Canada’s Drag Race finalists seemingly reveal relationship: ‘Shane and Ilya but drag queens’
Canada’s Drag Race season four cast. (World of Wonder)
Venus and Aurora Matrix, the winner and runner-up of Canada’s Drag Race season four, have seemingly soft launched that they are in a relationship.
The duo, who became close friends during and following their stint on the drag reality contest in early 2024, shared a joint Instagram post on Sunday (1 February), appearing to tease that their relationship is no longer platonic.
In one photo, Venus and Aurora are pictured kissing passionately, with Venus wrapping an arm around Aurora’s neck. A second photo shows the couple taking a smiling selfie in a hot tub together.
The pair have spent the past few days together, as they appeared at events at Whistler Pride Festival in Whistler, Canada.
“Shane and Ilya but they’re drag queens,” Venus joked in the post’s caption, referencing the steamy relationship between Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov in viral queer TV smash, Heated Rivalry.
In Heated Rivalry, Shane and Ilya start their relationship as competitors – much like Venus and Aurora – before becoming lovers.
Venus tagged the post using the hashtags “#happypridewhistler”, “#scissorsisters” and “#cottagecore”.
The latter hashtag appears to refer to the final episode of Heated Rivalry’s first season, during which Shane and Ilya confess their love for each other while staying at Shane’s cottage.
It’s not the first time Venus and Aurora have teased their relationship, having previously shared sweet selfies together on social media. Yet following their most recent post, some Drag Race fans seem convinced that the pair are officially together, and that their ‘romance’ is no longer just a joke.
“Oh my god is this reeeeeal,” wrote one fan in the post’s comment section.
“Is this like a soft launch or what,” a second questioned.
“Nothing but respect for MY Heated Rivalry,” a third added.
Venus and Aurora’s Drag Race sisters also hopped into the post’s comment section to fawn over the potential romance.
“Wait,” wrote All Stars 10 star Cynthia Lee Fontaine. “Hot couple. Babies will be stunning !”
“The original scissor sisters,” quipped Canada’s Drag Race season six winner, Van Goth.
“Shane and Ilya could only wish. THIS is actual rivalry,” added Drag Race UK vs The World star Melinda Verga.
Aurora added grist to the rumour mill by commenting “The Cottage Afters” alongside a lip-biting emoji.
If Venus and Aurora were to confirm that their romance isn’t just fiction, they wouldn’t be the first former Drag Race competitors to find love on the show.
Drag Race UK stars Actavia and Charra Tea were in a relationship following their appearance on season six in 2024, before splitting last year. Season seven stars Catrin Feelings and Tayris Mongardi also briefly dated following their appearance on the Drag Race UK.
Canada’s Drag Race host Brooke Lynn Hytes and All Stars 9 finalist Vanessa Vanjie Mateo also dated following their appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 in 2019.
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