Dwayne Cooper
{{Short description|American actor and entertainer}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dwayne Cooper
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| other_names = {{Flatlist|
- Dwayne Milan
- Milan
}}
| occupation = {{Flatlist|
- Actor
- drag queen
}}
| years_active =
| alma mater = University of South Carolina
| known_for =
| television = RuPaul's Drag Race (season 4)
| notable_works =
}}
Dwayne Cooper, also known by the drag persona Milan and as Dwayne Milan,{{Cite web |last=Musto |first=Michael |date=2012-03-07 |title=Dwayne Milan From RuPaul's Drag Race Speaks! |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/dwayne-milan-from-rupauls-drag-race-speaks/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215185316/https://www.villagevoice.com/dwayne-milan-from-rupauls-drag-race-speaks/ |archive-date=2023-12-15 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=The Village Voice |issn=0042-6180}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2012-03-08 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race – Dwayne Milan |url=https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2012/03/08/rupauls-drag-race-dwayne-milan/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Hotspots! Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001090745/https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2012/03/08/rupauls-drag-race-dwayne-milan/ |url-status=live }} is an American actor and entertainer who competed on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. On stage, Cooper has had roles in multiple national tours, and he performed in Broadway productions of Hairspray and Motown: The Musical. Raised in Florence, South Carolina, Cooper relocated to New York City.
Early life and education
Dwayne Cooper was raised in Florence, South Carolina, and attended West Florence High School. Involved in many school activities, he was student government president in 1993, during his senior year. Cooper attended the University of South Carolina, initially planning to major in journalism but opting for theatre instead.{{Cite web |last=Bridges |first=Traci |date=2012-01-25 |title=West Florence, USC grad in the hunt on "Rupaul's Drag Race" |url=https://scnow.com/entertainment/west-florence-usc-grad-in-the-hunt-on-rupauls-drag-race/article_37317ebd-bae3-57ba-bf63-40ca032bb4e4.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215185315/https://scnow.com/entertainment/west-florence-usc-grad-in-the-hunt-on-rupauls-drag-race/article_37317ebd-bae3-57ba-bf63-40ca032bb4e4.html |archive-date=2023-12-15 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=The Morning News |publisher=Lee Enterprises |issn=1085-2131 |oclc=27969756}}
Career
Cooper is an actor and entertainer who competed in drag as Milan on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Since appearing on the show, Cooper has only performed in drag for acting roles, such as when he played a drag queen in the film Spoiler Alert. On stage, Cooper has acted in national tours of Show Boat and Smoky Joe's Cafe,{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Doo Wop Project to get vocal at Easton's State Theatre |url=https://www.poconorecord.com/story/entertainment/2018/11/16/doo-wop-project-to-get/6148461007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321190105/https://www.poconorecord.com/story/entertainment/2018/11/16/doo-wop-project-to-get/6148461007/ |archive-date=2023-03-21 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Pocono Record |publisher=Gannett}} and in a production of Suessical.{{Cite web |last=Szelinski |first=Cailyn |date=2022-12-22 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4: Where Are They Now? |url=https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-season-4-where-are-they-now/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223095733/https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-season-4-where-are-they-now/ |archive-date=2022-12-23 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Screen Rant}} He was among the cast of Smoky Joe's Cafe which received the award for 'Outstanding Ensemble, off-Broadway' at the Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography in 2019.{{Cite web |title=Tony Nominee Robin de Jesús on His Gay Awakening, "Boys in the Band" Movie |url=https://www.logotv.com/news/ui4ga9/robin-de-jesus-boys-in-the-band-movie |access-date=2023-12-16 |publisher=Logo TV |language=en}} On Broadway, Cooper performed as Thad in Hairspray, in the ensemble of Motown: The Musical, and as a swing in the 2023 revival of Sweeney Todd.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/dwayne-cooper-469794|title=Dwayne Cooper|website=Internet Broadway Database|accessdate=December 14, 2023|publisher=The Broadway League|archive-date=March 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319052720/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/dwayne-cooper-469794|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=2022-11-22 |title='RuPaul's Drag Race' winner Jinkx Monsoon to make their Broadway debut in 'Chicago' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/rupauls-drag-race-winner-jinkx-214807683.