Eureka on taking a lover (and a hard look at themself) on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6

The self-proclaimed "Elephant Queen" in the room is through being ignored.

"I kind of became the black sheep after season 10," Eureka tells EW following their RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6 elimination. "No one really wanted to be part of Eureka: drag queens, fans, anything. I was in a dark space. I had to show people I came out of it, and I did, so I'm proud of that."

The road hasn't been easy for the drag superstar, who courted controversy following their initial run on season 10; clashes with their fellow competitor The Vixen sparked debate on racial bias among the Drag Race fans, but Eureka says they've since course-corrected their behavior, and competing on AS6 was a shot at redemption they didn't take lightly.

"After the death of my mother, I had to go through a healing process," Eureka explains, adding that their time back on the Drag Race set — which came to an end Thursday after a design challenge and subsequent group vote sent them packing — came after a long period of introspection and work on their emotional maturity. "Losing her was a weird element of self-discovery. I came back ready as a human. I know who I am now, I love who I am now — not that I didn't before — but you fake it until you make it. Well, Eureka is no longer faking it, and she's definitely making it."

Below, Eureka expands on how they were able to make peace with their inner demons, learn to love themself — and others, like their seasonal crush, Trinity K. Bonet — as a "sex magnet," and making a powerful statement on the runway about harnessing darkness and stitching it into the fabric of fashion and soul.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Eureka! I'm so sorry to see you go. I think you're going to be fine, though, right?

EUREKA: I hope so! I think we'll all be fine.

I mean, you're getting those HBO checks...

That's what people keep saying, these HBO checks! I'm like, can you send me one? Everyone swears we're millionaires because we're on HBO; I get paid $2.15 per episode. [Laughs]

Let's start with the most important thing: What's the tea with you and Trinity? Was there kai kai going on in the hotel?

Contrary to popular belief, I am a sex magnet! Trinity and I have a special relationship. Josh [Trinity's name out of drag] is an incredible guy and is so sweet and made me feel special at a moment I was so insecure about myself. It was nice to get the attention and very sweet of Josh to make me feel cute and sexy, especially at my blown-up weight from the pandemic! It was a moment we shared. There are details, but, mama, I don't kiss and tell!

Wait, so the "details" continued after filming?

Oh, Josh is my bae forever. Don't get it twisted. Even if my baby decides to date other people, if we decide to go that route, they're always going to have to take applications from [me]!

Speaking of sexy, this episode your sisters voted you to be bossy, gassy, messy, and shady in the superlative mini challenge. I need you to tell me if you're just gassing up the whole studio on set.

I think the gassy thing came from, well, every time I get in drag, I have to poop before I paint. I'd eat lunch and then I'd wait. They'd be like, "Eureka, when are you going to get ready?" And I'd be like, "You know I have to use the bathroom first, girl." Maybe I was a little gassy because I have to prep: I poop and paint. I eat, I poop, I paint.

There's nothing like transitioning from talking about your on-set lover to bowel movements.

It's a subjugation of my divinity: It's very Divine!

Outside of that, you showed off a real maturity. It seems like you did a lot of work on yourself, and you seem more grounded than you were on season 10. Was there anything specific that changed that allowed you to evolve into the person we saw on All Stars 6, who wasn't involved in a single argument!

After the death of my mother, I had to go through a healing process and learn that I was grieving my mother's passing before she died. I was going through a lot of emotional roller coasters, knowing she was going to pass and harboring a lot of pain, guilt, and responsibility. My mother gave me a gift when she passed a way: The gift of relief in knowing that at least she wasn't living in pain. I didn't have to stress or worry about her anymore, I just had to miss her. I re-learned who I was as a human and just grew as an adult to walk on my own two feet versus living for my mom. And I still live for my mom, but it was a way for me to learn what I'm going to live for now…. Losing her was a weird element of self-discovery. I came back ready as a human. I know who I am now, I love who I am now — not that I didn't before — but you fake it until you make it. Well, Eureka is no longer faking it, and she's definitely making it.

I understand. I'm sorry about your mother, but I'm glad you've found peace with it and that you're able to turn it into something good. You're doing her proud.

Thank you!

Getting back to perceptions that people had from past seasons, Pandora said that she felt like Divine in Snatch Game was a lot of energy, and that it overwhelmed her in the moment, which was a similar critique to what you got after Snatch Game on season 10. What was that energy like in the room in the moment, this time around? Did you have any idea that Pandora felt that way?

We're cool! When you're someone like me, who's so sure of themselves, and you're paired next to someone who's so unsure of who they are, it's easy to deflect. I'm going to be honest, it's all part of the classic assumption when it comes to societal roles and our presentation as bigger people: I'm not supposed to be as confident and happy as I am, so it's hard for people to take when they're not confident and happy [in the moment]. Their pain is not my pain or responsibility.

Right, you're trying to win a challenge, you're not turning down your energy because you sense a competitor is feeling anxious in the heat of the moment.

I think she was intimidated. I think the jokes weren't landing and that's where the shrinkage came from. It's annoying when flight or fight comes into effect [for us as competitors], and you have to find reasons for why you did so poorly. We're cool! Pandora and I are fine. She texts me periodically, she calls me her lesbian lover!

You've taken so many lovers!

I told you, I'm a sex magnet, girl! These kids don't know how to take it. When you love yourself, people want to love you, too.

