RuPaul's Drag Race Star Lucian Piane dies aged 46
RuPaul's Drag Race star Lucian Piane has reportedly died aged 46, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has confirmed.
The office cited that his place of death as 'the street', and that he died yesterday (October 12th).
Piane was also known by his stage name RevoLucian, following his work on the soundtrack for the hit reality TV series, RuPaul’s Drag Race, having made his first appearance on the iconic show in 2009.
His last appearance came in 2012, with the star appearing in a total of 23 episodes.
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Speaking about working with Ru in a 2014 interview with OUT, he said: "Ru and myself are both people constantly working on ourselves as human beings.
"Just by proxy, the art is going to evolve. Ru was a lot more open to collaborations and a wider range of material. I really wanted us to push the limits and expectations."
However, the pair’s professional relationship was not always smooth sailing.
In 2017, Piane took to Instagram to slam RuPaul, branding the drag icon a 'sham' and alleging that the star was motivated solely by money.
He wrote: "I’d like to think it started with the best intentions but RuPaul and World of Wonder have ruined a sacred art form… They caved, they compromised."
But he later issued an apology for the attack, in which he wrote: "I acted out of anger and hurt and it was unforgivable of me.
"I irresponsibly handled my pain. my friends expressed their hurt and confusion over my actions this past year and asked me to delete certain posts and write a public apology."
In the years following his time on the show, Piane experienced a number of personal difficulties, including struggles with substance use and his mental health.
He has also composed music for films and television, including the 2013 horror film Sharknado.
The star was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1980, and later attended New York University, where he went on to build a career as a composer and music producer.
But it's not the only loss the show has suffered in recent years.
Just last year, drag race star The Vivienne died aged 32.
Their publicist, Simon Jones, announced the news in a statement which read: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams - The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.
"Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career.
"We please ask that James’s family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve."
Mia Williams