RuPaul's Drag Race star Princess Poppy on why she attended Emmys as green troll

Is RuPaul's Drag Race star Princess Poppy's look for the 2023 Emmys fashion? In the words of Peppermint: It's fashion, it's a green troll, and it's also one of the most hilarious red carpet looks in recent memory.

Nearly one year after confirming her intention to step back from drag in an interview with EW, the Drag Race contestant attended Monday night's ceremony to celebrate season 15's Emmys success alongside her fellow cast mates, and she strolled past A-list celebrities on the red carpet while dressed a bright green goblin.

"I wanted to do the exact opposite of what is expected of you when you go to an event like this. I wanted to take decorum and turn it on its head," Poppy exclusively tells EW of her inspiration for the look, which also included pop culture references like Jabba the Hutt, Roz from Monsters, Inc., and a witch from the 1985 Tom Cruise movie Legend. "Mainly I wanted to be a troll-slash-hag. I wanted to be so shocking that you just have to turn and look at me — in the worst way possible."

While Poppy's look made headlines out of the event, so did Drag Race's Emmys accomplishments. The series won its fifth award for Outstanding Reality Competition Program which extended producer and head judge RuPaul's streak as the most-decorated person of color in Emmys history at the 2024 Creative Arts Emmys.

In his acceptance speech, RuPaul urged Americans to be more accepting of drag performers and the artistry they represent.

“If a drag queen wants to read you a story at a library, listen to her because knowledge is power and if someone tries to restrict your access to power, they are trying to scare you,” Ru said, referencing a new wave of anti-drag and anti-trans legislation and sentiment that swept the nation over the last two years. “So listen to a drag queen! We love you! Thank you!”

RuPaul's speech came as 12 of season 15's 16 overall queens attended the ceremony alongside him, including Poppy, TikTok twins Sugar and Spice, Miss Congeniality winner Malaysia Babydoll Foxx, Irene Dubois, Robin Fierce, finalist Luxx Noir London, Jax, Marcia Marcia Marcia, Aura Mayari, Salina EsTitties, and eventual season winner Sasha Colby.

Though Poppy competed on season 15 and has gone viral several times since being the second-eliminated contestant from the 2023 competition, the San Francisco queen spoke about wanting to step back from drag following her debut on national TV.

"I want to fall off the face of the planet. I don't want to be famous, I want to fade into obscurity," Poppy told EW in April 2023, two months after taking a social media hiatus during Drag Race's run. "That's not a bad thing. I think people put so much emphasis on success and fame, and it's okay to not want to be famous. It's totally valid to not want to be known by a bunch of people. That's just not what I want. I don't want that for my life."

She confirmed that her pseudo-retirement wouldn't be permanent, but that the Princess Poppy persona wouldn't necessarily return in full force.

"Princess Poppy is always going to be there. I'm always going to do it, but it's probably going to be a lot less frequent," she said at the time. "Touring and doing drag all the time is really rough, it's tough on your body, and if you're not loving every minute, then it's difficult."

See Princess Poppy attend the 2024 Emmys as a green troll in the photo above.

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

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