Kennedy Davenport
Kennedy Davenport | |
|---|---|
 Davenport at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2022
| |
| Born |
Reuben Asberry Jr.
September 9, 1980
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
|
| Education | University of North Carolina School of the Arts |
| Occupation(s) | Drag queen, television personality, dancer |
| Known for | |
Reuben Asberry Jr., better known by the stage name Kennedy Davenport (born September 9, 1980), is a drag queen, television personality, and dancer from Dallas, Texas, who came to international attention on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race, placing fourth overall, and on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, where she was the runner-up.
Career
Davenport first appeared on television in the eighth season of America's Got Talent in 2013. She was eliminated in the Vegas round.
She was announced as one of the fourteen contestants in season seven of RuPaul's Drag Race on March 2, 2015, where she placed fourth overall. After this, she made a one-episode appearance on Skin Wars with fellow Drag Race contestants. On October 20, 2017, Davenport was announced as one of the returning queens for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3. Davenport ultimately was the runner-up overall, losing to Trixie Mattel.
Outside of Drag Race, Asberry has won numerous titles in drag pageants, including Miss Gay USofA 2019, Miss Gay Orlando 2016, Miss D’Elegance International 2013, and Miss Gay Black USofA 2009. Her dance performances are her signature component.
Davenport also works as a musician; she released her first single, "Moving Up", featuring rapper Dresia Dee on March 16, 2018.
In July 2020, she returned to the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as a Lip-Sync Assassin. She lip-synced against Miz Cracker to Fancy by Reba McEntire but lost.
In April 2023, Davenport and her Drag Race alumni Jan Sport, Manila Luzon and Olivia Lux performed alongside Kelsea Ballerini at the CMT Music Awards, held in Austin, Texas. The performance was seen as Ballerini's support to drag performers following the passing of the Tennessee drag ban
Personal life
Asberry was born to Checkery Marie Thacker. His father, Reuben Asberry Sr., died on October 25, 2013. Prior to pursuing drag, he spent some time in the United States Navy.
A $33,000 bank payment was needed to prevent his house from being foreclosed upon. A GoFundMe page was created to help pay off the house note, and a drag event was held to support him, featuring fellow Drag Race alumni.
His drag mother is Kelexis Davenport, who is also drag mother to the late season 2 Drag Race contestant Sahara Davenport. Another one of Kennedy's drag sisters, Bianca Gisele Davenport Starr, was murdered on December 8, 2017. Drag Race season 11 contestant A'keria C. Davenport, and other Drag Race Contestants throughout the years (Honey Davenport, Monét X Change and Ra'Jah O'Hara) are among members of the Davenport drag family.
Pageant history
- Miss Gay Black USofA 2009
- Miss Tampa Bay International 2009
- Miss Glamorous 2010
- North Carolina All American Goddess 2010
- Miss Parliament House 2010
- Miss Revolution 2010
- Miss Treasure Coast 2010
- Miss Gay South Central States USofA 2011
- Miss Parliament House 2011
- Miss Gay Georgia USofA 2012
- Miss Texas FFI 2012
- Mid America All American Goddess 2013
- All American Goddess (3rd Alternate)
- Miss D’Elegance International 2013
- Miss Gay Orlando 2016
- Miss West Palm Beach International 2016
- Miss Gay Texas USofA 2017 (1st Alternate)
- Miss Gay USofA 2017 (1st Alternate)
- Miss Gay USofA 2019
- Miss Pride South Florida 2019
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts | Himself |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | America's Got Talent | Himself (contestant) | Season 8 | |
| 2015 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself (contestant) | Season 7 (4th place) | |
| 2016 | Skin Wars | Herself | Episode: "Miss Skin Wars" | |
| 2018 | RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars | Herself (contestant) | Season 3 (Runner-Up) | |
| 2020 | AJ and the Queen | Drag queen | Guest appearance | |
| 2020 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 5) | Herself | Guest (“Lipsync Assassin”) Episode: "Stand-Up Smackdown" |
|
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked (season 2) | ||||
| 2023 | 57th Annual CMT Music Awards | Herself | Performer with Kelsea Ballerini, Jan Sport, Manila Luzon & Olivia Lux |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "Uptown Fish" | Shangela |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked | Herself | Companion show to RuPaul's Drag Race | |
| 2015 | Transformations | Guest | ||
| 2016 | Hey Qween! | 2 episodes, Guest | ||
| 2016 | How To Makeup | World of Wonder series | ||
| 2016 | Fashion Photo Ruview | Guest, alongside Raven and Raja | ||
| 2018 | Before She Walks In | Guest | ||
| 2018 | Whatcha Packin' | Guest | ||
| 2018 | Cosmo Queens | Season Three, Episode Ten | ||
| 2019 | Detailz | Guest | ||
| 2019 | Werq The World | Season 1 | ||
| 2019 | Follow Me | Episode: "Mayhem Miller" | ||
| 2021 | Pageant Pod | Podcast by Moguls of Media | ||
| 2021 | Binge | Podcast by Entertainment Weekly |
Theatre
| Year | Production | Role | Venue | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Gospel According to Kennedy Davenport | Herself | Laurie Beechman Theatre |
Discography
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Moving Up" | 2018 | Non-album single |
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
|
US Dance |
|||
| "Drag Up Your Life" (RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 3) |
2018 | — | Non-album single |
| "Kitty Girl" (RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 3) |
18 |
Other appearances
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Throw Ya Hands Up" | 2015 | RuPaul | RuPaul Presents CoverGurlz 2 |
| "Cha Cha Heels" | 2016 | Lucian Piane, Katya Zamolodchikova | RuPaul's Drag Race: The Rusical |
| "One Last Christmas Card" | 2017 | Adam Barta featuring Mrs. Kasha Davis, Eureka O'Hara, and Kennedy Davenport | Non-album singles |