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123011234/https://news.yahoo.com/rupauls-drag-race-winner-jinkx-214807683.html |archive-date=2022-11-23 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Yahoo! News}} He has been credited as the first Drag Race contestant to land a role on Broadway.{{Cite web |last=McPhee |first=Ryan |date=March 14, 2018 |title=Broadway-Bound Peppermint Will Join Fellow RuPaul's Drag Race Alum Alexis Michelle at Feinstein's/54 Below |url=https://playbill.com/article/broadway-bound-peppermint-will-join-fellow-rupauls-drag-race-alum-alexis-michelle-at-feinsteins-54-below |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113135410/https://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-bound-peppermint-will-join-fellow-rupauls-drag-race-alum-alexis-michelle-at-feinsteins-54-below |archive-date=November 13, 2022 |access-date=December 14, 2023 |website=Playbill |issn=0551-0678}}
Cooper is also part of the Doo Wop Project, a supergroup of Broadway actors who perform pop songs from the Great American Songbook.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-01 |title=Doo Wop Project brings Broadway stars from 'Jersey Boys' and 'Motown: The Musical' to the Weinberg stage |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/doo-wop-project-brings-broadway-001700125.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215185315/https://sports.yahoo.com/doo-wop-project-brings-broadway-001700125.html |archive-date=2023-12-15 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Yahoo! Sports}}{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Deb |date=2020-10-07 |title=15 Questions in 15 Minutes with The Doo Wop Project's Dwayne Cooper |url=https://dctheaterarts.org/2020/10/07/15-questions-in-15-minutes-with-the-doo-wop-projects-dwayne-cooper/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=DC Theater Arts |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215185315/https://dctheaterarts.org/2020/10/07/15-questions-in-15-minutes-with-the-doo-wop-projects-dwayne-cooper/ |url-status=live }} According to Denise Leslie of the Pagosa Daily Post, Cooper has been described as a "modern day Sammy Davis Jr. meets Barry White".{{Cite web |date=2023-03-27 |title='Doo Wop Project' Performs at Fort Lewis, Friday, March 31 |url=https://pagosadailypost.com/2023/03/27/doo-wop-project-to-perform-at-fort-lewis-friday-march-31/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Pagosa Daily Post |archive-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412085746/https://pagosadailypost.com/2023/03/27/doo-wop-project-to-perform-at-fort-lewis-friday-march-31/ |url-status=live }}
= ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' =
On Drag Race, Milan placed ninth overall. On the fourth episode ("Queens Behind Bars"), she placed in the bottom two of an acting challenge and defeated Madame LaQueer in a lip-sync to the 2003 song "Trouble" by Pink.{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Bernardo |date=2019-10-20 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race: 5 Most Memorable Lip Sync Performances (& 5 That Fans Completely Forgot About) |url=https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-best-worst-lip-sync-performances/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415204039/https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-best-worst-lip-sync-performances/ |archive-date=2023-04-15 |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Screen Rant}} For the Snatch Game challenge of the fifth episode, Milan impersonated Diana Ross. Her performance landed her in the bottom two again, and she beat Kenya Michaels in a lip-sync to the 1990 song "Vogue" by American singer Madonna. Milan was eliminated on the sixth episode ("Float Your Boat"), when she was placed in the bottom two of the design challenge which required contestants to create and wear pride-themed floats. She lost a lip-sync against Jiggly Caliente to the 2011 song "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga, during which Milan removed her dress, jewelry, and wig.{{Cite web |last=Alonzo |first=Michelle Konopka |date=2022-06-18 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race: The Best (& Worst) Lip-Sync Reveals Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-best-worst-lip-sync-reveals/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Screen Rant |archive-date=2023-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418214531/https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-best-worst-lip-sync-reveals/ |url-status=live }}
