{{Short description|Australian drag performer (1974–2026)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Maxi Shield | honorific_suffix = | image = DragCon 2023 @ DVSROSS Photgraphy -141 (cropped).jpg | image_upright = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = Shield in 2023 | native_name = | native_name_lang = | pronunciation = | birth_name = Kristopher Elliot | birth_date = {{birth date|1974|6|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Ballina, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|2026|2|21|1974|6|1|df=y}} | death_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | other_names = | siglum = | citizenship = <!-- use only when necessary per WP:INFONAT --> | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = | years_active = | era = | employer = | organization = | agent = <!-- discouraged in most cases, specifically when promotional, and requiring a reliable source --> | known_for = | notable_works = <!-- produces label "Notable work"; may be overridden by |credits=, which produces label "Notable credit(s)"; or by |works=, which produces label "Works"; or by |label_name=, which produces label "Label(s)" --> | style = | height = <!-- "X cm", "X m" or "X ft Y in" plus optional reference (conversions are automatic) --> | television = ''RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under'' (season 1) | title = <!-- formal/awarded/job title. The parameter |office=may be used as an alternative when the label is better rendered as "Office" (e.g. public office or appointments) --> | spouse = <!-- use article title or common name --> | partner = <!-- (unmarried long-term partner) --> | children = | parents = <!-- overrides mother and father parameters --> | mother = <!-- may be used (optionally with father parameter) in place of parents parameter (displays "Parent(s)" as label) --> | father = <!-- may be used (optionally with mother parameter) in place of parents parameter (displays "Parent(s)" as label) --> | relatives = | family = | callsign = <!-- amateur radio, use if relevant --> | awards = | website = {{URL|maxidragqueen.com}} | signature = | signature_type = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | footnotes = }}
'''Kristopher Elliot''' (1 June 1974 – 21 February 2026), known professionally as '''Maxi Shield''', was an Australian drag performer who competed on the first season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under''.
==Early life== Kristopher Elliot was born in Ballina, New South Wales on 1 June 1974.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=19 April 2021 |title=MEET RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE DOWN UNDER QUEEN- MAXI SHIELD |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/meet-rupauls-drag-race-down-under-queen-maxi-shield/202379 |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=Star Observer |language=en-US |archive-date=28 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628144523/https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/meet-rupauls-drag-race-down-under-queen-maxi-shield/202379 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Maxi Shield |url=https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/maxi-shield |website=watch.plex.tv |access-date=23 February 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Manibog |first1=Rebekah |title=Maxi Shield, Sydney LGBTQIA+ Icon And Drag Race Down Under Star, Dies Age 51 |url=https://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/drag-race-down-under-maxi-shield-dies-aged-51/ |website=PEDESTRIAN.TV |access-date=23 February 2026 |date=23 February 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ring |first1=Ellie |title=Drag Race star Maxi Shield has passed away just five months after cancer diagnosis |url=https://thetab.com/realityshrine/2026/02/23/drag-race-star-maxi-shield-has-passed-away-just-five-months-after-cancer-diagnosis/ |website=Reality Shrine |access-date=23 February 2026 |date=23 February 2026}}</ref>
==Career== [[File:RuPaul DragCon 2022 (52073489484).jpg|thumb|Maxi Shield at RuPaul's DragCon LA in May 2022]]
Maxi Shield performed at the 2000 Olympic Games closing ceremony and opened the Gay Games in 2002. She competed on the first season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 June 2021 |title=Exclusive: Drag Race Down Under star Maxi Shield spills the T on her Madonna collab and that iconic stunt |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/exclusive-drag-race-down-under-star-maxi-shields-spills-the-t-on-her-madonna-collab-and-that-iconic-stunt/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=GAY TIMES |language=en-GB |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307225553/https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/exclusive-drag-race-down-under-star-maxi-shields-spills-the-t-on-her-madonna-collab-and-that-iconic-stunt/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunn |first=Billie Schwab |date=8 June 2021 |title=Drag Race Down Under's Maxi Shield on importance of uplifting Indigenous voices |url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/08/drag-race-down-unders-maxi-shield-on-uplifting-indigenous-voices-14738152/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=Metro |language=en |archive-date=8 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608172614/https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/08/drag-race-down-unders-maxi-shield-on-uplifting-indigenous-voices-14738152/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=7 June 2021 |title=Maxi Shield On Being A Plus-Sized Older Queen & Listening To Indigenous Voices |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/maxi-shield-on-being-a-plus-sized-older-queen-listening-to-indigenous-voices/203593 |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=Star Observer |language=en-US |archive-date=5 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205112412/https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/maxi-shield-on-being-a-plus-sized-older-queen-listening-to-indigenous-voices/203593 |url-status=live }}</ref> She impersonated Magda Szubanski during the Snatch Game challenge.