Manila Luzon

Karl Philip Michael Westerberg (born August 10, 1981), known professionally as Manila Luzon, is an American drag queen, reality television personality, recording artist, and comedian. Luzon came to international attention as a contestant on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race and on the first and fourth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2012, 2018).

Luzon has also contributed to the compilation album series Christmas Queens, and has received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination. Westerberg was raised Catholic. Westerberg grew up in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.

Career 2011–2012: Breakthrough with RuPaul's Drag Race

With the success of RuPaul's Drag Race, Luzon auditioned for the third season of the reality series, and went on to appear in every episode until its finale. She lip-synced against Raja Gemini to "Champion (DJ BunJoe's Olympic Mix)" by RuPaul but lost the lip-sync and became the runner-up of the season.

The publicity generated by her participation in the show brought many new opportunities to perform at various national and international LGBT events throughout the United States and Canada, including New York Pride and Vancouver Pride. She has been active in AIDS awareness and activism. After being featured in a Gilead Sciences ad titled "Red Ribbon Runway" with fellow Drag Race co-stars Carmen Carrera, Delta Work, Shangela and Alexis Mateo, the dress she was featured wearing was auctioned off by Logo TV in commemoration of World AIDS Day. Proceeds from the auction were donated to the National Association of People with AIDS.

In 2011, Luzon, along with third season Drag Race contestants Carmen Carrera and Shangela, appeared in a television commercial for travel-related website Orbitz. In addition to the commercial, she and Shangela also did an entertainment news segment for US Weekly where they discussed current male celebrities and reimagine them as drag queens. In August 2012, NiniMomo, a Long Island-based company specializing in poseable fashion dolls, released a doll in Luzon's likeness and wearing the now famous pineapple dress she wore during her time on Drag Race. The doll, which was available via special order, marked the first time a Drag Race contestant has been immortalized as a doll. Two years later, a couple of fans of Manila produced their very own 3D-printed Manila Luzon doll.

On August 6, 2012, it was announced that Manila was one of twelve past Drag Race contestants selected to join the cast of the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, which premiered on the Logo network on October 22, 2012. Paired with contestant Latrice Royale to form Team Latrila, the duo was eliminated in the third episode of the series that aired on November 5, 2012, placing in joint 7th/8th place. Their elimination was one of many who led to widespread criticism of the first installment of All Stars. On October 12, 2012, Manila appeared on an episode of the MTV series Made where she mentored a young man in the art of drag, allowing him to explore his drag alter-ego as he prepared for New York City's Gay Pride March. Prior to the airing of the season finale of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Manila (along with All Stars contestants Raven, Latrice Royale, and Tammie Brown) appeared in a television commercial for travel website Orbitz's new portal for LGBT leisure travel. After the season, Luzon was a playable character with Pandora Boxx and Yara Sofia for the "RuPaul's Drag Race: Dragopolis" mobile app.

2018–present: All Stars 4, debut album and upcoming projects

On November 9, 2018, it was announced that Manila would return to All Stars 4, alongside fellow All Stars 1 Team Latrila team-mate Latrice Royale, but this time would compete separately against each other rather than as a team. Despite being one of the season's front-runners with three challenge wins, Manila was controversially eliminated by Naomi Smalls in the eighth episode of the season, which aired on February 1, 2019, ultimately placing sixth. On November 16, 2018, indie musician VELO released the single "Where My Man At," featuring Luzon and Drag Race season 9 and season 10 contestant Eureka O'Hara. The two also appear in the song's music video (together with Thorgy Thor, Ginger Minj and Trinity the Tuck). She later appeared as a guest for the first challenge in the premiere of season 11 of Drag Race. On February 1, 2019, Luzon released her single "Go Fish" alongside its music video. The video features fellow All Stars 4 contestant Naomi Smalls, Luzon's husband, and the Heathers, a prominent clique of Drag Race 3 contestants featuring Luzon, Raja, Delta Work, and Carmen Carrera. Following the buzz of her controversial departure in All Stars, the video received more than 300,000 views in less than 24 hours. Luzon made a guest appearance on General Hospital in late summer 2019. In June 2019, a panel of judges from New York magazine placed her 19th on their list of "the most powerful drag queens in America", a ranking of 100 former Drag Race contestants.

