Kelly Leroy Mantle (born July 9, 1976) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, comedian, musician, drag queen, and reality television personality. Mantle appeared as a contestant on the sixth season of the reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race.
Kelly Mantle | |
|---|---|
_2.jpg) Mantle in 2014 | |
| Born | Kelly Leroy Mantle[1] July 9, 1976 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, US |
| Education | University of Oklahoma (BFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, drag queen, singer-songwriter, musician, comedian |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Family | Mickey Mantle (uncle) |
| Musical career | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, drums |
| Website | kellymantle |
Early life
editMantle was born to Larry James and Linda Lea Mantle[2] in Oklahoma City but grew up in New Cordell, Oklahoma.[3] She has a brother, Garrette. She self-identifies as being of Cherokee descent from Oklahoma.[4]
Mantle's uncle was professional baseball player Mickey Mantle, who played for the New York Yankees.[5][6] Mantle graduated with a BFA in Theatre from the University of Oklahoma.[7]
Career
editAfter college, Mantle went to Chicago to begin a career as an actor. She acted in plays such as The Convention and Royal Flush.[8][9] Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon was the first production by OKRA Theatre, a theater company started by Mantle and her friend Tracy Parks, who directed the play.[10][11]
In 1998, Mantle starred in the Chicago production of Charles Busch's play Vampire Lesbians of Sodom.[12] After two years of living in Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles.[10] She later auditioned for the Los Angeles production of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, where she was scouted and signed by a talent agent.[13]
In Los Angeles, Mantle became a member of the band Sex with Lurch, which was formed by singer Robbie Quinne and guitarist Bernard Yin. As part of the group, Mantle used the stage name "Brandy Warhol". The group disbanded in December 2002. Mantle later joined Quinne's follow-up band, the Barbarellatones.[10][14]
Mantle was also a member of the band Tranzkuntinental. The band was started by Charlie Paulson and Xander Smith and features drag queens Detox, Rhea Litré, Vicky Vox, and Willam Belli.[15][16]
Currently, Mantle is a member of the band the Rollz Royces with Tammie Brown and Michael Catti. Mantle and Catti have appeared in Tammie Brown's Christmas show Holiday Sparkle at Fubar in West Hollywood.[17]
In 2014 Mantle starred in Confessions of a Womanizer with Gary Busey. The film was released in 2016. Mantle, who is genderfluid, made history when the film's producers sought both supporting actor and supporting actress consideration for her performance and The Academy granted the request.[18]
Mantle starred as Sheila on both seasons of the OutTV and Amazon Prime sitcom The Browns alongside Tammie Brown[19] and in 2022 supported Trixie and Katya on their tour Trixie and Katya Live.[20]
RuPaul's Drag Race
editIn December 2013, Logo announced that Mantle was among fourteen drag queens who would be competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[21] She was eliminated in the first episode, lip-synching to "Express Yourself" against Vivacious.[22]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- Ever Changing (2002)
- Rock-N-Glow (2004)
- Satellite Baby (2006)
Singles
edit| Song | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" | 2013 | Non-album single |
| "Main Event" | 2014 | RuPaul Presents: The Covergurlz |
| "Eliminated" (featuring Bownce and Wendy Ho) | Non-album single | |
| "Keyboard Courage" | 2015 | Non-album single |
Music videos
edit| Song | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Satellite Baby" | 2007 | — |
| "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" | 2013 | Andrew Putschoegl |
| "Main Event" | 2014 | — |
| "Eliminated" | 2014 | Kija Manharé |
| "Keyboard Courage" | 2015 | Gordon Cowie |
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The Convent | Dickie-Boy | |
| 2000 | True Rights | Cleo | |
| 2000 | Super Duper | Maddie | Short film |
| 2002 | Superfag | Apacalipstick | Short film |
| 2004 | Straight Eye: The Movie | Herself | Short film |
| 2004 | Buds for Life | Sierra Bonita | |
| 2006 | The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down | Drag Queen | |
| 2013 | American Dream | Katrina | Post-production |
| 2013 | Confessions of a Womanizer | Ginger | |
| 2021 | The Bitch Who Stole Christmas[23] | Wistful Woman/Madelyn |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Undressed | Howie | Episode: "Love It or Leave It Again" |
