Drag Race UK star Cara Melle heaps praise on Laverne Cox (Picture:BBC/Rex)
Drag Race UK star Cara Melle has credited Orange Is the New Black actress Laverne Cox for helping her identify as a trans woman.
Last month the fifth season of the show kicked off, with 10 queens in the running to be named the Next Drag Superstar while impressing The hopefuls the likes of Mama Ru, Michelle Visage and Graham Norton.
The Atlanta born star, 26, is the first Black trans woman to appear in the annual competition, a title she is honoured to carry.
She told Metro.co.uk: ‘I mean it feels like the most surreal feeling to be a black trans woman on TV representing my community.’
Speaking about her inspirations, Cara Melle revealed actress Laverne Cox -who was also the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the Netflix series – played a big part in her development.
She added: ‘The first black trans woman that I saw was Laverne Cox.
Laverne played Sophia Burset on the Netflix show (Picture: Getty)
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‘When I saw her on Orange Is the New Black I was like “my God” and at the time I didn’t identify as a trans woman.’
Cara Melle continued: ‘She helped me get out of my shell and helped me realise why i connected with this person at the time. That really helped my development.
‘I want to show other black trans women that we are powerful and can be representing and giving it our best. That makes me feel so fulfilled.’
Last week fans saw Alexis Saint-Pete being the first to sashay away.
The queens were tasked with creating couture looks in the legendary Design Challenge which tests the creative, sewing, and gluing skills of the queens against the clock.
Cara Melle’s party trick is her Beyonce impersonation (Picture: BBC)
Renowned for being one of the toughest of Drag Race challenges, it has altered the path of many accomplished queens over the years.
Offering expert fashion advice, Vogue UK Editor-In-Chief, Edward Enninful made an extra special cameo appearance joining Ru in the workroom, and bringing along his pet dog, also named Ru.
After being eliminated, Alexis said that while she didn’t want to go home first, she ‘wanted to show so much more’.
‘But I’m walking away as a winner already in my heart. I’m so happy to be here in my new homeland and I hope to come back stronger than ever,’ she said.
In her parting mirror message to her fellow queens, she wrote: ‘Always believe in yourself, love you so much!’
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK continues tonight at 9pm on BBC Three.
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‘I want to show other black trans women that we are powerful.’