Who is Jinkx Monsoon? Real name and all we know about RuPaul Drag race star as she criticizes JK Rowling

Hera Lilith Hoffer, whose stage name is Jinkx Monsoon, is grabbing attention for delivering a sharp critique of J.K. Rowling's anti‑trans views.

The 37-year-old RuPaul's Drag Race alum recently joined comedian and writer Ziwe for a fun interview. During the chit-chat, she was asked whether Rowling would "make a good Roxy Hart in Chicago," according to a BuzzFeed report. 

Jinkx played the role of Matron "Mama" Morton in the Broadway production of Chicago. 

Appearing to be confused about the Harry Potter writer's identity and indirectly taking a dig at her anti-trans opinions, Monsoon responded, asking,

"Who is Jake? Who is he? Jake Hay Rowling?" 

What exactly did Jinkx Monsoon say about J.K. Rowling?

The Broadway star often stands for her identity and community publicly and expresses her authentic thoughts to the world. In her recent conversation, she did not shy away from subtly criticizing J.K. Rowling for her anti-trans thoughts.

Hearing Monsoon identifying the renowned writer as a "he," Ziwe corrected her, noting that Rowling is a "she". Well, Jinks did not take much time to react cheekily and expressed,

"Oh, dear. That is not a feminine name in the slightest."

While discussing the Broadway productions and Rowling, the Drag Race All Stars Season 7 winner pointed out an anecdote about the Harry Potter-famed author adopting her pen name 'J.K.' as a deliberate attempt to control perceptions about her gender. She shared,

"I know that oftentimes, female authors use initials so that people assume it's a male writer."

 

 

 

 

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Highlighting her assumptions about everyone's views on Rowling and the writer's decision to "disguise" herself as a male author at the start of her career, Monsoon further continued,

"I have to presume that J.K. Rowling was unsatisfied with the way that the world saw her, and then she transitioned herself into a new personality so that the world would perceive her the way she wanted to be perceived."

Ziwe reacted to Jinkx's mic-drop statement, saying, 

"Gagging."

A look at Jinkx Monsoon's life and career

Childhood

Born as Hera Lilith Hoffer on September 18, 1987, in Portland, Oregon, Jinkx spent a childhood marked by a love for classical music. Along with the financial crisis, she did not really have a lot of friends to hang out with. According to American Songwriter, she called her child self a "visibly queer" kid. At a young age, she had an early awareness of LGBTQ+ issues.

The outlet reported Monsoon recalling her childhood and her experience of finding solace in music. Expressing her love and passion for exploring different music genres, she explained,

"The first music I ever bought myself at maybe nine-years-old was Carmen Suite [ballet] on cassette. I was obsessed with that. Then, in my teens, I started really diving into older music like Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline and the B-52's. Shortly after I came out, I discovered Amanda Palmer and the Dresden Dolls and Regina Spektor. That’s when I really found my musical voice."

Reflecting on receiving love from the audience, she further added,

"The box-office success is lovely because that means more producers will take chances on other drag artists and marginalized performers. It proved that audiences are hungry to see these roles interpreted by different perspectives."

Journey to fame and prominence

In 2013, she won the RuPaul's Drag Race Season 5 title. Later in 2022, she also clinched the first position in the Drag Race All Stars Season 7. In the history of the franchise, she is the first-ever two-time winner.

Jinkx Monsoon showcased her acting skills on Broadway. In 2023, she portrayed the role of Matron "Mama" Morton in Chicago. According to her official website, she played Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors off‑Broadway last year. Fans also admired her performances as Ruth in Pirates! The Penzance Musical. One of her praiseworthy performances from last year was playing Maestro in Doctor Who. Sketchy Queens also featured the drag star. Its second season premiered in January 2025.

It appears Monsoon loves exploring her craft and experiencing new styles of expressing her art. In 2023, she released a stand‑up special on Prime Video titled Red Head Redemption, as per Them. 

Love life

In January 2021, Jinkx Monsoon tied the knot to Michael Abbott at her home in Portland, according to Portland Monthly. Their nuptials were officiated by comedian Deven Green over Skype. The couple's family and friends enjoyed their union remotely via Zoom.

Three years later, Michael confirmed on Instagram that the duo had decided to part ways after three years of marriage, PinkNews reported. 

Abbott announced on the social media platform,

"With a heavy heart, I share that Jinkx and I have chosen to part ways. In this extremely challenging time, I want to emphasise my deep gratitude to Jinkx for the shared moments, love and growth we experienced together."

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