| 2003 | NYPD Blue | Dan "Monika" Hoffnagle | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Nip/Tuck | Transgender Woman No. 2 | Episode: "Sofia Lorez Part II" |
| 2003 | 10-8: Officers on Duty | Raven | Episode: "Badlands" |
| 2003 | Cold Case | Drag Performer No. 2 | Episode: "A Time to Hate" |
| 2003 | Just Shoot Me! | Robert 'Nina Man Horn' | Episode: "The Goodbye Girl" |
| 2004 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Bartender | Episode: "Ch-Ch-Changes" |
| 2004 | Judging Amy | Velvet | Episode: "Order and Chaos" |
| 2005 | George Lopez | Deep Voice Singer | Episode: "George Buys a Vow" |
| 2005 | Eve | Rudy | Episode: "Moral Minority" |
| 2005 | Cuts | Peter | Episode: "Strictly Bizz-Nass" |
| 2008 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | Sparkle | Episode: "Happy Endings" |
| 2009 | Southland | Lacey | Episode: "See the Woman" |
| 2011 | One Night Stand Up | Herself | Episode: "Dragtastic NYC" |
| 2011 | Mike & Molly | Steven | Episode: "Joyce & Vince And Peaches & Herb" |
| 2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Kelly | Episode: "Palestinian Chicken" |
| 2012 | Eagleheart | 'Maph | Episode: "Little Dude" |
| 2012 | Rizzoli & Isles | Kitty | Episode: "Melt My Heart to Stone" |
| 2012 | The New Normal | Aubrey | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2014 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself | Season 6; 13th/14th place (2 episodes) |
| RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked | 1 episode | ||
| 2016 | Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul | 1 episode | |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Episode: "Revenge of the Queens" | ||
| 2018 | Lucifer | Donovan McCann / Cher | Episode: "Let Pinhead Sing!" |
| 2019 | Modern Family | Drag Queen | Episode: "The Last Halloween" |
| 2020–21 | The Browns | Sheila | 2 seasons |
Web series
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Love On-The-Line | Himself | Season 1, Episode 9: "The Meet-Cute Part II" | |
| 2020 | Queen With a Cause | Herself | Episode: "Palm Oil" | [24] |
| 2023 | Bodyody of Work | Herself | Episode: "Kelly Mantle Breaks Down Her Acting Career" |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Eastern Standard[25] | Peter Kidde | Rupel Jones Theatre |
| 1994 | Red Scare on Sunset[26] | Malcolm | Sooner Theatre |
| 1994 | The Foreigner[27] | Ellard Simms | Rupel Jones Theatre |
| 1994 | Holdenville[28] | Rupel Jones Theatre | |
| 1995 | The Nerd[29] | Willum Cubbert | Weitzenhoffer Theatre |
| 1995 | Lysistrata[30] | Weitzenhoffer Theatre | |
| 1996 | The Convention[8] | Sammy Wilcox | The Comedy Asylum |
| 1997 | Royal Flush[9] | Camille | Athenaeum Theatre |
| 1997 | Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon[11] | Ray/Hattie | OKRA Theatre |
| 1998 | Four Dogs and a Bone[31] | Victor | Cafe Voltaire |
| 1998 | Vampire Lesbians of Sodom[12] | Madeleine | Aaah! Capella Theatre Cafe |
| 2004 | Dear Bernard[32] | Jon Meshelle | Court Theatre |
| 2006 | Last Easter[33] | Gash | Laguna Playhouse |
| 2007 | All This, And Heaven Too[34] | Jo | Macha Theatre |
| 2008 | The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode[35] | Blair Warner | Macha Theatre |
| 2010 | The Confusion of My Illusion[36] | One-person show | Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center |
| 2010 | Love, Connie[37] | Bambi | Cavern Club |
| 2011 | Hollywood Dream Role[38] | ACME Comedy Theatre | |
| 2011 | Charlie! The Death of Nancy Fullforce[35] | Kitty Glitter | Art/Works Theatre |
| 2012 | Valley of the Dolls[39] | Sacred Fools Theater Company |
References
edit- ^ "Kelly Leroy Mantle". Ancestry Institute. Ancestry. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
- ^ @thekellymantle (May 13, 2019). "She was always my biggest cheerleader. It's been exactly one month today, and I miss her more than words can say. But I know that her spirit & her love are with me everyday. Happy Mother's Day Linda Lea and to all the Moms with us and beyond, but never far away" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Normal, Abby (December 29, 2013). "Kelly Mantle Stars on RuPaul's Drag Race". Yahoo! Voices. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
- ^ "Native American queens who rocked RuPaul's Drag Race". Drag Society. November 10, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ Bommer, Lawrence (May 25, 1998). "Mickey Mantle's Nephew Has 2 Gay-Themed Plays in Chicago". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 8, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Mantle, Kelly. "About". KellyMantle.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