During one of the runway shows, Milan wore a tuxedo outfit inspired by Janelle Monáe.{{Cite web |title=Janelle Monae Overwhelmed, Honored to Be a Judge on 'Drag Race': "This Is History" |url=https://decider.com/2023/01/27/rupauls-drag-race-janelle-monae-guest-judge-untucked/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331150234/https://decider.com/2023/01/27/rupauls-drag-race-janelle-monae-guest-judge-untucked/ |archive-date=2023-03-31 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Decider|date=28 January 2023 }} Ethan LaCroix and Jillian Anthony ranked her eighth in Time Out New York{{'s}} 2015 list of New York City-based contestants and opined: "Milan was never really a contender ... but she sure was entertaining while she lasted. She defied the judges week after week with her barely there makeup and her lip-synch performances that involved dress rending and wig tossing, leaving her spent and nearly naked on the runway."{{Cite web |date=2015-04-20 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race NYC drag queens, ranked |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/lgbt/rupauls-drag-race-nyc-queens-ranked |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Time Out New York |publisher=Time Out Group |language=en-US |issn=0049-3910 |archive-date=2019-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213023512/https://www.timeout.com/newyork/lgbt/rupauls-drag-race-nyc-queens-ranked |url-status=live }} Patrick Crowley ranked her number 23 in Billboard{{'s}} 2016 list of Snatch Game performances.{{Cite magazine |last=Crowley |first=Patrick |date=2016-08-25 |title='RuPaul's Drag Race' Snatch Game: Ranking Pop Star Impersonations From Worst to Best |url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/rupauls-drag-race-snatch-game-best-impersonations-ranked/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Eldridge Industries |language=en-US |issn=0006-2510 |archive-date=2023-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216191039/https://www.billboard.com/photos/rupauls-drag-race-snatch-game-best-impersonations-ranked/ |url-status=live }}
In 2018, Michael Cuby included the disagreement between Milan and Willam on the third episode of the companion series RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked in American online LGBT magazine Them{{'s}} list of the ten "messiest fights" on Drag Race.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2018-06-28 |title=The 10 Messiest Fights in 'Drag Race: Untucked' History |url=https://www.them.us/story/drag-race-untucked-10-messiest-fights |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610105916/https://www.them.us/story/drag-race-untucked-10-messiest-fights |archive-date=2023-06-10 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Them |publisher=Condé Nast}} In The Spinoff{{'s}} 2019 "definitive ranking" of 162 Drag Race lip-syncs to date, Sam Brooks ranked Milan's battles against Jiggly Caliente, Kenya Michaels, and Madame LaQueer numbers 129, 73, and 69, respectively.{{Cite news |last=Brooks |first=Sam |date=2019-10-03 |title=A definitive ranking of all 162 Lip Syncs on RuPaul's Drag Race |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/03-10-2019/a-definitive-ranking-of-all-162-lip-syncs-on-rupauls-drag-race |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525074940/https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/03-10-2019/a-definitive-ranking-of-all-162-lip-syncs-on-rupauls-drag-race |archive-date=2023-05-25 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=The Spinoff}} Chris Kelly included Milan's dragging split, described by Willam as "[
Personal life
Cooper lived in New York City as of 2011.{{Cite web |last=Keyes |first=Jeffrey James |date=2011-12-27 |title=A Drag Race Holiday: Milan |url=https://www.queerty.com/a-drag-race-christmas-milan-20111227 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Queerty |archive-date=2022-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205111654/https://www.queerty.com/a-drag-race-christmas-milan-20111227 |url-status=live }} He has credited Nashom Wooden of the electronic dance music group The Ones for helping him break into the drag scene. He once staged a show for the group.{{Cite web |title=Absolutely Flawless: Remembering Drag Star Nashom Wooden |url=https://www.logotv.com/news/2f6ult/remembering-mona-foot-nashom-wooden-beloved-covid-19-casualty |access-date=2023-12-16 |publisher=Logo TV |language=en |archive-date=2024-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419162257/https://www.logotv.com/news/2f6ult/remembering-mona-foot-nashom-wooden-beloved-covid-19-casualty |url-status=live }}
Filmography
=Television=
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3774712/ Dwayne Cooper] at IMDb
{{RuPaul's Drag Race}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Dwayne}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century American actors
Category:Actors from New York City
Category:American stage actors
Category:Drag performers from New York City
Category:Drag performers from South Carolina
Category:People from Florence, South Carolina