Divine
Known for Acting · 50 credits
- Born
- 1945-10-19
- Died
- 1988-03-07
- Place of birth
- Towson, Maryland, USA
- Also known as
- Harris Glenn Milstead
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (6)
Movies (44)
Pink Flamingos
1976
as Divine / Babs Johnson
Disclosure
2020
as Edna Turnblad (archive footage)
Hairspray
1988
as Edna Turnblad / Arvin Hodgepile
Polyester
1981
as Francine Fishpaw
Tab Hunter Confidential
2015
as Self (archive)
Multiple Maniacs
1970
as Lady Divine
Female Trouble
1976
as Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson
Howard
2018
as Dawn Davenport / Earl Peterson (archive footage)
Studio 54
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Trouble in Mind
1985
as Hilly Blue
The Cockettes
2002
as Self (archive footage)
Out of the Dark
1988
as Det. Langella
I Am Divine
2014
as Self (archive)
Roman Candles
1967
as Party Guest / Man with Scarf
Lust in the Dust
1985
as Rosie Velez
Mondo Trasho
1969
as Divine / Greaser in Alley
Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’
2018
as Self (archive)
In Bad Taste
1999
as Self (archive footage)
Starz Inside: In the Gutter
2008
as Self (archive)
The Diane Linkletter Story
1970
as Diane Linkletter
Divine Trash
2000
as Self
Underground and Emigrants
1976
as Self
Rhythm Divine: The Story of Disco
1992
as Self (archive footage)
BEAT. Contour. Snatched. How Drag Queens Shaped the Biggest Makeup Trends
2018
as Self
Night Flight: Born Again
2016
as Self
Queen: Magic Years - A Visual Anthology
1987
as Self
Soul Ache
1998
as Actriz cantante (Singer actress)
The British Guide to Showing Off
2011
as Self (archive footage)
Tally Brown, New York
1979
Divine Waters
1985
as Self
Uncle Bob
2010
as Self
The Neon Woman
1990
as Flash Storm (archive footage)
Eat Your Makeup
1968
as Jacqueline Kennedy
Too Disgusting To Be Confused
2025
as Self
Divine: Shoot Your Shot
1995
The Alternative Miss World
1980
as Self - Guest of Honour
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 3
1987
as Self
Queen: The Magic Years vol. 1
1987
as Self
DIVINE R.I.P.
2007
as Self (archive footage)
My Life with the Waters
as Self
Divine: Live at the Hacienda
1994
Discolocos
2016
as Self (archive footage)
The Sex of Death e o Homem Invisível
2012
as Singer (archive footage)
Divine: Shoot Your Shot & Live at the Hacienda
2000
as Self (archive footage)
About Divine
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. Con… With 50 credits spanning from 1967 to 2025, Divine has appeared in 44 films and 6 TV shows.
Fans searching for Divine movies, Divine filmography, or the latest projects starring Divine can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Divine Movies
- Pink Flamingos (1976) — as Divine / Babs Johnson
- Disclosure (2020) — as Edna Turnblad (archive footage)
- Hairspray (1988) — as Edna Turnblad / Arvin Hodgepile
- Polyester (1981) — as Francine Fishpaw
- Tab Hunter Confidential (2015) — as Self (archive)
Where to Watch Divine Films
Most Divine movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Divine, check our movies catalogue and browse page.