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 May 2021 |title=Here's who the Drag Race Down Under queens will impersonate on Snatch Game |url=https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/heres-who-the-drag-race-down-under-queens-will-impersonate-on-snatch-game/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=GAY TIMES |language=en-GB |archive-date=14 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814064710/https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/heres-who-the-drag-race-down-under-queens-will-impersonate-on-snatch-game/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Maxi Shield was eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom two of the make-over challenge, then losing a lip-sync battle against Scarlet Adams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Tim |date=6 June 2021 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Recap: Making Over Rugby Players |url=https://screenrant.com/rupauls-drag-race-down-under-rugby-maxi-shield/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=James |first=Michael |date=7 June 2021 |title=Drag Race Video Rucap: Maxi Shield 'I was my toughest competition' |url=https://qnews.com.au/drag-race-video-rucap-maxi-shield-i-was-my-toughest-competition/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=QNews |language=en-us |archive-date=14 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814130602/https://qnews.com.au/drag-race-video-rucap-maxi-shield-i-was-my-toughest-competition/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She appeared at RuPaul's DragCon UK on numerous occasions after competing on ''Drag Race''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garrison |first=Mark |date=28 February 2023 |title=Drag Race Down Under Star Maxi Shield Reveals Her Favourite Things About Queer Sydney |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/celebrity-news/drag-race-down-under-star-maxi-shield-reveals-her-favourite-things-about-queer-sydney/222211 |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=Star Observer |language=en-US |archive-date=20 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320072030/https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/celebrity-news/drag-race-down-under-star-maxi-shield-reveals-her-favourite-things-about-queer-sydney/222211 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 2020, Maxi Shield and fellow ''Drag Race'' contestant Hannah Conda attempted to set a new world record for the largest Drag Queen Story Time event at Oxtravaganza.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=20 February 2020 |title=Drag Queen Story Time – A World Record in the offing |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/community-news/a-drag-queen-story-time-world-record-in-the-offing/192768 |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=Star Observer |language=en-US |archive-date=7 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707080848/https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/community-news/a-drag-queen-story-time-world-record-in-the-offing/192768 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sequins and lessons as drag queen storytime taken to Sydney streets |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/sequins-and-lessons-as-drag-queen-storytime-taken-to-sydney-streets/pd8z38yyc |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=SBS News |language=en}}</ref> In 2023, Maxi Shield played Maxine Fowler in the film ''The Winner Takes It All''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hirst |first=Jordan |date=25 January 2023 |title=Drag star Maxi Shield's new movie is a campy, raunchy comedy |url=https://qnews.com.au/drag-star-maxi-shields-new-movie-is-a-campy-raunchy-comedy/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=QNews |language=en-us |archive-date=26 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126003100/https://qnews.com.au/drag-star-maxi-shields-new-movie-is-a-campy-raunchy-comedy/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=5 February 2023 |title=Drag Cinema with Maxi Shield and "The Winner Takes It All" Director James Demitri |url=https://joy.org.au/outtakes/2023/02/06/drag-cinema-with-maxi-shield-and-the-winner-takes-it-all-director-james-demitri/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=Out Takes |language=en-US |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326070626/https://joy.org.au/outtakes/2023/02/06/drag-cinema-with-maxi-shield-and-the-winner-takes-it-all-director-james-demitri/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hirst |first=Jordan |date=14 February 2023 |title=Maxi Shield serves big John Waters energy in raunchy comedy |url=https://qnews.com.au/maxi-shield-serves-big-john-waters-energy-in-raunchy-comedy/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=QNews |language=en-us |archive-date=19 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319155540/https://qnews.com.au/maxi-shield-serves-big-john-waters-energy-in-raunchy-comedy/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life and death== Elliot was based in Sydney<ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Andrew |date=23 April 2016 |title=Drag queen Maxi Shield upholds Anzac Day tradition of two-up |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/drag-queen-maxi-shield-upholds-anzac-day-tradition-of-twoup-20160422-gocgrx.html |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307225553/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/drag-queen-maxi-shield-upholds-anzac-day-tradition-of-twoup-20160422-gocgrx.