Kelly Mantle

Kelly Leroy Mantle (born July 9, 1976) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, comedian, musician, drag queen, and reality television personality. Mantle appeared as a contestant on the sixth season of the reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race.

Early life Mantle was born to Larry James and Linda Lea Mantle in Oklahoma City but grew up in New Cordell, Oklahoma. She has a brother, Garrette. She identifies as being of Cherokee descent from Oklahoma.

Mantle's uncle was professional baseball player Mickey Mantle, who played for the New York Yankees. Mantle graduated with a BFA in Theatre from the University of Oklahoma. She is the second Drag Race contestant of Native American descent, following Stacy Layne Matthews of season 3, who is Lumbee. She was followed by Trixie Mattel of season 7 and All Stars 3, who is Ojibwe, and Shuga Cain of season 11, who is Apache.

Career After college, Mantle went to Chicago to begin a career as an actor. She acted in plays such as The Convention and Royal Flush. After two years of living in Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, Mantle became a member of the band Sex with Lurch, which was formed by singer Robbie Quinne and guitarist Bernard Yin. As part of the group, Mantle used the stage name "Brandy Warhol". The group disbanded in December 2002. Mantle later joined Quinne's follow-up band, the Barbarellatones.

Mantle was also a member of the band Tranzkuntinental. The band was started by Charlie Paulson and Xander Smith and features drag queens Detox, Rhea Litré, Vicky Vox, and Willam Belli.

Currently, Mantle is a member of the band the Rollz Royces with Tammie Brown and Michael Catti. Mantle and Catti have appeared in Tammie Brown's Christmas show Holiday Sparkle at Fubar in West Hollywood.

In 2014 Mantle starred in Confessions of a Womanizer with Gary Busey. The film was released in 2016. Mantle, who is genderfluid, made history when the film's producers sought both supporting actor and supporting actress consideration for her performance and The Academy granted the request.

Mantle starred as Sheila on both seasons of the OutTV and Amazon Prime sitcom The Browns alongside Tammie Brown and in 2022 supported Trixie and Katya on their tour Trixie and Katya Live.

RuPaul's Drag Race In December 2013, Logo announced that Mantle was among fourteen drag queens who would be competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. She was eliminated in the first episode, lip-synching to "Express Yourself" against Vivacious.

The Kelly Mantle Show On December 11, 2024, the first episode of Mantle's podcast The Kelly Mantle Show, executive produced by Trixie and Katya and hosted on the Studio71 network, was released.

Episode table|overall=2|title=55|airdate=7|episodes=

Episode list EpisodeNumber = 35 Title = Teen Vogue Covergirl, Vivian Wilson, Takes Over The Kelly Mantle Show! OriginalAirDate = Episode list EpisodeNumber = 36 Title = Vanjie Spills the Tea-quila on The Kelly Mantle Show! OriginalAirDate =

Episode list EpisodeNumber = 44 Title = Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata BFF'ing on The Kelly Mantle Show! OriginalAirDate =

Episode list EpisodeNumber = 55 Title = The Kelly Mantle Show'''s Favorite Moments of 2025 & Happy New Year! OriginalAirDate =

Personal life Mantle has been dating USMC veteran James Nanney Jr. since around 2017. For their first date, he invited her to a marine ball in Albany, Georgia, where he was stationed.

Discography Albums Ever Changing (2002) Rock-N-Glow (2004) Satellite Baby (2006) Bone Waters '' (2022)

Singles

Music videos Song Year Director "Satellite Baby" 2007 "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" 2013 Andrew Putschoegl "Main Event" 2014 "Eliminated" Kija Manharé "Keyboard Courage" 2015 Gordon Cowie

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2000 The Convent Dickie-Boy True Rights Cleo Super Duper Maddie Short film 2002 Superfag Apacalipstick Short film 2004 Straight Eye: The Movie Herself Short film Buds for Life Sierra Bonita 2006 The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down Drag Queen 2013 American Dream Katrina Post-production Confessions of a Womanizer Ginger 2021 The Bitch Who Stole Christmas Wistful Woman/Madelyn

