Kelly Mantle
Birth nameKelly Leroy Mantle[1]
Birth dateJuly 9, 1976
Birth placeOklahoma City, Oklahoma, US
FamilyMickey Mantle (uncle)
OccupationActor, drag queen, singer-songwriter, musician, comedian
Years active1996–present
EducationUniversity of Oklahoma (BFA)

Kelly Leroy Mantle (born July 9, 1976) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, comedian, musician, drag queen, and reality television personality. Mantle appeared as a contestant on the sixth season of the reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race.

Early life

Mantle was born to Larry James and Linda Lea Mantle[2] in Oklahoma City but grew up in New Cordell, Oklahoma.[3] She has a brother, Garrette. She identifies as being of Cherokee descent from Oklahoma.[4]

Mantle's uncle was professional baseball player Mickey Mantle, who played for the New York Yankees.[5][6] Mantle graduated with a BFA in Theatre from the University of Oklahoma.[7] She is the second Drag Race contestant of Native American descent, following Stacy Layne Matthews of season 3, who is Lumbee. She was followed by Trixie Mattel of season 7 and All Stars 3, who is Ojibwe, and Shuga Cain of season 11, who is Apache.

Career

After college, Mantle went to Chicago to begin a career as an actor. She acted in plays such as The Convention and Royal Flush.[8][9] Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon was the first production by OKRA Theatre, a theater company started by Mantle and her friend Tracy Parks, who directed the play.[10][11]

In 1998, Mantle starred in the Chicago production of Charles Busch's play Vampire Lesbians of Sodom.[12] After two years of living in Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles.[10] She later auditioned for the Los Angeles production of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, where she was scouted and signed by a talent agent.[13]

In Los Angeles, Mantle became a member of the band Sex with Lurch, which was formed by singer Robbie Quinne and guitarist Bernard Yin. As part of the group, Mantle used the stage name "Brandy Warhol". The group disbanded in December 2002. Mantle later joined Quinne's follow-up band, the Barbarellatones.[10][14]

Mantle was also a member of the band Tranzkuntinental. The band was started by Charlie Paulson and Xander Smith and features drag queens Detox, Rhea Litré, Vicky Vox, and Willam Belli.[15][16]

Currently, Mantle is a member of the band the Rollz Royces with Tammie Brown and Michael Catti. Mantle and Catti have appeared in Tammie Brown's Christmas show Holiday Sparkle at Fubar in West Hollywood.[17]

In 2014 Mantle starred in Confessions of a Womanizer with Gary Busey. The film was released in 2016. Mantle, who is genderfluid, made history when the film's producers sought both supporting actor and supporting actress consideration for her performance and The Academy granted the request.[18]

Mantle starred as Sheila on both seasons of the OutTV and Amazon Prime sitcom The Browns alongside Tammie Brown[19] and in 2022 supported Trixie and Katya on their tour Trixie and Katya Live.[20]

RuPaul's Drag Race

In December 2013, Logo announced that Mantle was among fourteen drag queens who would be competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[21] She was eliminated in the first episode, lip-synching to "Express Yourself" against Vivacious.[22]

The Kelly Mantle Show

On December 11, 2024 the first episode of Mantle's podcast The Kelly Mantle Show, executive produced by Trixie and Katya and hosted on the Studio71 network, was released.[23]

Personal life

Mantle has been dating USMC veteran James Janny since around 2017.[24] For their first date, he invited her to a marine ball in Albany, Georgia, where he was stationed.[25]

Discography

Albums

  • Ever Changing (2002)
  • Rock-N-Glow (2004)
  • Satellite Baby (2006)

Singles

SongYearAlbum
"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)"2013Non-album single
"Main Event"2014RuPaul Presents: The Covergurlz
"Eliminated" (featuring Bownce and Wendy Ho)Non-album single
"Keyboard Courage"2015Non-album single

