Maxi Shield, the Australian drag performer known professionally as Maxi Shield, died on February 21, 2026, at the age of 51.
Born Kristopher Elliot in Ballina, New South Wales, on June 1, 1974, she competed on the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. Her career also included performances at the 2000 Olympic Games closing ceremony and the opening of the Gay Games in 2002.
During the competition, she impersonated Magda Szubanski in the Snatch Game challenge and was eliminated after the makeover challenge, following a lip-sync battle against Scarlet Adams.
Kristopher Elliot (1 June 1974 – 21 February 2026), known professionally as Maxi Shield, was an Australian drag performer who competed on the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.