It’s been a long road for Sam Star on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” but the Alabama native’s path has been paved with rhinestones, glitz and glamour.

Sam, 25, born and raised in Leeds, has been a standout during Season 17 of the MTV reality series, showcasing her skills as a performer. Throughout 14 episodes, viewers have seen Sam sing, dance, lip-sync, write jokes and appear in comedy skits. She’s also displayed major talent in the show’s workroom, creating fabulous outfits for runway challenges.

On Friday, April 18, Sam will face a key moment on “Drag Race” during the season finale. She’s competing as one of the top four queens, alongside Onya Nurve, Jewels Sparkles and Lexi Love. They’re vying for a $200,000 prize and the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.”

It’s a prestigious crown in the entertainment world, and Sam Star is in it to win it.

“To be a part of the legacy is just so beautiful,” Sam said in an interview with AL.com. “I think we don’t even really comprehend how impactful the show is on pop culture, and how it’s going to be in history books forever.”

Sam (whose offstage name is Sam Purkey) is a familiar figure on Birmingham’s drag scene, performing at Al’s on 7th and hosting karaoke nights there. Sam also is a veteran of the local theater community, appearing in the 2022 cast of “Kinky Boots” at Red Mountain Theatre, as well as productions of “Chicago,” “Memphis,” “Elf: the Musical” and “Damn Yankees” around the city.

Sam, known as the “Supermodel of the South,” spent about 30 minutes on the phone with AL.com, chatting about her experiences on “Drag Race” and tracing her Alabama roots. Here’s what she said.

(The interview below has been edited for length and clarity.)

Tell us about your background with Birmingham theater groups. Did those experiences set the stage for you as a drag performer?

Sam Star: I would say it definitely did. Growing up, I always was the kid who was a little different, and didn’t really know what to do with myself. And I found theater, and it sort of all fell into place for me. All of the eccentricities that I had that, I was made fun of, were perfect to be on the stage, and I fell in love with it. That was my dream from the beginning, to be a performer.

So I did that all growing up. I started with the little community theater here in Leeds called Leeds Arts Council, and I fell so in love with it that I ended up wanting to do it professionally. I started auditioning for Red Mountain and Virginia Samford (theaters) in Birmingham, and then followed it all the way into college. I studied musical theater at the University of Alabama. Theater just wasn’t quite gay enough for me, so I decided to become a drag queen.

Did you graduate from Alabama?

I’m a proud Alabama dropout, but still, “Roll Tide!” I just realized that I knew the stage like the back of my hand, so I was like, “I would rather be out in the world auditioning for things other than still trying to learn about how to do that.” So I went for it, and I’m glad I did, because, look, I made it all the way to “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

Was the University of Alabama a welcoming place for you?

For the most part, it definitely was. I think I lucked out because, obviously, being a part of the musical theater department, that’s definitely more progressive than, you know, the football team. But I would say that, for the most part, everyone was nice. But I’ve also kind of been fighting those battles since I was a kid, so I found a way to make my way in this conservative area we live in.

Did you start your drag career in Birmingham, doing shows here?

I did start doing drag in Birmingham. Do you remember Our Place? So back in the day. I don’t know if I should say this legally, but it’s fine. I mean, I’m grown now, but when I was a little baby gay, I would go to Our Place and I would do a drag show, little open stages, and then I’d have to go home because I had high school the next day, my senior year.

So I started in Birmingham, and then I started doing the Audrina’s Diamond Hunts, which were a competition. Then they were throwing a competition at Al’s on 7th, and from there, I won that competition. Next thing you know, you have to come back the next week. And it just kept happening and happening. Then they eventually asked me if I wanted to join the cast (the house entertainers at Al’s). And the rest is herstory, as they say.

Do you think of Al’s on 7th as your drag home in Birmingham?

Yes, it is. I’m still technically there on the cast. I mean, obviously, I’m not there as often, because I’m touring right now, but it’s my home — always will be my home.

Tell us how another queen from Alabama, Trinity the Tuck, became your drag mom.

She’s originally from (Birmingham), and I, at this point, had started performing at Al’s. I was still sort of new into it. I ended up meeting her because she was booked at Al’s for a “coming back home” show situation.

We met; she just seemed to be impressed by me. She saw potential in me. She told me about this online drag competition that she was hosting called Love for the Arts, and she said, “You should audition for it.” So I ended up auditioning for it, and then I ended up getting to the round where people could vote on who they wanted to make the official cast of the show. Alabama came through for me and made me in the top, so I ended up getting cast on it.

After all that was said and done, she said, “I see so much potential in you. If you don’t have a mentor or a drag mother, I would love to adopt you.” Any good gay would say yes. So I was thrilled. She’s been so helpful, especially at that point, I was trying to navigate all of this new world for myself. It was so helpful to have someone like that in my corner.

Why did you want to be on “Drag Race”? What can it do for your career?

My gosh, everything. I personally wanted to be on the show because it had shaped my life in so many ways. I think before I saw “Drag Race,” I didn’t really know where I fit in the world. I felt like my urges to dress up in sequin dresses and put on rhinestone jewelry was, you know, a singular thing to me. Then I turn on the TV, and I see that there are people out there who are like me, and are thriving and making a name for themselves, which is something I always dreamed of doing.

