Drag Race Down Under star Maxi Shield dies aged 51 after cancer battle
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under favourite Maxi Shield has died at the age of 51, just five months after publicly announcing a cancer diagnosis. The Australian drag icon, known off‑stage as Maxine and celebrated for a career spanning more than 25 years, passed away following a period of treatment that included chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The news was announced by long-time friend and collaborator Wigs By Vanity, who shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, saying it was “with the heaviest of hearts” that they confirmed her passing. The post described Maxi as an “incredible icon, friend, and beloved sister,” adding: “Thank you for the laughs, the cackles, and the magic you brought into our lives… You will be forever loved and deeply missed.”
Universal Sydney, a major fixture of the city’s LGBTQ+ nightlife, also expressed shock and sorrow, calling Maxi an “iconic presence” in queer spaces across the country. They noted her enduring influence and the profound sense of loss her absence will bring to this year’s Mardi Gras celebrations.
Maxi publicly revealed her diagnosis last August after being taken to hospital during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with what she described as a “very scary” issue involving a swollen gland pressing on blood vessels in her throat. Tests later confirmed cancer with a 70–80% treatment rate. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, including her latest round in January, she continued to work and had been scheduled to perform at Sydney’s Oxford Hotel for Mardi Gras week, alongside fellow Drag Race alum Coco Jumbo.
Tributes have poured in from across the drag community and beyond. Coco Jumbo described Maxi as her “idol, friend, sister, mentor, [and] Fanny,” expressing heartbreak and urging her to “rest in power.” Fellow performers and fans have spoken of Maxi’s warmth, humour and decades of contribution to LGBTQ+ culture, including her global visibility during the first season of Drag Race Down Under, where she placed sixth.
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