- ^ "Kelly Mantle bio". KellyMantle.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ a b Smith, Sid (August 7, 1996). "Chaotic 'Convention' Hopelessly Dated, Unfunny". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ a b Smith, Sid (July 9, 1997). "'Royal' Struggles Under The Weight of Its Ideas". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ a b c Deluxe, Bijoux. "Girltalk Magazine". KellyMantle.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ a b Bommer, Lawrence (August 15, 1997). "Oklahoma-texas Laugh Track". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ a b Rauzi, Robin (October 15, 1998). "Campy Neck-Biting: Physical comedy makes lesbian vampires' rivalry hilarious". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ^ Wadewitz, Mikel. "The Right Kind of Attention". Kelly Mantle website. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^ Debonne, Greg (2007). "TheBarbarellatones". The Music Manor. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^ Lecaro, Lina (May 2, 2011). "L.A.'s A Drag: The Reign of Raja, Tranzkuntinental (and Adam Lambert) On Stage and the Dance Floor". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ Horbelt, Stephan (October 13, 2011). "Scream Queens: Meet the Ghouls of Tranzkuntinental". Frontiers. Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ Spargo, Chris (November 21, 2012). "Tammie Brown's Holiday Show Is The Event of the Season". New Now Next. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
- ^ Tapley, Kristopher (December 9, 2016). "Gender-Fluid Actor Kelly Mantle Makes Oscar History". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ "Drag Duo Tammie Brown and Kelly Mantle Return for Second Season of 'The Browns'". TheHomoCulture. November 2, 2021. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ Scott, Kate (April 5, 2022). "Review: Trixie and Katya Go Above and Beyond at Auditorium Theatre". Third Coast Review. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ Beard, Lanford. "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Check out the sickening season 6 supertease and meet the queens – EXCLUSIVE VIDEO". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
- ^ "Last Words With RuPaul's Drag Race's Kelly Mantle". February 26, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- ^ Joey Nolfi (October 29, 2021). "RuPaul's new Christmas movie unites the largest Drag Race cast in history". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ Rudolph, Christopher (September 2, 2020). "Tammie Brown Is a Kick-Ass Action Star in "Queen With a Cause"". NewNowNext. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
- ^ Brandenburg, John (February 25, 1994). "Comedy of Manners Provides Delights". The Oklahoman. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ Brandenburg, John (May 13, 1994). "Stone Soup's Blacklisting Era Satire Tries a Bit Too Hard". The Oklahoman. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ Brandenburg, John (July 7, 1993). "OU Comedy Rousing Melodrama". The Oklahoman. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ "OU's "Lysistrata" a Comic Treat". The Oklahoman. September 9, 1995. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ "The Nerd delivers guffaws, fun". The Oklahoma Daily. June 27, 1995. Retrieved October 29, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "OU's "Lysistrata" a Comic Treat". The Oklahoman. April 7, 1995. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ Jones, Chris (January 20, 1998). "A Sardonic Look at Hollywood Culture". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ Shaner, Madeleine (July 21, 2004). "DEAR BERNARD". Backstage. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ Titus, Tom (April 28, 2006). "Comedy, heartache blend in 'Last Easter'". Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ Holder, Travis Michael (December 6, 2007). "ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO". Entertainment Today. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ a b "Kelly Mantle Theatre Credits and Profile". About the Artists. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ "Theater Reviews: The Confusion of My Illusion, The Psychic, Sweet Sue". LA Weekly. April 1, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
- ^ Morris, Steven Leigh (July 19, 2010). "Stage Raw: Procreation". LA Weekly. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ "ACME Comedy Hollywood :: HOLLYWOOD DREAM ROLE!". ACME Comedy Theatre. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (September 17, 2012). "Casting Announced for Staged Reading of 'Valley of the Dolls'". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.