Hera Hoffer (born September 18, 1987), best known under the stage nameJinkx Monsoon, is an American drag queen, actress, singer and comedian. She has been noted for her celebrity impersonations, quick wit, and musical theatre-inspired performance style.[1]
She has also pursued a career in music, releasing two studio albums titled The Inevitable Album (2014) and The Ginger Snapped (2018). In film, Monsoon appeared with her collaborative partner BenDeLaCreme in the holiday film The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special (2021) which was later released on Hulu. In television, Monsoon appears in the WOW Presents Plus original Sketchy Queens, a series she created alongside Liam Krug, and the BBC / Disney+ series Doctor Who as the villain Maestro.
Early life
Hoffer was born in Portland, Oregon, and first performed in drag at age 15 at the all-ages Escape Nightclub.[3][4] Her original drag name was going to be "Heidi Destruction" before settling on Jinkx Monsoon.[5] She attended da Vinci Arts Middle School and Grant High School.[6][7] Hoffer was raised Catholic, and discovered Russian-Jewish ancestry on her mother's side at the age of 18.[8] Her drag character, Jinkx, is characterized as Jewish as a way of reconnecting with this part of her heritage.[9]
After moving to Seattle from Portland, Hoffer and creative partner Nick Sahoyah wrote and starred in multiple Funny or Die webisodes titled Monsoon Season in which she played Jinkx Monsoon as an overbearing, substance addled, near-psychotic mother to Sahoyah's character, Kamikaze Monsoon.[15] In 2011, Hoffer appeared in the Wes Hurley film Waxie Moon in Fallen Jewel.[16]
In June 2011, Hoffer became the subject of a YouTube docu-series by Alex Berry, a Seattlevideographer. Named after Death Becomes Her, one of Jinkx's favorite movies, Drag Becomes Him explores Hoffer's life in and out of drag.[17] The series has continued with a full length documentary film also called "Drag Becomes Him'. In October 2013 it was turned into a feature-length film with Seattle-based producer Basil Shadid on board. A Kickstarter campaign in March 2014 successfully raised funds to complete the project, and it premiered at April 29, 2015 at Seattle's Cinerama.
In January 2012, Hoffer appeared as Moritz in the rock musicalSpring Awakening at the Balagan Theater in Seattle. Controversy arose from The Seattle Times review by Misha Berson, who said that she was "overly flamboyant" for the role.[18][19]Dan Savage defended Hoffer's portrayal of Moritz.[20] From July 21 to August 19, she starred as Angel in the 5th Avenue Theatre's production of the musical RENT.[12][21]
2012–2017: RuPaul's Drag Race and The Inevitable Album
Jinkx Monsoon at Pride 2013Jinkx Monsoon, 2014
In November 2012, Logo announced that Jinkx Monsoon was among fourteen drag queens who would be competing on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[22] Monsoon was inspired to audition after seeing Sharon Needles on the fourth season of the show.[4] Monsoon won the main-challenges for the episodes "Snatch Game" and "Drama Queens".[23][24] For the "Snatch Game", Monsoon impersonated Edith Bouvier Beale, nicknamed as "Little Edie."[3][25] Monsoon also impersonated third-season contestant Mimi Imfurst in the episode "Lip Synch Extravaganza Eleganza".[26] Monsoon later won the season, with two maxi-challenge wins.
