Katya Zamolodchikova

Katya Zamolodchikova
Катя Замолодчикова
Katya Zamolodchikova in 2015
Born
Brian Joseph McCook

(1982-05-01) May 1, 1982 (age 41)
EducationBoston University
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (BFA)
Occupations
Years active2006–present
Known for
TitleMiss Congeniality
PredecessorBenDeLaCreme
SuccessorCynthia Lee Fontaine
YouTube information
Subscribers274K
(October 25, 2023)
Total views20 million
(October 25, 2023)
Associated actsTrixie Mattel
Websitewelovekatya.com

Brian Joseph McCook (born May 1, 1982), known by his drag persona Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova (Russian: Екатерина Петровна Замолодчикова), or mononymously as Katya (Russian: Катя), is an American drag queen, actor, author, recording artist, and comedian. Katya is best known for placing fifth on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race and placing as a runner-up on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, as well as for appearing in the World of Wonder web series UNHhhh and the Viceland series The Trixie & Katya Show with co-host and fellow season 7 alum Trixie Mattel. Trixie and Katya often appear together as a popular comedy duo.

Early life and education

Born to Pat and Dan McCook, with an older brother and a younger sister, McCook is of Irish descent and was raised in a Catholic household. McCook was raised in Marlborough, Massachusetts and graduated from Marlborough High School in 2000. In a 2019 interview, McCook described growing up as "boring, nondescript, [and] a boiler-plate white suburb". He then attended Boston University for one year before transferring to Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where he studied video and performance art in the Studio for Interrelated Media (SIM) program with a minor in psychology, and first became interested in drag.

Career

Early drag career

McCook created the Russian drag character Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova in 2006, taking the stage name from a combination of Russian names and one of his favorite gymnasts, Elena Zamolodchikova. When creating his drag character, McCook stated that he was inspired by "female comedians and just funny interesting women like Tracy Ullman, Maria Bamford, Lana Del Rey [and] Amy Sedaris." McCook stated on Drag Race that the Russian-based aspect of his persona was inspired by a professor he had while studying at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, who "never left the house without a full face of makeup [with] six inch stilettos in the snow." McCook is not of Russian descent himself, but took several Russian language courses and used a cassette tape called "Pronounce It Perfectly" to master the accent. In addition to speaking Russian, he can also speak fluent French and is known to speak Japanese and Portuguese.

As Katya, McCook hosted a monthly drag show called "Perestroika" at the Jacques Cabaret. Katya became known on the local drag scene in Boston for performing songs by popular Russian artists such as Alla Pugacheva, t.A.T.u. and Glukoza.

RuPaul's Drag Race

Katya auditioned for RuPaul's Drag Race on Logo TV four times before being chosen to participate in season 7. She is seen auditioning for the show back in Season 3's Casting Extravaganza. She won two challenges before being eliminated in episode 11, finishing in fifth place after losing a lip-sync against Kennedy Davenport. The decision to eliminate her was controversial, as she was popular among viewers. During the Season 7 reunion, she was voted Miss Congeniality by fans. On May 16, 2016, Katya appeared at the finale of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 to crown the next Miss Congeniality: Cynthia Lee Fontaine. On June 17, 2016, Katya was announced as one of the cast members on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars. She placed in the top three times throughout the season, and eventually finished as a runner-up along with fellow contestant Detox.

Other projects

Katya and Trixie Mattel in 2017

Katya has uploaded several web series on her YouTube channel, "welovekatya", including RuGRETs, RuFLECTIONS, Drag 101, Total RuCall, and Irregardlessly Trish, the last of which is about a Bostonian hairdresser who lives in a dumpster. Katya improvises some of her material and also writes with a creative partner, Avi Paul Weinstein.

In November 2015, Katya appeared on the Christmas Queens album, singing a modified version of the song "12 Days of Christmas". Katya also features in Trixie Mattel's album Homemade Christmas in the song "The Night Before Contact".

Along with fellow Drag Race contestant Trixie Mattel, Katya co-hosts a web series on the World of Wonder YouTube channel called UNHhhh, which debuted in March 2016. On August 21, 2017, it was announced that Katya and Mattel would have their own show on Viceland, titled The Trixie & Katya Show, which premiered on November 15, 2017.

Katya had a role in the 2018 film Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia With Hate, directed by Matt Kugelman and starring Bianca del Rio in the lead role. In 2018, Katya co-hosted a podcast called Whimsically Volatile with Craig MacNeil. In November 2019, it was announced on the podcast that Katya will be leaving the show. In the fall of 2018, Katya and Mattel revitalized their web series UNHhhh on WOWPresents Plus as well as YouTube due to the overall popularity and success of the show.

