Divine found success around the globe in music and film
In the early 1980’s Divine also started releasing dance music and had big hits with You Think Your a Man, Shoot Your Shot, I’m So Beautiful, and Walk Like a Man. Divine worked with Hi-NRG producer Bobby Orlando and later the UK production team Stock Aitken and Waterman. Divine was a regular guest on television chat shows and was painted by both Andy Warhol and David Hockney.
On March 7, 1988, just three weeks after Hairspray was given a wide release in movie theatres, Divine died in of heart failure aged 42.
Mistead was gay and Divine was his drag persona, he avoided speaking about his sexuality early in his career, but was more open in his final years. He avoided talking to the media about LGBT+ rights, partially at the advice of his manager, who believed it would have a negative effect on his career.
Divine’s music has continued to be played in queer clubs, and the films have become cult classics.
Anohni paid tribute to the performer on the first Antony and the Johnsons album, and Roisin Murphy made a homage to the star with her music video for Movie Star by re-enacting scenes from Multiple Maniacs. Divine was also the inspiration for Ursula the Sea Witch from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
In the early 1980s, Divine also began releasing dance music and had major hits with You Think You’re a Man, Shoot Your Shot, I’m So Beautiful, and Walk Like a Man. Divine worked with Hi-NRG producer Bobby Orlando and later with the UK production team Stock Aitken Waterman. Divine was a regular guest on television chat shows and was painted by both Andy Warhol and David Hockney.
On March 7, 1988, just three weeks after Hairspray received a wide theatrical release, Divine died of heart failure at the age of 42.
Milstead was gay, and Divine was his drag persona. Early in his career, he avoided speaking publicly about his sexuality but became more open in his final years. He also largely avoided discussing LGBTQIA+ rights in the media, partly on the advice of his manager, who believed doing so could negatively affect his career.
Divine’s music continues to be played in queer clubs, and his films remain cult classics.
Anohni paid tribute to the performer on the first Antony and the Johnsons album, while Róisín Murphy paid homage to Divine in the music video for Movie Star by re-creating scenes from Multiple Maniacs. Divine is also widely cited as an inspiration for Ursula the Sea Witch from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
As both an influential drag performer and a queer cultural icon, Divine’s legacy continues to resonate through music, film, and LGBTQIA+ culture.