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maher |first=Alannah |date=12 April 2023 |title=Superstar drag queen Maxi Shield is making her stand-up debut at Sydney Comedy Festival |url=https://www.timeout.com/sydney/comedy/maxi-shield-the-whole-tit-and-kaboodle |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=Time Out Sydney |language=en-AU |archive-date=13 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413110317/https://www.timeout.com/sydney/comedy/maxi-shield-the-whole-tit-and-kaboodle |url-status=live }}</ref> and was an Oxford Street Safety Ambassador for the City of Sydney.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 October 2007 |title=COUNCIL Meeting No 1463 |url=https://meetings.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Data/Council/20071029/Agenda/071029_council_minutes.pdf |access-date=8 March 2026 |website=City of Sydney}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 August 2008 |title=Sydney plans homophobia-free zones |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/world/sydney-plans-homophobia-free-zones-idUSSYD121328/ |access-date=8 March 2026 |website=Reuters}}</ref>
In 2017, Maxi Shield starred in a HIV prevention video campaign run by ACON titled "This HIV Testing Week, Testing Doesn't Have To Be A Drag"<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 June 2017 |title=HIV Testing: Maxi Shield visits a[TEST] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4mQPatNFXE |access-date=8 March 2026 |website=YouTube}}</ref>. Maxi was selected by ACON for this role due to her being "tremendously talented" and highly recognisable by members of the Sydney LGBTQIA+ community, as well as her status as a community leader and her role as Oxford Street Safety Ambassador<ref>{{Cite web |title=Latest News |url=https://www.acon.org.au/about-acon/latest-news/ |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=ACON |language=en-AU}}</ref>. In 2022, Maxi Shield participated in the "We're Better Than That" campaign to prevent domestic violence, having experienced it as a child<ref>{{Cite web |last=Power |first=Julie |date=3 March 2022 |title=Maxi Shield: A voice with cut through on domestic violence |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/maxi-shield-a-voice-with-cut-through-on-domestic-violence-20220222-p59yqw.html |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307225549/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/maxi-shield-a-voice-with-cut-through-on-domestic-violence-20220222-p59yqw.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hirst |first=Jordan |date=3 March 2022 |title=Drag star Maxi Shield reveals she's a domestic violence survivor |url=https://qnews.com.au/maxi-shield-drag-queen-domestic-violence-survivor-campaign/ |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=QNews |language=en-us |archive-date=23 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323231714/https://qnews.com.au/maxi-shield-drag-queen-domestic-violence-survivor-campaign/ |url-status=live }}</ref>.
In September 2025, Elliot announced that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer, for which he began receiving treatment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Callum |date=3 September 2025 |title=Drag Race Down Under star Maxi Shield announces cancer diagnosis as she undergoes treatment |url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/drag-race-maxi-shield-throat-cancer-diagnosis-493552/ |access-date=18 December 2025 |website=Attitude |language=en-us |archive-date=3 September 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250903123749/https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/film-tv/drag-race-maxi-shield-throat-cancer-diagnosis-493552/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He died five months after being diagnosed, on 21 February 2026, at the age of 51.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2026/02/23/drag-race-down-under-star-maxi-shield-dies-five-months-after-cancer-diagnosis/|title=''Drag Race Down Under'' star Maxi Shield dies five months after cancer diagnosis|last=Wratten|first=Marcus|work=PinkNews|date=23 February 2026|access-date=23 February 2026}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role |- | 2005 | ''Going Down Under''{{cn|date=March 2026}} | Transvestite |- | 2023 | ''The Winner Takes It All''{{cn|date=March 2026}} | Maxine Fowler |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2005 | ''All Saints'' | Drag Queen | Episode: "Outside Looking In" |- | 2018 | ''You Can't Ask That'' | Herself | Episode: "Drag" |- | 2021 | ''RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under'' (season 1) | Herself (contestant) | 6th place |- | 2022 | ''Bring Back My Girls'' | Herself | Episode: "RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1" |- | 2023 | ''Tongue Thai'd'' | Herself | Episode: "Maxi Shield at Crispy Pork Gang" |- | 2024 | ''Drag Race Down Under'' (season 4) | Herself (special guest) | Episode: "The Rhys Roast" |- |}
==See also== * List of people from Sydney
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Maxi Shield}} * {{Official website|https://maxidragqueen.com}} * {{IMDb name|3407960}}
{{Drag Race Down Under}} {{Authority control}}
Category:1974 births Category:2026 deaths Category:21st-century Australian LGBTQ people Category:21st-century Australian male actors Category:Australian drag queens Category:Australian LGBTQ entertainers Category:Deaths from throat cancer in New South Wales Category:Drag performers from Sydney Category:Drag Race Down Under contestants Category:Male actors from Sydney Category:People from Ballina, New South Wales