Maxi Shield: Beloved Sydney drag queen dies following cancer battle as mourning fans give tributes
The ‘forever loved’ Aussie drag queen was a star of the Sydney Olympics closing ceremony and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
The Australian drag scene is in mourning on Monday evening after it was announced that star Sydney performer Maxi Shield passed away after a battle with illness.
Maxi, also known as Kristopher Elliot, was famed for performing at the closing ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as competing on the first ever season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under in 2021.
In August 2025, Maxi reported she had been taken to hospital in a “very scary” medical emergency while performing in a Kath and Kim drag parody, Fountain Lakes in Lockdown, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.She then revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer the following month, before stepping away from drag to complete radiation treatment.
Just weeks ago on February 5, Maxi announced she was performing on Oxford Street in Sydney after finishing the “awful” bout of radiation, telling followers the time away from performing had affected her mentally.
“Drag has been my life for ever and to have this amount of time away from something I truly love has been challenging,” Maxi said.
“Just having a date [to perform] has really helped mentally to push forward.”
The tragic news of Maxi’s death was announced by her close friend and drag wig maker Vanity, in a heartbreaking post to Instagram on Monday evening.
“We are all mourning the loss of an incredible icon, friend, and our beloved sister. Thank you for the laughs, the cackles, and the magic you brought into our lives,” Vanity said.
“I will cherish every second of our 30 year friendship and I’m so grateful that I was a part of your chosen family.
“You will be forever loved and deeply missed.”
Maxi’s fans took to the comments to express their grief for the beloved drag queen, saying “she’ll be missed by so many” in the Sydney community.
“I am beyond devastated and will cherish all the joy and laughter we shared,” one commenter said.
“Can’t quite believe she’s gone 😔💜,” another said.
“May you find the peace, love and eternal happiness that you deserve,” another said.
Her cause of death has not been confirmed.
Originally published on PerthNow
