, making it to the boot camp round of the New Zealand X Factor, and being part of the town’s Glee Club.
He said he was ‘‘really proud’’ to see Bailey doing something he loved. ‘‘I don’t know too much of what is going on or how he did [in the show] due to privacy reasons,’’ he said. ‘‘But it would be great to see him perform.’’
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under premieres on TVNZ+ tomorrow.