Myki Meeks says winning RuPaul’s Drag Race was “life-changing,” credits production team for raising the bar each season

After 18 seasons on the air, RuPaul’s Drag Race has accumulated 88 Emmy nominations and 29 wins, and the show’s latest awards push was highlighted in Deadline’s Contenders Television: The Nominees studio. In the session, Season 18 winner Myki Meeks described winning as a life-changing moment and discussed the work and creative standards she said have helped the competition remain appointment viewing year after year.

Meeks joined executive producer Natalia James, co-executive producer John Polly, production designer Jen Chu, and choreographer Jamal Sims for the conversation. The group discussed how the program builds its runway and performance elements across seasons, and how the creative team, from design through choreography, maintains a consistent emphasis on both polish and distinct point of view.

The studio appearance also took place as RuPaul’s Drag Race prepared to respond to a new round of Emmy consideration, according to Deadline. The outlet framed the discussion around the show’s “most recent slew” of Emmy nominations, using the nominations as the backdrop for the cast and crew’s comments on long-term execution and adaptation.

According to Deadline, the episode featured Meeks speaking directly about what winning meant to her personally, while the production leadership and key creative staff focused on the systems they use to keep improving. For the creative roles represented in the panel, that included production design responsibilities and performance movement, with Jamal Sims addressing choreography as a major component of the show’s competitive presentation.

The appearance underscored how the series continues to function as a major awards contender while still running as a competition format. Deadline noted that, with 18 seasons behind it, the program’s track record with the Emmys is now firmly established, and the studio conversation used that history to frame the show’s current workflow and goals heading into the next awards cycle.

For viewers, the interview offered a look at the practical side of staying competitive in a recurring series built around rapid creative turnover. Meeks’ comments on the impact of winning were paired with discussion of how producers and department heads set expectations for the next round of contestants and keep the show’s production and performance standards aligned with its public-facing identity.

Deadline’s Contenders Television: The Nominees studio segment placed Meeks and the production team in the same space to discuss both personal stakes and professional process. With Emmy nominations now serving as a public milestone for the season, the session positioned the show’s continued recognition as the result of sustained production effort rather than a single-cycle performance.

The studio conversation did not cite any new policy changes or behind-the-scenes disputes, but it did reinforce the show’s ongoing emphasis on craft, design, and choreography as central to its appeal and its awards profile. As Emmy consideration advances, the interview marks a continued media presence for the Season 18 winner and the creative leadership team responsible for the format’s execution.