Once a Soviet gymnast, now a drag legend! Katya Zamolodchikova twists gender, humor, and the laws of logic—one lash at a time.
Katya Zamolodchikova — known to millions simply as Katya — is the dazzling stage persona of Brian Joseph McCook, an American drag performer, comedian, actor, and television personality. Over the past decade, Katya has evolved from a breakout contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race into one of the most celebrated and culturally significant drag artists in the world. With her unique blend of intellect, absurdist humor, and emotional vulnerability, she has managed to turn drag into something more than performance — into philosophy, storytelling, and art. From Massachusetts to the World Stage. Brian McCook was born on May 1, 1982, in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in the nearby town of Marlborough. He grew up in a working-class Catholic family and was drawn to performance from an early age. After studying at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, McCook developed…
Katya Zamolodchikova — known to millions simply as Katya — is the dazzling stage persona of Brian Joseph McCook, an American drag performer, comedian, actor, and television personality. Over the past decade, Katya has evolved from a breakout contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race into one of the most celebrated and culturally significant drag artists in the world. With her unique blend of intellect, absurdist humor, and emotional vulnerability, she has managed to turn drag into something more than performance — into philosophy, storytelling, and art. From Massachusetts to the World Stage. Brian McCook was born on May 1, 1982, in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in the nearby town of Marlborough. He grew up in a working-class Catholic family and was drawn to performance from an early age. After studying at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, McCook developed…