Music videos

SongYearDirector
"Satellite Baby"2007
"My Neck, My Back (Lick It)"2013Andrew Putschoegl
"Main Event"2014
"Eliminated"Kija Manharé
"Keyboard Courage"2015Gordon Cowie

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000The ConventDickie-Boy
True RightsCleo
Super DuperMaddieShort film
2002SuperfagApacalipstickShort film
2004Straight Eye: The MovieHerselfShort film
Buds for LifeSierra Bonita
2006The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting DownDrag Queen
2013American DreamKatrinaPost-production
Confessions of a WomanizerGinger
2021The Bitch Who Stole Christmas[26]Wistful Woman/Madelyn

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999UndressedHowieEpisode: "Love It or Leave It Again"
2003NYPD BlueDan "Monika" Hoffnagle2 episodes
Nip/TuckTransgender Woman No. 2Episode: "Sofia Lorez Part II"
10-8: Officers on DutyRavenEpisode: "Badlands"
Cold CaseDrag Performer No. 2Episode: "A Time to Hate"
Just Shoot Me!Robert 'Nina Man Horn'Episode: "The Goodbye Girl"
2004'BartenderEpisode: "Ch-Ch-Changes"
Judging AmyVelvetEpisode: "Order and Chaos"
2005George LopezDeep Voice SingerEpisode: "George Buys a Vow"
EveRudyEpisode: "Moral Minority"
CutsPeterEpisode: "Strictly Bizz-Nass"
2008The New Adventures of Old ChristineSparkleEpisode: "Happy Endings"
2009SouthlandLaceyEpisode: "See the Woman"
2011One Night Stand UpHerselfEpisode: "Dragtastic NYC"
Mike & MollyStevenEpisode: "Joyce & Vince And Peaches & Herb"
Curb Your EnthusiasmKellyEpisode: "Palestinian Chicken"
2012Eagleheart'MaphEpisode: "Little Dude"
Rizzoli & IslesKittyEpisode: "Melt My Heart to Stone"
The New NormalAubreyEpisode: "Pilot"
2014RuPaul's Drag RaceHerselfSeason 6; 13th/14th place (2 episodes)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked1 episode
2016Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul1 episode
RuPaul's Drag Race All StarsEpisode: "Revenge of the Queens"
2018LuciferDonovan McCann / CherEpisode: "Let Pinhead Sing!"
2019Modern FamilyDrag QueenEpisode: "The Last Halloween"
2020–21The BrownsSheila2 seasons
2025Drag House RulesWriterEpisode: "The Ghost & the Ganja"

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2013Love On-The-LineHerselfSeason 1, Episode 9: "The Meet-Cute Part II"
2020Queen With a CauseHerselfEpisode: "Palm Oil"[27]
2023Bodyody of WorkHerselfEpisode: "Kelly Mantle Breaks Down Her Acting Career"

Podcasts

YearTitleRoleRef.
2021Exposed: Dragged OutGuest[28]
2021-2022Race ChaserGuest[29][30]
2021Ebony and IronyGuest[31]
2022Sloppy SecondsGuest[32]
2022-2025The Bald and the BeautifulGuest[33][34][35]
2023Very DeltaGuest[36]
2024-presentThe Kelly Mantle ShowHost[37]

Theatre

YearTitleRoleTheatre
1994Eastern Standard[38]Peter KiddeRupel Jones Theatre
Red Scare on Sunset[39]MalcolmSooner Theatre
The Foreigner[40]Ellard SimmsRupel Jones Theatre
Holdenville[41]Rupel Jones Theatre
1995The Nerd[42]Willum CubbertWeitzenhoffer Theatre
Lysistrata[43]Weitzenhoffer Theatre
1996The Convention[8]Sammy WilcoxThe Comedy Asylum
1997Royal Flush[9]CamilleAthenaeum Theatre
Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon[11]Ray/HattieOKRA Theatre
1998Four Dogs and a Bone[44]VictorCafe Voltaire
Vampire Lesbians of Sodom[12]MadeleineAaah! Capella Theatre Cafe
2004Dear Bernard[45]Jon MeshelleCourt Theatre
2006Last Easter[46]GashLaguna Playhouse
2007All This, And Heaven Too[47]JoMacha Theatre
2008The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode[48]Blair WarnerMacha Theatre
2010The Confusion of My Illusion[49]One-person showLos Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center
Love, Connie[50]BambiCavern Club
2011Hollywood Dream Role[51]ACME Comedy Theatre
Charlie! The Death of Nancy Fullforce[48]Kitty GlitterArt/Works Theatre
2012Valley of the Dolls[52]Sacred Fools Theater Company