Luzon is the host and head judge of the Amazon Prime Video Filipino reality competition series Drag Den, taking on the role of 'Drag Lord'. Since its debut in December 2022, two seasons of Drag Den have aired. Luzon also serves as an executive producer of the series.

Personal life A longtime resident of Manhattan, Westerberg resided in Harlem with his boyfriend at the time, Antoine Ashley (Sahara Davenport), who Luzon began dating in 2007 and was a contestant on the second season of Drag Race. Ashley later died of heart failure at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on October 1, 2012. Westerberg studied graphic design at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

In November 2016, Westerberg proposed to his boyfriend Michael Alvarez, also known as Mic J Rez. On December 24, 2017, the couple wed at the Silver Bells Wedding Chapel, with an Elvis impersonator as the officiant.

As of 2013, Westerberg resides in Los Angeles, California where he moved shortly after Ashley's death. Westerberg resides in Los Angeles, but he also considers New York City home.

Released: February 15, 2019 Label: Producer Entertainment Group Formats: Digital download 3

Mixtapes Title Details Eternal Queen Released: October 1, 2014 Label: Lomplex Formats: Digital download

Remix extended plays Title Details Hot Couture (Remixes)Released: April 24, 2012 Label: Karl Westerberg Formats: Digital download Best Xxxcessory: The RemixxxesReleased: October 22, 2012 Label: Manila Luzon Formats: Digital download The Chop RemixesReleased: December 26, 2012 Label: Manila Luzon Formats: Digital download Bring It!, Remixes, Pt. 1Released: January 17, 2014 Label: JRED Music Formats: Digital download Helen KellerReleased: January 28, 2014 Label: Peace Bisquit Formats: Digital download Bring It!, Remixes, Pt. 2Released: March 14, 2014 Label: JRED Music Formats: Digital download

Singles

As featured artist Title Year Album "Bitch I'm a Bottom"2015rowspan="5" "Don't Funk it Up"2018 "My Pussy is Like a Peach" 2021 "The Big Opening"(Ginger Minj and Monét X Change featuring the cast of Huluween Dragstravaganza)2022 "She" "Trinity Ruins Christmas" (Trinity the Tuck featuring Manila Luzon) 2023 Trinity Ruins Christmas: The Musical "Good Enough" (Trinity the Tuck featuring Manila Luzon)

Other appearances Title Year Other Artist(s) Album"Lady Marmalade" 2014 Raja, Delta Work and Carmen Carrera (as The Heathers) "Bitch I'm a Bottom" 2015 Pablo Hernandez"Slay Bells" N/A Christmas Queens"Working Holiday" 2016 Alaska Thunderfuck Christmas Queens 2"Click (Manila Mix)"2017 Tom Goss Click"We Three Queens" Alaska Thunderfuck, Peppermint Christmas Queens 3"Purong Pinay" 2018 Jiggly Caliente T.H.O.T. Process"Don't Funk It Up" RuPaul, Gia Gunn, Latrice Royale, Valentina, Trinity the Tuck "The Kitty Girl County Spelling Bee (Interlude)" 2019 Nina West, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo Drag Is Magic

Filmography Film

Television

Music videos Year Title ArtistRef. 2011 "Champion" RuPaul "Go Off" Sahara Davenport 2013 "Woman's World" (Remix) Cher 2015"I Still Love You"Jennifer Hudson 2016"Around The World"Kings of Leon "Purse First"Bob The Drag Queen 2018"Tried & True"Chester Lockhart "Oops I Think I Pooped"Pandora Boxx "Call My Life"Blair St. Clair 2019"Scores"Kahanna Montrese 2020"Nerves of Steel"Erasure

Web

Awards and nominations