Divine (19 October 1945 – 7 March 1988), né Harris Glenn Milstead, was an American actor, singer and drag queen. Described by People magazine as the "Drag Queen of the Century", Divine often performed female roles in both cinema and theater and also appeared in women's clothing in musical performances. Even so, he considered himself to be a character actor and performed male roles in a number of his later films. He was often associated with independent filmmaker John Waters and starred in ten of Waters's films, usually in a leading role. Concurrent with his acting career, he also had a successful career as a disco singer during the 1980s, at one point being described as "the most successful and in-demand disco performer in the world."
Divine (19 October 1945 – 7 March 1988), né Harris Glenn Milstead, was an American actor, singer and drag queen. Described by People magazine as the "Drag Queen of the Century", Divine often performed female roles in both cinema and theater and also appeared in women's clothing in musical performances. Even so, he considered himself to be a character actor and performed male roles in a number of his later films. He was often associated with independent filmmaker John Waters and starred in ten of Waters's films, usually in a leading role. Concurrent with his acting career, he also had a successful career as a disco singer during the 1980s, at one point being described as "the most successful and in-demand disco performer in the world."
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, into a conservative, wealthy middle class family, he became involved with John Waters and his acting troupe, the Dreamlanders, in the mid-1960s and starred in a number of Waters's early films such as Mondo Trasho, Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble. These films have since become cult classics. In the 1970s, Milstead made the transition to theater and appeared in a number of productions, including Women Behind Bars and The Neon Woman, while continuing to star in such films as Polyester, Lust in the Dust and Hairspray.
The New York Times said of Milstead's '80s films: "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." He was also described as "one of the few truly radical and essential artists of the century… was an audacious symbol of man's quest for liberty and freedom." Since his death, Divine has remained a cult figure, particularly with those in the LGBT community.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0001145
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q357786
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Filmography (Movies)
Too Disgusting To Be Confused
Character:Self
Release Date:26/06/2025
Disclosure
Character:Edna Turnblad (archive footage)
Release Date:19/06/2020
BEAT. Contour. Snatched. How Drag Queens Shaped the Biggest Makeup Trends
Character:
Release Date:11/12/2018
Studio 54
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:15/06/2018
Howard
Character:Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson (archive footage)
Release Date:22/04/2018
Discolocos
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:31/12/2016
Night Flight: Born Again
Character:Self
Release Date:10/04/2016
Tab Hunter Confidential
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:15/03/2015
I Am Divine
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:26/03/2014
The British Guide to Showing Off
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:11/11/2011
Uncle Bob
Character:Self
Release Date:26/06/2010
DIVINE R.I.P.
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:09/08/2007
The Cockettes
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:16/01/2002
Divine Trash
Character:Self
Release Date:31/03/2000
Divine: Shoot Your Shot & Live at the Hacienda
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/2000
In Bad Taste
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:03/09/1999
Soul Ache
Character:Actriz cantante (Singer actress)
Release Date:14/08/1998
Divine: Shoot Your Shot
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1995
Divine: Live at the Hacienda
Character:
Release Date:01/01/1994
Rhythm Divine: The Story of Disco
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:20/09/1992
The Neon Woman
Character:Flash Storm (archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1990
Out of the Dark
Character:Det. Langella
Release Date:02/06/1988
Hairspray
Character:Edna Turnblad / Arvin Hodgepile
Release Date:26/02/1988
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 3
Character:Self
Release Date:30/11/1987
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 1
Character:Self
Release Date:30/11/1987
Queen: Magic Years - A Visual Anthology
Character:Self
Release Date:30/11/1987
Trouble in Mind
Character:Hilly Blue
Release Date:11/12/1985
Lust in the Dust
Character:Rosie Velez
Release Date:01/03/1985
Divine Waters
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1985
Polyester
Character:Francine Fishpaw
Release Date:29/05/1981
The Alternative Miss World
Character:Self - Guest of Honour
Release Date:18/09/1980
Tally Brown, New York
Character:
Release Date:04/05/1979
Underground and Emigrants
Character:Self
Release Date:25/10/1976
Female Trouble
Character:Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson
Release Date:11/10/1974
Pink Flamingos
Character:Divine, alias Babs Johnson
Release Date:17/03/1972
Multiple Maniacs
Character:Lady Divine
Release Date:10/04/1970
The Diane Linkletter Story
Character:Diane Linkletter
Release Date:10/04/1970
Mondo Trasho
Character:Divine / Greaser in Alley
Release Date:14/03/1969
Eat Your Makeup
Character:Jacqueline Kennedy
Release Date:23/02/1968
Roman Candles
Character:Party Guest / Man with Scarf
Release Date:10/05/1967
Television Appearances
Images