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef
2026Queerty AwardsPodcastThe Kelly Mantle Show
[53]

References

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  2. ^ "She was always my biggest cheerleader. It's been exactly one month today, and I miss her more than words can say. But I know that her spirit & her love are with me everyday. Happy Mother's Day Linda Lea and to all the Moms with us and beyond, but never far away.". No. 1127742461487370241.
  3. ^ Normal, Abby (December 29, 2013). "Kelly Mantle Stars on RuPaul's Drag Race". Yahoo! Voices. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  4. ^ "Native American queens who rocked RuPaul's Drag Race". Drag Society. 2021-11-10. Archived July 12, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  5. ^ Bommer, Lawrence (May 25, 1998). "Mickey Mantle's Nephew Has 2 Gay-Themed Plays in Chicago". Playbill. Archived December 8, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  6. ^ Mantle, Kelly. "About". KellyMantle.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  7. ^ "Kelly Mantle bio". KellyMantle.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
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  9. ^ Smith, Sid (July 9, 1997). "'Royal' Struggles Under The Weight of Its Ideas". Chicago Tribune. Archived April 17, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  10. ^ Deluxe, Bijoux. "Girltalk Magazine". KellyMantle.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
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  12. ^ Rauzi, Robin (October 15, 1998). "Campy Neck-Biting: Physical comedy makes lesbian vampires' rivalry hilarious.". Los Angeles Times. Archived July 27, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
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  24. ^ "I had the most magical weekend at the Marine Corps Ball with my amazing sexy boyfriend Sgt. James Nanney, Jr.". 6 November 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
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  27. ^ Rudolph, Christopher (September 2, 2020). "Tammie Brown Is a Kick-Ass Action Star in "Queen With a Cause"". NewNowNext. Archived June 2, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  28. ^ Joseph Shepherd (November 11, 2021). "Browning Out (w/ Tammie Brown and Kelly Mantle)". Exposed: Dragged Out. The Dipp. Archived April 17, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  29. ^ Alaska and Willam (December 3, 2021). "HOT GOSS #127: Thank You God For All This Pod, The Browns Season 2, and Pegging Advice (w/ Tammie Brown & Kelly Mantle)". Race Chaser. Moguls of Media. Archived April 17, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  30. ^ Alaska and Willam (July 29, 2022). "HOT GOSS #158: "A Doctor's Note, See You In The Magazines, and an Update From Reseda" (w/ Kelly Mantle)". Race Chaser. Moguls of Media. Archived April 17, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
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  33. ^ "Eating Cheetos on the Floor of the Met Gala with Kelly Mantle and Katya | The Bald & The Beautiful". YouTube. May 17, 2022. Archived May 28, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  34. ^ "Kelly Mantle & Two Space Heaters to the Face with Trixie | The Bald and the Beautiful Podcast". YouTube. May 7, 2024. Archived January 9, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  35. ^ "Kelly Mantle's Trixie the Cable Girl Nightmare with Trixie and Katya | The Bald and the Beautiful". YouTube. January 7, 2025. Archived February 8, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  36. ^ "Very Delta #55 with Kelly Mantle: "Are You Very Delta Fan Favourite Kelly Mantle?"". YouTube. July 31, 2023. Archived November 17, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  37. ^ "Tammie Brown Spins Kelly's Head Round And Round". YouTube. December 11, 2024. Archived December 11, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
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