RuPaul, born Rupaul Andre Charles on November 17, 1960 and grew up in San Diego, is an American actor, singer, dancer, talk show host, model, author, and singer-songwriter. Best known as simply RuPaul, he first gained fame in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums.

Having performed on occasions as a man, RuPaul generally assumes the female role and is noted among famous drag queens for his indifference towards the gender-specific pronouns used to address him—both "he" and "she" have been deemed acceptable.

RuPaul's phenomenal success is attributable in part to the spectacular illusion of femininity he creates in his performances.