RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 9 winner Angeria Paris VanMicheals wants queer kids to know they can win, too

A RuPaul's Drag Race winner crown for Angeria Paris VanMicheals? Check. A spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame? Check. A whopping $200,000 prize for the charity of her choice? Check.

There's nothing ugg-a-ly about Angeria winning Friday's All Stars 9 finale, as the season 14 alum rose to the top of the pack and came out on top after a season filled with hilarious performances in comedy challenges, stunning runway looks, and her signature, infectious personality fit for a queen on her newly anointed throne.

But, the journey here was one filled with tenacity, grit, and dedication, as Angeria exclusively tells Entertainment Weekly in her first coronation interview (below) that, as a young gay boy in the American South, she never could have envisioned herself standing firm on a global platform for queer people at a key moment in American political history — with, mind you, a special appearance from Vice President Kamala Harris on the same episode that capped Angeria's victory.

Read on for Angeria's full winner interview with EW, in which she highlights her Beauty and the Beast-inspired finale look, explains her blocking strategy as it relates to Roxxxy Andrews, how she hopes the National Black Justice Coalition can benefit from their new $200,000 check, and what it really felt like to slap RuPaul earlier this season.

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ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Congratulations and what a happy birthday for you! What are you feeling right now?

ANGERIA PARIS VANMICHEALS: I can’t even believe what I just heard. I’m so happy. You’ve been with me through this journey since season 14, and since then, I lost, and it was okay. I always knew I wanted to go back on All Stars. I remember telling Willow Pill, Bosco, and Daya Betty over dinner that I wanted to go back and that I had to win. Fast forward, I just won, and I’m gagging!

What do you want people watching at home to see in your victory and your journey to this point?

I want people to know that it doesn’t matter where you come from. This journey, it started all the way from Sparta, Ga. I grew up in a town where I was one of four gay people, openly. Getting on Drag Race was already a big thing, and now winning is crazy. This is something that I don’t think me or my family could’ve seen coming. It sends a message that it doesn’t matter where you come from or how big your surroundings are; your dreams are even bigger, and you should always chase them.

How do you think $200,000 will impact the National Black Justice Coalition?

The work that the NBJC does is geared toward Black and queer people, the fight that we’ve always fought and are still fighting. This money is going to aid in that awareness and help continue to fight this fight. There are still Black people, queer or not, being violently killed. These crimes that are happening, we need people to be on the frontlines, fighting. This money is going to help with that, and I’m so proud that I get to be part of it.

Speaking of tangible change, Kamala Harris appeared on the finale in an election year. What significance does that hold, seeing a sitting vice president in the Werk Room?

I was gobsmacked. It represents so much of what she has been for our country already, and the change that’s already come — and is coming. It represents the direction that our world is going in. We need to see representation like that, and [we need] allies like the vice president. It means we’re moving in the right direction.

You cited Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as a reference for your finale look at a time that there’s a debate over which spaces drag is “acceptable” in. Can you elaborate on that?

I love Disney, and that’s always been one of my favorites. Growing up in the South, I feel like every little gay boy wanted to be a Disney princess. Every little queer kid that grows up with that Disney princess in their head. That’s what I felt like on the runway. I was living for every single moment in my life, and I wanted to be myself and accepted for what I always felt was in me. I felt like the prettiest little princess that there was, in my big ball gown.

Leading up to your victory and the drama and alliance-ry of it all, now that the season is over, can you finally reveal: Were there secret badge alliances going around that no one knew about?

I don’t know for sure, but there definitely weren’t any I was involved in. There were no alliances, as far as I know. We all played for ourselves. There were bonds and friendships, as we like to call them, cliques. It was clique-y in the end, but I don’t think there were alliances.

People said that you were delusional, but you were killing the competition, at the same time. How do you respond to that?

If this is being delusional, obviously delusional wins you a crown, a scepter, and $200,000 for a cause you believe in. To everyone out there: If people around you are calling you delusional, keep being delusional, because obviously it will lead to success, okay? [Laughs]

You and Roxxxy had an interesting dynamic, consistently blocking each other each week. After you cut Roxxxy earlier this season, she told you that you’re “playing a different game,” and that there were “too many dramatics.” Do you stand by your blocking approach, and how do you respond to Roxxxy saying you were playing a different game?

I absolutely stand by my approach when it came to the blocking. I knew coming into the competition that I wanted to win. These are my sisters and I’m not trying to create rifts with anyone, but I blocked Roxxxy first because she’s the icon, the legend. Let’s be honest. There are no stakes yet or wins, and you have to block someone. You’re probably going to block whoever has the résumé and who’s going to be a threat. We all knew that it was Roxxxy. Comparatively, I come from pageantry, and Roxxxy is someone I looked up to. She’s the one I felt most in competition with.

Why did you end up voting for Vanjie for the Double Diamond award?

The whole season we’ve been mathing. In that moment, Nina was talking about all this strategy, if we vote for Roxxxy, we can get her out the way — no. It’s still the best strategy to vote for the people who all had two badges. If I’m trying to get into the top, the best way to do that and keep someone from getting 18, 20, 30 badges, you have to take care of yourself in that moment and make sure you’re there. I’m not voting for anyone who has the same number as me or more than me, so there were three options: Nina, Vanjie, and Gottmik, and I chose Vanjie because of our relationship and bond during the season. I most certainly wasn’t going to vote for anyone else who had so many badges.

You performed so well in every challenge this season. My favorite was Meeting in the Ladies Room. What did it feel like to slap RuPaul in that challenge?

That was the most nerve-racking challenge for me. I remember pacing outside the door waiting to go on set with her. It was just us and her, just me and her. It felt great, everybody was asking me if the stumble was real or not. The first reaction to her slapping me was real, the stumble that came after was not. I definitely almost completely busted my ass and fell on the floor. The fact that that was a big part of my scene, I was so happy when I saw it. I’m so glad they left that in there, because it was so unintentional. Sometimes the unintentional moments are the best moments.

On the note of acting, Ru said on the finale that he had high hopes for you as an actor.  You booked high-profile gigs before the show, but now, what do you have lined up?

I will say: Stay tuned. Definitely stay tuned. In terms of things that I’m doing, you can find me on the All Stars 9 tour, starting very soon and you get to see not only me, but all of the girls from All Stars 9. We’ll relive some of our best moments and runways throughout the season.

Is there a dream role or genre you’d like to do?

There’s so much that I want to do. I want to do more TV. I want to be on shows, sitcoms, reality TV, I want to be in movies. I’m a big drama, horror, thriller type of person. I’d also love to be in comedies, because we know she’s a funny girl. I foresee a lot of acting coming my way. I want it, and I’ll accept it with open arms.