Naomi Smalls is the stage name of Davis Heppenstall (born September 8, 1993), an American drag queen and reality television personality, best known as one of the runners-up on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race as well as RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season 4.
Early life Heppenstall was born on September 8, 1993, in Fresno, California, and was later adopted in Redlands. He has eight brothers and three sisters, many of whom were also adopted. His adopted mom is named June. Smalls has described her mother as her "biggest fan".
Career
The name Naomi Smalls comes from supermodel Naomi Campbell and rapper Biggie Smalls.
RuPaul's Drag Race Smalls was announced as one of twelve contestants for the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race on February 1, 2016. At 21 years old, she was the season's youngest contestant. Smalls was in the bottom two in the fifth episode after she played Tiffany Pollard for the annual "Snatch Game" competition. She lip synced to "Causing a Commotion" by Madonna against Acid Betty and won, saving herself from elimination. She won the makeover challenge the following episode, where she designed an outfit for one of the Little Women: LA cast members. She reached the final three in the season, but lost to Bob the Drag Queen, and tied with Kim Chi for runner-up.
On November 8, 2018, it was announced that Smalls would be returning to compete in the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Smalls placed high for the first four episodes, doing incredibly well but just shy of winning. She was in the bottom for the roast of Lady Bunny in episode five but won against Gia Gunn in a Lipsync in the episode six "LaLaPaRuZa" to keep her place. She was in the bottom the following episode, but was saved by Latrice Royale. She won the makeover challenge, becoming the first ever queen to win two makeover challenges, and the only one to only win the makeover challenge on each of her seasons, but she controversially eliminated front-runner Manila Luzon from the competition after Luzon had been the only queen that season to never previously land in the bottom two. Smalls reached the final, and finished as the Runner up with Monique Heart. She became the first Drag Race contestant to finish as Runner up to both of her seasons since Raven.
After Drag Race Outside of Drag Race, Smalls was a co-host with Kim Chi for the WoWPresents internet series M.U.G. where they critique queens makeup looks. She makes recurring appearances on the internet series "Fashion Photo RuView" filling in for Raja or Raven. Smalls did an interview with Cardi B for Cosmopolitan in February 2018. She started her own YouTube series, Small's World, where she documents her life touring across the country. The first episode premiered on February 16, 2018.
In September 2019, at RuPaul's DragCon NYC, Smalls was named as one of a rotating cast of a dozen Drag Race queens in RuPaul's Drag Race Live!, a Las Vegas show residency at the Flamingo Las Vegas. In 2024, she was announced as one of eight former Drag Race contestants participating in Painting with Raven, a spin-off of the WOW Presents Plus series Painted with Raven.
Smalls released a music video for her first single, "Pose", on December 16, 2018. She also appeared in Manila Luzon's music video for "Go Fish".
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes2018A Queen for the PeopleHerselfDocumentary by Bob the Drag Queen
Television Year Title Role Notes 2016 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself Contestant (Runner-Up)RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked2016–2017 Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaulGuest 2018–2019 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Contestant (3rd/4th Place) 2020 RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue 2023 Drag Me to Dinner Hulu original
Music videos YearTitleArtist2018PoseHerself2019Go FishManila Luzon
Web series YearTitleRoleNotes 2016RuPaul's Drag Race: UntuckedHerselfSeason 82017Fashion Photo RuViewGuest Host2017-18M.U.G.Co-Host2017Cosmo QueensGuest by Cosmopolitan2018Small's WorldHostSibling RivalryGuest, Episode 10Call Me CouleeCameo2019Whatcha Packin'GuestRunway RewindGuest, hosted by Violet Chachki2020Werq The WorldFeatured Queen2021BingePodcast by Entertainment WeeklyBeauty SecretsGuest by Vogue2022-23The Pit StopGuest2023Sloppy SecondsPodcast; Episode: "#318"2024Monét's Slumber Party GuestThe Bald and the BeautifulPodcast; Episode: "Queen of the Amazons with Naomi Smalls and Katya"
Discography
Singles As lead artist YearTitle2019"Pose"
Featured singles Title Year Album "Errybody Say Love" (RuPaul featuring Naomi Smalls, Monique Heart, Farrah Moan, and Monét X Change) 2018 rowspan="6" "Super Queen" (RuPaul featuring Naomi Smalls, Monét X Change, Monique Heart, & Trinity the Tuck) 2019
References
External links