In the spring of 2019, Katya announced her touring comedy show, "Help Me, I'm Dying". The tour was filmed for a comedy special of the same name that aired on OutTV in Canada in October 2019. It was available on demand in February 2020 and aired on Logo TV on March 4, 2020. In November 2019, Katya and Mattel cohosted a new show on the Netflix YouTube channel called I Like to Watch where they react to various shows on Netflix. In June 2019, a panel of judges from New York magazine placed Katya 13th on their list of "the most powerful drag queens in America", a ranking of 100 former Drag Race contestants.

She released her first book, Trixie and Katya's Guide to Modern Womanhood, on July 14, 2020. Published by Plume Books, it was co-written with fellow Drag Race contestant Mattel, debuting at number two on The New York Times Best Seller list for "Advice, How-To, and Miscellaneous".

In 2020, Katya and co-host Trixie Mattel launched the weekly podcast "The Bald and The Beautiful." In October Katya confirmed she would release her debut EP Vampire Fitness on November 13. In December, it was announced that Katya and Mattel would co-host the 10th Streamy Awards in Los Angeles.

In August 2021, Katya and Mattel launched a Substack advice newsletter, Gooped, which ran until July 2022.

Personal life

In January 2018, McCook announced a hiatus from drag for mental health reasons, and his comedy tour as Katya, "Help Me, I'm Dying", was postponed until spring 2019. Returning to Twitter in March 2018, McCook announced that the tour would likely be renamed due to his recovery.

In the first episode of Whimsically Volatile in March 2018, McCook discussed the hiatus in detail. He described suffering a psychotic break after a methamphetamine relapse and briefly returning to live with his family in Massachusetts before entering a rehabilitation center in Arizona.

On an episode titled "Time....Again" from season 7 of UNHhhh Katya shared that she had gotten her tattoos during a manic episode while on drugs but that she did not regret getting them.

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2011 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (in drag) Season 3 - Episode 1, audition clip
2015 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (in drag) Season 7 – placed 5th, won Miss Congeniality
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked Herself (in drag) Season 7
2016 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (in drag) Season 8, Episode 10: "Grand Finale"
Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul Herself (panelist) Season 1, Episode 2: "Featuring Amber Rose"
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Herself (in drag) Season 2 – Runner-up
Season 8 – Special Guest; Episode: "Carson Kressley, This Is Your Gay Life"
2017 Playing House Herself (in drag) Season 3, Episode 8: "Reverse the Curse"
Christmas Queens Herself (in drag)/Trish Holiday special
@midnight Herself (in drag) Season 4, Episode 121
2017–2018 The Trixie & Katya Show Herself (co-host in and out of drag) Co-host, 9 episodes
2018 America's Next Top Model Herself (in drag) Cycle 24, Episode 6
RuPaul's Drag Race Herself (in drag) Season 10, Episode 1
Room 104 Ochin'priyatna Season 2, Episode 3: "Swipe Right"
2019 Tales of the City Wedding officiant Episode 7: "Next Level Sh*t"
RuPaul's Drag Race UK Herself (in drag) Season 1, Episode 6
Help Me, I'm Dying Herself (in drag)/Trish Television comedy special
Eastsiders Summer Clearance 2 episodes
2020 AJ and the Queen Magda Episode 2: "Pittsburgh"
Love, Victor Herself (in drag) Season 1, Episode 8: "Boys' Trip"
2021 Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Herself (in drag) Season 6, Episode 2
Lucifer Drag Queen Season 6, Episode 2: "Buckets of Baggage"
The Browns Matchmaka Season 2, Episode 5: "Family Function"
2022 Ziwe Herself (in drag) Season 2, Episode 6: "Gay Pride!"
Trixie Motel Herself (in drag) Episode 8: "Pride Grand Opening"
RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Herself (in drag) Season 2, Episode 4: "Drag Duet"
Dr. Jackie: Unlicensed Psychotherapist Herself (in drag) Episode 1
Sketchy Queens Herself (out of drag) Episode 3: "Stage Moms Are People Too"
The Boulet Brothers' Dragula: Titans Herself (in drag) Episode 6: "The Ugly Ladies of Wrestling Rematch!"
From Katya with Love Herself (co-host) 8 episode reality series on OutTV USA
2023 The Boulet Brothers' Halfway to Halloween TV Special Herself (in drag) Halloween special
Trixie & Katya Live: The Last Show Herself (in drag) Veeps special

