5 Most Iconic Guest Judges on RuPaul's Drag Race

There are so many things that we love about RuPaul's Drag Race, and one of them is definitely memorable guest judges. Sure, the queens themselves, talent, and the drama keep us coming back season after season, but sometimes the most iconic moments come from the judges' table.

The guest judges aren't just there to look pretty (though they always do, let's be honest). The best ones dive right into the madness, embracing the show and everything that makes Drag Race what it is.

So let's give these guest judges the love they deserve.

Nicki Minaj, Season 12

Dressed in a gorgeous red ensemble that screamed “main character,” Minaj brought her signature blend of fierce and fabulous to the judge's panel.

The best part was how she was so invested in the whole process. She gave detailed critiques, wasn't afraid to tell queens exactly what they needed to hear, and even freestyled a little bit! We could really see that she cares a lot, and that care can sometimes be tough, but very much needed.

As Redditor, sashyenka, perfectly put it:

“My favorite aspect of her as a guest judge was the fact that her critiques were genuine critiques (poor Heidi tho, even if Nicki was right) and that she brought her own perspective, something guest judges so often don't do.”

Aubrey Plaza, All Stars: Season 2

Plaza brought her signature chaotic energy that perfectly made this episode complete. Her presence alone added an extra layer of unpredictability to an already iconic season.

She gave us one of the most quotable moments in guest judge herstory, saying:

“This is the greatest day of my life. I'm killing myself tomorrow.”

Since then, that iconic one-liner has spread far beyond the Drag Race community. You can say that the Parks and Recreation star became an instant part of Drag Race herstory with her memorably dark humor.

“Ugh, I adore her. Her face when Detox revealed her a- during the lip sync was priceless,” one fan wrote.

We're all still waiting for her to come back again and give us another quotable moment!

Leslie Jones, Season 12

Season 12 truly won the guest judge lottery with Nicki Minaj AND Leslie Jones.

Jones brought the kind of energy that could power a small city (and we're not exaggerating even the slightest bit). From the moment we saw her on that stage, it was clear we were in for something special.

Leslie Jones is a superfan, and she was living her best life that day. Honestly, we all would.

We even would go as far as to say her reactions were the most pure and hilarious out of all guest judges ever.

“I honestly just love people like this. I think it's wonderful. I love a woman who's funny, but who also like... Laughs at her own jokes? Like she just seem to enjoy herself and be able to crack herself up and it's so contagious. She was a great judge, loved her,” Redditor, EmFitzroy pointed out.

Miley Cyrus, Season 11

Long before becoming a guest judge, Miley Cyrus proved herself as a true ally. We'll never forget the iconic 2015 VMAs when she brought Drag Race queens as her backup dancers.

When she finally appeared on Season 11, Cyrus went all out. Going undercover in the werkroom as a crew member, she gave us the full drag king-goes pedestrian fantasy. And when she finally took her place at the judge's panel, it felt like welcoming home someone who'd always been part of the family.

One Redditor summed it up perfectly:

“Anyway, Miley was amazing as guest judge! She should come back soon.”

Lady Gaga, Season 9

When it comes to dramatic entrances, nobody does it quite like Gaga.

She walked into the werkroom like any other queen at the start of the first episode does. She did her cute introduction, and queens thought she was just another queen impersonating Gaga, but nope, not this time! It was Mother Monster herself!

But it's not even the best part of the episode. She was genuinely invested in each queen's story. During the Untucked, she came in to give each queen praise and advice on their performances. The moment with Farrah Moan's tearaway (or lack thereof) and Gaga's subsequent reaction became one of our favorite moments of Untucked this episode.

Redditor lml__lml even noted:

“No joke the critiques she gave to each queen individually and the group collectively made me a better teacher.”

And that's the power of Gaga right here!