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RuPaul pulls surprise stunt to reveal Drag Race season 15 finalists

In the great tradition of Eve 6000, RuPaul had a trick up her sleeve.

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Published on March 31, 2023 09:30PM EDT

For the first time this season, RuPaul had — in the great tradition of Canada's Drag Race icon Eve 6000 — a very specific trick up her sleeve to reveal the RuPaul's Drag Race season 15 finalists.

After the top-four contestants — Sasha Colby, Luxx Noir London, Anetra, and Mistress Isabelle Brooks — were tasked with performing in Mama Ru's "Blame It on the Edit" music video challenge on Friday's episode, the judges deliberated on who should advance to the three slots open for the finale.

"At the beginning of this season I promised myself to have an elimination every episode," RuPaul told Michelle Visage and Ross Mathews during deliberation, seemingly referencing the fact that season 14 went nearly one month without eliminating a contestant at the top of 2022. "I've gotta admit, I'm still making up my mind."

When the show returned from commercial, the Emmy-winning hostess deemed Sasha to be the week's winner, securing her place in the final episode. Luxx joined her as this week's "safe" queen, leaving Mistress and Anetra to lip-sync against each other for the remaining spot.

The duo duked it out on the Main Stage to Kelly Rowland and David Guetta's EDM hit "When Love Takes Over," with all of the judges applauding when they finished.

"Ladies, I have made my decision," RuPaul announced as Anetra and Mistress awaited their fate. "For the first time this season, shantay you both stay! Condragulations, you are both moving on to the grand finale!"

An ecstatic Mistress celebrated the moment in a confessional. "I'm so excited," she squealed. "Right now I'm in my winning era, you junkie whores!"

The top four queens heading into the season's last episode mark the remnants of the largest-ever cast in RuPaul's Drag Race her-story, with a record-setting 16 queens kicking off the competition on its January premiere.

The RuPaul's Drag Race season 15 reunion premieres next Friday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV, followed one week later by the season 15 finale on April 14. Catch up on the season and hear exclusive interviews with the cast in EW's Quick Drag podcast feed below.

Subscribe toEW's Quick Drag podcast for recaps of RuPaul's Drag Race, including reactions with the cast, special guests, and more.