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Divine
Towson, Maryland, USA
Divine (October 19, 1945 – March 7, 1988), né Harris Glenn Milstead, was an American actor, singer and drag queen. Described by People magazine as the "Drag Queen of the Century",…
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Divine (October 19, 1945 – March 7, 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.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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2025
Too Disgusting To Be Confused
Movie Self
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2021
My Life with the Waters
Movie Self
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2020
Disclosure
Movie Edna Turnblad (archive footage)
- 2018
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2018
Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’
Movie Self (archive)
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2018
Crime and Beauty: Remembering "Female Trouble"
Movie Self (archive)
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2018
Studio 54
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2018
Howard
Movie Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson (archive footage)
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2016
Discolocos
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2016
Night Flight: Born Again
Movie Self
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2015
Tab Hunter Confidential
Movie Self (archive)
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2014
I Am Divine
Movie Self (archive)
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2013
Cachitos de hierro y cromo
TV show Self (archive footage)
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2012
The Sex of Death e o Homem Invisível
Movie Singer (archive footage)
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2011
The British Guide to Showing Off
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2010
Uncle Bob
Movie Self
More credits
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2008
Starz Inside: In the Gutter
Movie Self (archive)
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2007
The Roots of 'Hairspray'
Movie Self (archive)
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2007
DIVINE R.I.P.
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2005
Girls and Boys - Sex and British Pop
TV show Self
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2004
Sex 'n' Pop
TV show Self (archive footage)
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2002
The Cockettes
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2000
Divine Trash
Movie Self
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2000
Divine: Shoot Your Shot & Live at the Hacienda
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1999
In Bad Taste
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1998
Soul Ache
Movie Actriz cantante (Singer actress)
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1995
Divine: Shoot Your Shot
Movie
- 1994
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1992
Rhythm Divine: The Story of Disco
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1990
The Neon Woman
Movie Flash Storm (archive footage)
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1988
The Incredibly Strange Film Show
TV show Self
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1988
Out of the Dark
Movie Det. Langella
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1988
Hairspray
Movie Edna Turnblad / Arvin Hodgepile
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1987
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 1
Movie Self
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1987
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 3
Movie Self
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1987
Queen: Magic Years - A Visual Anthology
Movie Self
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1985
Trouble in Mind
Movie Hilly Blue
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1985
Lust in the Dust
Movie Rosie Velez
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1985
Divine Waters
Movie Self
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1984
Tales from the Darkside
TV show