Television Year Title Role Notes 1999 Undressed Howie Episode: "Love It or Leave It Again" 2003 NYPD Blue Dan "Monika" Hoffnagle 2 episodes Nip/Tuck Transgender Woman No. 2 Episode: "Sofia Lorez Part II" 10-8: Officers on Duty Raven Episode: "Badlands" Cold Case Drag Performer No. 2 Episode: "A Time to Hate" Just Shoot Me! Robert 'Nina Man Horn' Episode: "The Goodbye Girl" 2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Bartender Episode: "Ch-Ch-Changes" Judging Amy Velvet Episode: "Order and Chaos" 2005 George Lopez Deep Voice Singer Episode: "George Buys a Vow" Eve Rudy Episode: "Moral Minority" Cuts Peter Episode: "Strictly Bizz-Nass" 2008 The New Adventures of Old Christine Sparkle Episode: "Happy Endings" 2009 Southland Lacey Episode: "See the Woman" 2011 One Night Stand Up Herself Episode: "Dragtastic NYC" Mike & Molly Steven Episode: "Joyce & Vince And Peaches & Herb" Curb Your Enthusiasm Kelly Episode: "Palestinian Chicken" 2012 Eagleheart 'Maph Episode: "Little Dude" Rizzoli & Isles Kitty Episode: "Melt My Heart to Stone" The New Normal Aubrey Episode: "Pilot"2014 RuPaul's Drag RaceHerself Season 6; 13th/14th place (2 episodes) RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked 1 episode2016 Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul 1 episode RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Episode: "Revenge of the Queens" 2018 Lucifer Donovan McCann / Cher Episode: "Let Pinhead Sing!" 2019 Modern Family Drag Queen Episode: "The Last Halloween" 2020–21 The Browns Sheila 2 seasons 2025 Drag House Rules Writer Episode: "The Ghost & the Ganja"

Web series Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2013 Love On-The-Line Herself Season 1, Episode 9: "The Meet-Cute Part II" 2020 Queen With a Cause Herself Episode: "Palm Oil" 2023 Bodyody of Work Herself Episode: "Kelly Mantle Breaks Down Her Acting Career"

Podcasts Year Title Role Ref. 2021 Exposed: Dragged Out Guest 2021-2022 Race Chaser Guest 2021 Ebony and Irony Guest 2022 Sloppy Seconds Guest 2022-2025 The Bald and the Beautiful Guest 2023 Very Delta Guest 2024-present The Kelly Mantle Show Host

Theatre Year Title Role Theatre 1994 Eastern Standard Peter Kidde Rupel Jones Theatre Red Scare on Sunset Malcolm Sooner Theatre The Foreigner Ellard Simms Rupel Jones Theatre Holdenville Rupel Jones Theatre 1995 The Nerd Willum Cubbert Weitzenhoffer Theatre Lysistrata Weitzenhoffer Theatre 1996 The Convention Sammy Wilcox The Comedy Asylum 1997 Royal Flush Camille Athenaeum Theatre Lone Star/Laundry & Bourbon Ray/Hattie OKRA Theatre 1998 Four Dogs and a Bone Victor Cafe Voltaire Vampire Lesbians of Sodom Jon Meshelle Court Theatre 2006 Last Easter Gash Laguna Playhouse 2007 All This, And Heaven Too Jo Macha Theatre 2008 The Facts of Life: The Lost Episode Blair Warner Macha Theatre 2010 The Confusion of My Illusion One-person show Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center Love, Connie Bambi Cavern Club 2011 Hollywood Dream Role ACME Comedy Theatre Charlie! The Death of Nancy Fullforce Sacred Fools Theater Company

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref 2026 Queerty Awards Podcast The Kelly Mantle Show