Divine - The Most Beautiful Woman In The World, Almost
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By Hannah Schmidt-Rees
Harris Glenn Milstead; perhaps better known by his drag/stage name; Divine, was an American drag queen, singer and actor. Becoming a cult LGBT+ icon in the past 20 years, Divine; and her roles in iconic John Waters films; has become widely renowned for his gorgeously grotesque, over-the-top and rule-breaking performances.
Growing up queer and overweight in 1950s Baltimore, Milstead was frequently and intensely bullied in high school. At 16, Milstead met another boy who would change the direction of his life forever. His name was John Waters, the now iconic cult filmmaker (and self-proclaimed 'Pope of Trash').
Working as a hairdresser in his youth, Milstead developed an interest in drag through his throwing of lavish parties, in which he would dress up as his favourite actress; Elizabeth Taylor. His immersion in Baltimore's counterculture and his befriending of John Waters resulted in the creation of the excessive and confident drag queen; Divine. Over the next 20 years, Divine appeared in many of Waters’ experimental films, the most notable being Hairspray (1988) and Pink Flamingos (1972).
“Trash. Filth. Obscenity. In bucket-loads.”
If you're a lover of cult films, you need to add John Waters to your list. I will admit, some of his film's aren't for the faint of heart. John Waters is known for his dark comedy and shock value, after all. Pink Flamingos (1972) focuses on Babs Johnson (played by Divine), a woman awarded with the title; 'the filthiest person alive'. When challenged by two rivals, Babs engages in multiple disgusting situations in order to keep her title. I don’t want to spoil just how filthy it gets (that’s for you to find out), but here’s just a little taste; the ending scene shows Babs/Divine scooping up fresh dog faeces and eating it. But hey, it was a publicity stunt, and it worked. Without this scene, Divine would not have become such an iconic cult star.
A much less filthy film, Hairspray (1988) signifies Divine's breakthrough into the mainstream media. The original story (although darker than its 2007 successor) focuses on Tracy Turnblad and her pursuit towards stardom and protest against racial segregation in 1960s Baltimore. Divine, in drag, plays Tracy's mother Edna Turnblad, a motif referenced by a male actor playing the female role in future adaptations. The first Waters film that was commercially successful, brought Divine's show stealing performance into the mainstream limelight.
Three weeks after the widespread success of Divine and Waters as a result of Hairspray, Divine passed away in his sleep, aged 42. However, Divine's cult legacy; regardless of filthy it was; still lives on. The New York Times said of Divine's acting; "Those who could get past the unremitting weirdness of Divine's performance discovered that the actor/actress had genuine talent, including a natural sense of comic timing and an uncanny gift for slapstick." As a drag performer, Divine was renowned for his outrageous audience interactions and stunts, ranging from arriving on stage on an inflatable elephant, to using his signature line of; 'fuck you very much'. At the time, Divine broke and rewrote every rule of drag, presenting the idea of a woman that was so unfeminine and visually confronting, yet somehow endearing and easily idolised. His devotion to his outrageousness and to being himself is something to be respected.
Divine has been described as the "Drag Queen of the Century" by People magazine, remaining as an iconic figure, especially in the cult and LGBT+ scenes. The Little Mermaid’s Disney villain Ursula was inspired by Divine, as well as being an inspiration for artists David Hockney and Andy Warhol. Divine's unapologetic and over-the-top persona and his willingness to immerse himself in every character; regardless of how fabulous or vile they were; was approached with passion and professionalism. Divine always wanted to be a star, and he forever will be. Divine was more than just a drag queen; he was a character actor, a spectacle and a (albeit intense) way of life.