Acting · Towson, Maryland, USA · Born October 19, 1945
Divine (October 19, 1945 – March 7, 1988), né Harris Glenn Milstead, was an American actor, singer and drag queen. Described by People magazine as the "Drag Queen of the Century", Divine often performed female roles in both cinema and theater and also appeared in women's clothing in musical performances. Even so, he considered himself to be a character actor and performed male roles in a number of his later films. He was often associated with independent filmmaker John Waters and starred in ten of Waters's films, usually in a leading role. Concurrent with his acting career, he also had a successful career as a disco singer during the 1980s, at one point being described as "the most successful and in-demand disco performer in the world." Born in Baltimore, Maryland, into a conservative, wealthy middle class family, he became involved with John Waters and his acting troupe, the Dreamlanders, in the mid-1960s and starred in a number of Waters's early films such as Mondo Trasho, Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble. These films have since become cult classics. In the 1970s, Milstead made the transition to theater and appeared in a number of productions, including Women Behind Bars and The Neon Woman, while continuing to star in such films as Polyester, Lust in the Dust and Hairspray. The New York Times said of Milstead's '80s films: "Those who could get past the unremitting weirdness of Divine's performance discovered that the actor/actress had genuine talent, including a natural sense of comic timing and an uncanny gift for slapstick." He was also described as "one of the few truly radical and essential artists of the century… was an audacious symbol of man's quest for liberty and freedom." Since his death, Divine has remained a cult figure, particularly with those in the LGBT community.
MovieToo Disgusting To Be Confused
2025
as Self
My Life with the Waters
2021
as Self
MovieDisclosure
2020
as Edna Turnblad (archive footage)
MovieBEAT. Contour. Snatched. How Drag Queens Shaped the Biggest Makeup Trends
2018
as Self
Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’
2018
as Self (archive)
MovieCrime and Beauty: Remembering "Female Trouble"
2018
as Self (archive)
MovieStudio 54
2018
as Self (archive footage)
MovieHoward
2018
as Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson (archive footage)
MovieDiscolocos
2016
as Self (archive footage)
MovieNight Flight: Born Again
2016
as Self
MovieTab Hunter Confidential
2015
as Self (archive)
MovieI Am Divine
2014
as Self (archive)
TVCachitos de hierro y cromo
2013
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Sex of Death e o Homem Invisível
2012
as Singer (archive footage)
MovieThe British Guide to Showing Off
2011
as Self (archive footage)
MovieUncle Bob
2010
as Self
MovieStarz Inside: In the Gutter
2008
as Self (archive)
MovieThe Roots of 'Hairspray'
2007
as Self (archive)
MovieDIVINE R.I.P.
2007
as Self (archive footage)
TVGirls and Boys - Sex and British Pop
2005
as Self
TVSex 'n' Pop
2004
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Cockettes
2002
as Self (archive footage)
MovieDivine Trash
2000
as Self
MovieDivine: Shoot Your Shot & Live at the Hacienda
2000
as Self (archive footage)
MovieIn Bad Taste
1999
as Self (archive footage)
MovieSoul Ache
1998
as Actriz cantante (Singer actress)
MovieDivine: Shoot Your Shot
1995
MovieDivine: Live at the Hacienda
1994
MovieRhythm Divine: The Story of Disco
1992
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Neon Woman
1990
as Flash Storm (archive footage)
TVThe Incredibly Strange Film Show
1988
as Self
MovieOut of the Dark
1988
as Det. Langella
MovieHairspray
1988
as Edna Turnblad / Arvin Hodgepile
MovieQueen: The Magic Years vol. 3
1987
as Self
MovieQueen: The Magic Years vol. 1
1987
as Self
MovieQueen: Magic Years - A Visual Anthology
1987
as Self
MovieTrouble in Mind
1985
as Hilly Blue
MovieLust in the Dust
1985
as Rosie Velez
Divine Waters
1985
as Self
TVTales from the Darkside
1984
TVLate Night with David Letterman
1982
as Self - Guest
MoviePolyester
1981
as Francine Fishpaw
MovieThe Alternative Miss World
1980
as Self - Guest of Honour
MovieTally Brown, New York
1979
MovieUnderground and Emigrants
1976
as Self
MovieFemale Trouble
1976
as Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson
MoviePink Flamingos
1972
as Divine / Babs Johnson
MovieMultiple Maniacs
1970
as Lady Divine
MovieThe Diane Linkletter Story
1970
as Diane Linkletter
MovieMondo Trasho
1969
as Divine / Greaser in Alley
MovieEat Your Makeup
1968
as Jacqueline Kennedy
Roman Candles
1967
as Party Guest / Man with Scarf
New Line: Independent Legacies
as Self (archive footage)
