# Maxi Shield
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxi_Shield
> Source revision: 1346476702
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{{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
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| caption = Shield in 2023
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| birth_name = Kristopher Elliot
| birth_date = {{birth date|1974|6|1|df=y}}
| birth_place = [Ballina, New South Wales](/source/Ballina%2C_New_South_Wales), Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|2026|2|21|1974|6|1|df=y}}
| death_place = [Sydney](/source/Sydney), New South Wales, Australia
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| television = ''[RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under](/source/RuPaul's_Drag_Race_Down_Under)'' ([season 1](/source/RuPaul's_Drag_Race_Down_Under_(season_1)))
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| website = {{URL|maxidragqueen.com}}
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'''Kristopher Elliot''' (1 June 1974 – 21 February 2026), known professionally as '''Maxi Shield''', was an Australian drag performer who competed on the [first season](/source/RuPaul's_Drag_Race_Down_Under_(season_1)) of ''[RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under](/source/RuPaul's_Drag_Race_Down_Under)''.
==Early life==
Kristopher Elliot was born in [Ballina](/source/Ballina%2C_New_South_Wales), [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales) on 1 June 1974.[{{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 }}][{{cite web |title=Maxi Shield |url=https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/maxi-shield |website=watch.plex.tv |access-date=23 February 2026}}][{{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}}][{{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}}]
==Career==
[[File:RuPaul DragCon 2022 (52073489484).jpg|thumb|Maxi Shield at [RuPaul's DragCon LA](/source/RuPaul's_DragCon_LA) in May 2022]]
Maxi Shield performed at the [2000 Olympic Games closing ceremony](/source/2000_Summer_Olympics_closing_ceremony) and opened the [Gay Games](/source/Gay_Games) in 2002. She competed on the [first season](/source/RuPaul's_Drag_Race_Down_Under_(season_1)) of ''[RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under](/source/RuPaul's_Drag_Race_Down_Under)''.[{{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 }}][{{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 }}][{{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 }}] She impersonated [Magda Szubanski](/source/Magda_Szubanski) during the [Snatch Game](/source/Snatch_Game) challenge.[{{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 }}] Maxi Shield was eliminated from the competition after placing in the bottom two of the make-over challenge, then losing a [lip-sync](/source/lip-sync) battle against [Scarlet Adams](/source/Scarlet_Adams).[{{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}}][{{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 }}] She appeared at [RuPaul's DragCon UK](/source/RuPaul's_DragCon_UK) on numerous occasions after competing on ''Drag Race''.[{{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 }}]
In 2020, Maxi Shield and fellow ''Drag Race'' contestant [Hannah Conda](/source/Hannah_Conda) attempted to set a new world record for the largest Drag Queen Story Time event at Oxtravaganza.[{{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 }}][{{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}}] In 2023, Maxi Shield played Maxine Fowler in the film ''The Winner Takes It All''.[{{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 }}][{{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 }}][{{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 }}]
==Personal life and death==
Elliot was based in [Sydney](/source/Sydney)[{{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 }}][{{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 }}] and was an [Oxford Street](/source/Oxford_Street%2C_Sydney) Safety Ambassador for the [City of Sydney](/source/City_of_Sydney).[{{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](/source/City_of_Sydney)}}][{{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](/source/Reuters)}}]
In 2017, Maxi Shield starred in a [HIV prevention](/source/Prevention_of_HIV%2FAIDS) video campaign run by [ACON](/source/AIDS_Council_of_New_South_Wales) titled "This HIV Testing Week, Testing Doesn't Have To Be A Drag"[{{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](/source/YouTube)}}]. Maxi was selected by ACON for this role due to her being "tremendously talented" and highly recognisable by members of the [Sydney LGBTQIA+ community](/source/LGBTQ_culture_in_Sydney), as well as her status as a community leader and her role as Oxford Street Safety Ambassador[{{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}}]. In 2022, Maxi Shield participated in the "We're Better Than That" campaign to prevent [domestic violence](/source/domestic_violence), having experienced it as a child[{{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 }}][{{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 }}].
In September 2025, Elliot announced that he had been diagnosed with [throat cancer](/source/throat_cancer), for which he began receiving treatment.[{{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 }}] He died five months after being diagnosed, on 21 February 2026, at the age of 51.[{{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](/source/PinkNews)|date=23 February 2026|access-date=23 February 2026}}]
==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](/source/All_Saints_(TV_series))''
| Drag Queen
| Episode: "Outside Looking In"
|-
| 2018
| ''[You Can't Ask That](/source/You_Can't_Ask_That)''
| Herself
| Episode: "Drag"
|-
| 2021
| ''[RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under](/source/Drag_Race_Down_Under)'' ([season 1](/source/RuPaul's_Drag_Race_Down_Under_season_1))
| Herself (contestant)
| 6th place
|-
| 2022
| ''[Bring Back My Girls](/source/Bring_Back_My_Girls)''
| Herself
| Episode: "RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1"
|-
| 2023
| ''[Tongue Thai'd](/source/Tongue_Thai'd)''
| Herself
| Episode: "Maxi Shield at Crispy Pork Gang"
|-
| 2024
| ''[Drag Race Down Under](/source/Drag_Race_Down_Under)'' ([season 4](/source/Drag_Race_Down_Under_season_4))
| Herself (special guest)
| Episode: "The [Rhys](/source/Rhys_Nicholson) Roast"
|-
|}
==See also==
* [List of people from Sydney](/source/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
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maxi Shield](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxi_Shield) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxi_Shield?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.