Yes, It’s Helen Zille in Drag!

Meet Zille Vanilla! Anti-woke South African politician Helen Zille, who’s been accused of transphobia, has undergone an astonishing drag transformation for Die Tollie & Manila Show.

This high-energy Showmax talk show pairs South African celebrities with drag queens Tollie Parton and Manila von Teez for an evening of candid conversation, fun games, and non-stop entertainment – all while slaying fabulous drag looks.

In its third episode, the show presents Zille like you’ve never seen her before. It’s worth noting that the late Sunday Times columnist Gwen Gill once placed Zille on one of her infamous annual “worst dressed” lists, describing her as “the woman who has everything but style.”

The often controversial and outspoken Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance swapped her usual prim and practical attire for a sparkling pink gown and tulle boa.

Her drag persona, Zille Vanilla, was completed with a towering blonde wig and dramatic drag queen-style makeup.

On the show, Zille is said to tackle a mix of light-hearted and serious topics, including her motivation for entering politics, her thoughts on political rivals, and her unapologetic views on South Africa’s current political climate.

The audience gets to see Zille defend her anti-“woke” agenda – all while draped in sequins. “I want to challenge everyone to say their say, even if it’s unpopular,” Zille told hosts Tollie and Manila. 

Not having seen the episode, we can’t decide if this is all a genius act of subversive queer entertainment or a tragic misstep by the producers. 

Zille has previously faced accusations of transphobia. In 2023, she claimed some people identify as transgender to appear “woke” and suggested that trans identities “trash and stereotype all women, eradicating the progress they have made to achieve equality over half a century.” She failed to respond to OUT LGBT Well-being’s request at the time to clarify her offensive remarks.

Zille described her drag transformation to the show’s producers as “scary,” admitting, “it was terrifying to see myself like that!” While she enjoyed the novelty of the experience, quipping, “you should always try something once,” she concluded, “I am comfortable just being me.”

When asked if the experience changed her perceptions of drag queens, she wondered aloud, “how do they keep up the effort?”

Other upcoming guests on Die Tollie & Manila Show include actors Celeste Loots, Francois Jacobs, Frank Opperman, and Rob van Vuuren; television personality Soli Philander; musicians Craig Lucas, Loki Rothman, and Valiant Swart; and influencers Aletta Francina de Kock and Rynhardt Schoeman – all of whom boldly embrace their own drag transformations.

You can stream Die Tollie & Manila Show now on Showmax.