Web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2015 RuFLECTIONS Herself (in drag) Chronicling her time on RuPaul's Drag Race season 7
RuGRETS
Irregardlessly Trish Trish Series following one of her alter-egos, Trish
Bestie$ for Ca$h Herself (in drag) 1 episode
Transformations Herself (out of drag) 1 episode
Fashion Photo RuView Herself (in drag) Guest co-host for one episode (with Trixie Mattel)
2015-2016 Whatcha Packin' Herself (out of drag) 2 episodes
2016 I'm Not a Doctor, with Dr. Katya Herself (in drag) Produced by World of Wonder
Drag 101
Total RuCall Chronicling her time on RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race season 2
2016-2017 Hey Qween! 2 episodes
2016–present UNHhhh Herself (co-host in drag) Produced by World of Wonder, with Trixie Mattel
2017 Painted by Fame Herself (out of drag) 1 episode
2017, 2019-2022 The Pit Stop Herself (in drag) 6 episodes
2018 Fashion Photo RuView Guest co-host for four episodes (with Violet Chachki)
2019 Exposed Herself (in drag) 1 episode
Runway Rewind Herself (in drag) Guest co-host for four episodes (with Violet Chachki)
2019–present I Like to Watch Herself (co-host in drag) Produced by Netflix, with Trixie Mattel
2020 Trixie and Katya Save the World Produced by World of Wonder
10th Annual Streamy Awards Co-host in drag with Trixie Mattel, aired on YouTube
2021 Out of the Closet Herself (out of drag) 1 episode
2022 Good for You Herself (in drag) 1 episode
2023 Sissy That Talk Show Herself (in drag) 1 episode
Sissy That Talk Show/The After Show Podcast Herself (in drag) 1 episode
I've Had It Herself (out of drag) 1 episode
Just Sayin' Herself (out of drag) 1 episode

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2016 Redmond Hand, Private Dick Informant Short film
2017 Sebastian Xenia
2018 Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate Katya/Mitya
The Quiet Room David Short film
2019 Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts Herself Documentary
The Queens Herself Documentary
Ru's Angels The Wig Snatcher Short film

Podcast series

Year Title Role Ref.
2018-2019 Whimsically Volatile Herself
2020–present The Bald and the Beautiful Herself
2021 Hot White Heist Sorokin

Music videos

Year Title Other Artists
2015 "Drag U" RuPaul
"12 Days of Christmas"
2016 "Thigh High" Electric Street Queens
2020 "Come in Brazil" Alaska Thunderfuck
"Ding Dong!" Trixie Mattel
"Be Your Own Dentist"
2022 "Muscle Queen" Vigiletti and Yangabang

Discography

Extended plays

Title Details
Vampire Fitness
Vampire Fitness (Remixed)
  • Released: April 23, 2021
  • Label: Producer Entertainment Group
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Album
"Come in Brazil"
(featuring Alaska Thunderfuck)
2020 Vampire Fitness
"Ding Dong!"(Vigiletti Remix)
(featuring Trixie Mattel)
2021 Vampire Fitness (Remixed)

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
Comedy
Digital
"Read U Wrote U"
(RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 2)
2016 Non-album single
"The Night Before Contact"
(Trixie Mattel featuring Katya Zamolodchikova)
2017 5 Homemade Christmas

Guest appearances

Title Year Other artist(s) Album Ref.
"Drag U" 2015 RuPaul RuPaul Presents: CoverGurlz 2
"12 Days of Christmas" Christmas Queens
"Merry Christmas, It's Whateva"
(as Trish)
2016 Christmas Queens 2
"Bossa Nova Christmas in Outer Space" Jackie Beat
"Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel" 2017 Christmas Queens 3
"I.D.F.T. (The Secret Track)" 2021 Leigh Allyce Canali Light and Dark
"Random Ru Girl" Ginger Minj, Stacy Layne Matthews and Eureka O'Hara Gummy Bear

Awards and nominations

Year Award Giving Body Category Work Results Ref
2017 Streamy Awards Show of the Year UNHhhh Nominated
2018 WOWIE Awards Best Podcast Whimsically Volatile Won
2019 Queerty Awards Podcast Nominated
Streamy Awards Unscripted Series UNHhhh Nominated
2020 Queerty Awards Drag Royalty Herself Won
Streamy Awards Unscripted Series UNHhhh Won
Show of the Year Nominated
WOWIE Awards Outstanding Actor Love, Victor Nominated
2021 Queerty Awards Podcast The Bald and the Beautiful Won
Canadian Podcasting Awards Outstanding Foreign Series Won
Streamy Awards Show of the Year UNHhhh Nominated
Unscripted Series Nominated
2022 Queerty Awards Podcast The Bald and the Beautiful Runner-up
Webby Awards Best Podcast Ad Won
Best Podcast Ad (People's Voice) Won
Arts & Entertainment Social Video I Like to Watch Nominated
Arts & Entertainment Social Video (People's Voice) Won
Streamy Awards Show of the Year UNHhhh Nominated
Unscripted Series Nominated
Editing Nominated
2023 Signal Awards Best Video Podcast The Bald and the Beautiful Bronze
Best Co-Host Team Gold
Best "Stan" Podcast Silver
Best LGBTQ+ Podcast Silver
Queerty Awards Best Read Working Girls: Trixie and Katya's Guide to Professional Womanhood Won
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Podcast The Bald and the Beautiful Nominated
Shorty Awards Comedy Podcast Audience Honor
Streamy Awards Show of the Year UNHhhh Nominated

Bibliography


This page was last updated at 2023-11-24 02:21 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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