I enjoyed the shots of you rolling around on the floor to cut your costume on this episode. You deserve a crown just for that.

Oh my God! Bitch, that f---ing fabric was the worst to work with and cut! And then, like, mermaid sequins, what did I do to myself, ya'll?

It's a good look!

It's an incredible gown! I did so good. I was so proud of it. I thought I was going to win, but I thought I was going to win every week. [Laughs]

It was especially hard this week because I don't think anyone really did poorly, but it looked like Ra'Jah and Kylie particularly came down to the wire on timing. Did anyone just barely make it to the stage on time?

I mean, everyone, honestly. We were all down to the last minute because everyone wanted to put any and everything on their garment. We were all hot-gluing something, finishing a look, everyone was fighting to the bitter end until they were like, "No, girls, you have to go right now!" We were ready to battle, and we fought for it.

You didn't get bad critiques. You took a risk and played a villain, and you found beauty in a darker character, which, maybe I'm reading too much into this, but it seemed like you referenced your own narrative on the show and how fans called you a villain on season 10. Was that the intent?

Absolutely, that was 100 percent my intention. The entire season, I wanted to be honest and have integrity and be an open book, and reference those moments and not be afraid of it. Fear is what halts progression, so I had to go in unafraid [of facing the past]. That was the point. I wanted to be fearless in this character. You call me bossy, gassy, and messy, but I'm going to take that narrative and I'm going to make it work for me. I have to lead by example as the queen I am today, I can't let it tear me down.

You also broke down in your discussion with Trinity; you said you were "tired of being 'almost there.'" You've had so much success outside this show, so why was it so important for you to do well on Drag Race, despite your outside success?

Because I missed the mark last time, and I was in such a haze because of what I was going through emotionally. I missed a lot of it and didn't get to sit in the moment. But, this time I did. I lived every moment, so it was important to show myself that I could do this. I wanted to win. I want to win because people like me aren't supposed to win, and we never win, so why not allow someone like me to finally win?

Do you think there's something about doing well specifically in front of these fans, that no matter how much success you have outside the franchise, to some fans it only matters how well you do on the show?

I came back because I wanted to regain the respect of the fandom and show them who I was as a person, because I made an ass out of myself on season 10. I wasn't aware of how I was reacting on social media and things like that. I also wanted to regain the respect of my sisters and fellow competitors. I wanted to show them that this is who I am. Honestly, I kind of became the black sheep after season 10. No one really wanted to be part of Eureka, drag queens, fans, anything. I was in a dark space. I had to show people I came out of it, and I did that, so I'm proud of that.

We didn't get to see who you voted for. Who was it?

I was trying to do my own, but they wouldn't let me! I'm kidding… I don't know, I don't remember who I voted for. It's kind of a haze. I literally was on two hours of sleep, bitch! I was barely making it at this point.

Trinity voted for you! How did you feel when you found out?

I kind of expected all of them to vote for me because I hadn't won a challenge, so I was going to bow out gracefully and take it as I should.

Were there any voting alliances between queens this season that we don't know about?

I don't know, really. For me, maybe not voting alliances, but I was really close to Ra'Jah. She sat close to my heart. I was never going to vote for Ra'Jah, personally. I was never going to vote for Ginger, Kylie, any of them. The top four for me is a dream top four, I was so proud to walk away and watch them stand there, to be honest.

Kameron lip-synced against Ra'Jah, and I need to know if Trinity and Kameron — both of whom took the title of your seasonal crushes — had a battle of their own for your love and affection?

No, Kameron don't care! Kameron don't love me. [Laughs] No, Kameron is cool, just like, "Whatever, girl!"

Did you have any words with Kameron after the season about how it all went down?

Yes! We talked the next day, as soon as I got my phone, she was one of the first people I called. She told me how much she loved me and she appreciates me. She thought I looked beautiful, she was just hyping me up!

I also have to ask you about this moment that absolutely cracked me up last week, when the curtain came up and you said, "Could it be Madame LaQueer?" It seemed to be an earnest question. Did you really think Madame LaQueer was in the gig?

[Laughs] I don't know! I was just saying! But, could it be Madame LaQueer? Ooh, I just wanted to say her name! I love her so much. She's so slept on! She's so funny to me.

I know you can't spoil much, but what can you tease about the game within a game?

The game within a game is hard, it's rough, it's going to be tough and it's going to be up to the fans in how they interpret it when they see how this works. Insert evil laugh! Here we go, bitch!

And, of course, We're Here season 2 is coming up. What else?

I want to be in TV and movies. I want to be a serious actor, like Divine! Eureka gave me my fame and I just want to be taken as a serious actor, darling! My whole life is a show. I want to continue the success that Divine paved for me, mama.

Subscribe toEW's BINGE podcast for full recaps of RuPaul's Drag Race, including our new season diving into all five All Stars seasons, featuring exclusive interviews with Jujubee, Alexis Mateo, Shea Couleé, Alaska, Detox, BenDeLaCreme, Kennedy Davenport, and more. And be sure to catch up on our BINGE recaps of RuPaul's Drag Race seasons 1-13 with Symone, Jaida Essence Hall, Trixie Mattel, Katya, Peppermint, Bianca Del Rio, Bob the Drag Queen, Sasha Velour, and more!

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