In January 2013, Hoffer played Hedwig in the Moore Theatre's production of the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.[27] Balagan reprised the production in December 2013 for a week long run with Hoffer and the original cast/production team. In June 2013, she played Velma Von Tussle in the Seattle Men's Chorus/5th Avenue Theatre's production of the musical Hairspray.[28]
Hoffer also performed as Jinkx Monsoon in the original one act cabaret musical The Vaudevillians under the name "Kitty Witless." She was accompanied by musical partner and co-creator Richard Andriessen who performs under the name "Dr. Dan Von Dandy." The Vaudevillians performed at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City from July to November 2013.[3][29][30] After touring Australia with The Vaudevillians, she received a nomination for the Helpmann Award for Best Cabaret Performer.[31] In 2013, Hoffer was chosen as one of the Artists of the Year by City Arts magazine along with Megan Griffiths, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, and Wes Hurley.[32] She played Tallulah/Dennis, the owner of Lipstick Lounge in an episode of Blue Bloods entitled "Manhattan Queens", which aired on January 31, 2014. In 2015, Hoffer joined the cast of Wes Hurley's comedy series Capitol Hill.[33]
In 2019, Hoffer was cast as Calliope in a North American tour of the musical Xanadu, though the tour was later cancelled.[42] In June 2019, a panel of judges from New York magazine placed Monsoon 18th on their list of "the most powerful drag queens in America", a ranking of 100 former Drag Race contestants.[43] In 2020, Hoffer appeared in the Hulu original Christmas film Happiest Season.[44] The same year she starred in and co-wrote The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special, a feature-length holiday film with fellow Seattle drag queen BenDeLaCreme based on their various Christmas shows over the years. The duo toured the show around the world in 2021.[45] The tour was renewed in 2022 and 2023.[46]
2022–present: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Broadway debut, and Doctor Who
In April 2022, it was announced that Monsoon would be competing on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, the first all-winners edition of the franchise. She won the Snatch Game in the second episode with her impressions of Natasha Lyonne and Judy Garland.[47] She also won the fourth, fifth, ninth, and tenth episodes. On July 29, 2022, she was crowned the winner and anointed with the title "Queen of All Queens" with a cash prize of $200,000.
In November 2022, it was announced that Hoffer would join the Broadway company of the musical Chicago, playing the role of Mama Morton for eight weeks, becoming the first drag queen to perform in a major Broadway musical.[48]
In April 2023, it was announced that Monsoon would be joining the cast of the fourteenth series of Doctor Who (Season 1) which was to be screened jointly between BBC and Disney+ playing a "major role".[49] It was later revealed that Monsoon would be playing the villain "Maestro" in the episode "The Devil's Chord", which aired in May 2024.[50]
From April 2, 2024 to May 26, 2024, Monsoon portrayed Audrey in the Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors.[51]
Personal life
In 2017 Hoffer stated she identified as "non-gendered" or non-binary,[52][53] and went by singular they pronouns when not in drag. In an April 2017 interview, Monsoon stated, "I've never identified as fully male. I've always identified as more gender fluid or gender ambiguous, but I never knew the vocabulary to explain it for myself."[54] In a 2024 interview, Monsoon stated that she identifies as trans-femme and uses she/her pronouns.[55]
Hoffer has narcolepsy, a fact that she revealed in the season five premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race.[56]
In January 2021, Hoffer married her partner Michael Abbott in a small ceremony at home with their friends and family witnessing through video call. The marriage was officiated by comedian Deven Green.[57] In February 2024, Abbott announced his separation from Hoffer.[58]
In April 2024, Hoffer legally changed her name to Hera Hoffer, but still kept her stage name of Jinkx Monsoon.[59]
^Wratten, Marcus (January 20, 2023). "Jinkx Monsoon nails Jennifer Coolidge impression – and we need it on Snatch Game". PinkNews. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023. The RuPaul's Drag Race legend, who made her debut on Broadway this week as Chicago's Matron 'Mama' Morton, flexed her legendary imitation skills during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
^Smith, Paul Art (February 27, 2023). "Jinkx Monsoon Extends Run in Chicago on Broadway". BroadwayDirect. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023. Jinkx made her Broadway debut in the role of "Matron 'Mama' Morton" on Monday, January 16, 2023, making history by becoming the first drag queen to play the role on Broadway.
^Monsoon, Jinkx (March 21, 2015). "I just saw this posted somewhere". Facebook. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2017. I, myself do not identify as cis-gendered. I am genderless.
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