I wanted to be on the show to inspire others down the road, like the people that I saw on TV. I want to do that for other people. And to be a part of the legacy is just so beautiful. I think we don’t even really comprehend how impactful the show is on pop culture, and how it’s going to be in history books forever. So I wanted to be a part of something bigger. I always dreamed of that coming from such a small place. And as soon as I learned about “Drag Race,” I said, “I’m gonna make that happen or I’ll die trying.” And I did it, thank God.

On “Drag Race’ you’ve talked about being a pageant queen, and how that’s affected what you’ve done this season, and how you’re presented yourself. Tell us what it means to be a pageant queen.

I would say, stereotypically, it just means that you’re very polished, you’re pretty, you’re very prepared. Sometimes maybe over-prepared, because in pageants, we get every category for the pageant. We know exactly who we’re going to wear. We have months to prepare for it. You know, all these things. So I think in the “Drag Race” landscape, sometimes that comes across as a little too prepared.

But I think any pageant queen you’ve ever seen compete on the show has an advantage of being in those situations before, being in a competitive environment and keeping your head screwed on straight. So there’s pros and cons. I think that sometimes, especially in my case, they just said, “We get that you’re a great drag queen, but what else?”

They’re looking for more than just a fabulous drag queen. They want to see who created this fabulous drag queen, who is the person behind that persona. And I’m grateful that they asked for that. For a long time, I was scared to show that I created Sam Star to present to the world because I wasn’t fully happy with the Sam underneath Sam Star. But being on the show was so beautiful and liberating — to see that the judges and, it seems like, the world loved the Sam behind the character. What a blessing.

You did a drag makeover on your mom, Leslie Blair, for an episode of “Drag Race,” and won the challenge. What did it mean for you to have your mom there?

My gosh, what an amazing memory. First of all, I’ll hold that close to my heart forever. She came at the exact right time, especially for me in the competition. I had just had to lip-sync (to avoid elimination) the week before, for the first time. I was just in such a dark place. For whatever reason, I had sort of deduced that the next challenge might be the makeovers, especially when Ru started talking in his intro in the workroom.

But the last person I thought would walk in would be my mother from Leeds, Alabama. So to see her, I just lost it. She’s been everything to me from the beginning. She’s been my biggest cheerleader. When the world was so dark and scary, I could come home, and I felt safe, and I felt loved and supported. So to be able to give that back to her is so incredible.

I think she’s also put so many of her dreams, and so many of her life goals, on hold to take care of my sister and myself. And what an incredible way to pay her back, by her helping me make my dream come true. It was just incredible.

Was your mom comfortable in her drag outfit? What was her reaction?

She was very comfortable. What was funny is, originally she was supposed to wear the pants outfit that I ended up wearing. But she ended up convincing me that she wanted to wear her legs out and her booty out on national television. And I was like, “Mother, are you sure you want to do this?” And she was like, “This is my one chance, of course.” So she was definitely down to clown. And thank God that it went so well.

On the episode, your mom said she goes to see your drag shows every weekend in Alabama. The other parents in the workroom seemed surprised.

The other mom said, ‘You’re showing me up.“ And my mom said, “Oh, sorry.” I’m glad that all of the different parents were on the show, to show that support looks different for everybody. I know that I’m definitely in the minority of having someone who’s so supportive, and is always there at the drag club. I mean, she’s 61 years old and is out at the nightclub past 2 a.m. to support her gay son in Alabama. That is kind of an anomaly.

But I think the other parents on (“Drag Race”), just being there and saying yes to that phone call, they did not have to do that. I think all of the parents there were so incredible and so beautiful. And it’s good for people watching the show to see. Just because your parent isn’t at all your drag shows doesn’t mean they don’t love and support you. You know, support looks different for everybody.

On another episode, you talked about your family connection to Charles Barkley. Tell us about that.

He is also from Leeds, Alabama, and he grew up with my mom. They were best friends. Well, they still are — all through school, and even after. I think that is a testament to his character, that even after having so much success, he still hasn’t forgotten about little people that were part of his formative years. He’s just always been amazing, just a great role model, always been so kind.

He’s always been outspoken in support, and he frankly doesn’t have to do that. So he’s just incredible. He was someone who inspired me, that just because we’re from a small town in the middle of nowhere doesn’t mean you can’t dream big, and chase things, and achieve them. He was definitely always in the back of my mind growing up, that whatever I wanted to do, I could do it if I worked hard enough.

It is kind of a crazy relationship. If I was taller, I might have ended up being an NBA player. But I’m only 5’ 7,″ so I had to become a drag queen.

READ: Charles Barkley is like family to ‘Drag Race’ contestant from Alabama: Here’s why

When you started your journey on “Drag Race,” did you think you’d make it to the finals?

At the beginning, honestly, I didn’t know and I obviously have all the self-doubt voices that we all struggle with. But as the competition went on, and after I started securing my wins, I said, “Sam, you’ve worked hard, you’ve learned everything you need to learn. Just have fun with it, and if it’s meant to be, it’s gonna happen.”

I started to feel like I was gonna make it to the end. And I’m a survivor. I mean, I hung in there, and I can’t believe that I get to compete at the finale. It’s crazy. I knew that I could do it, but again, being there, it’s such a overwhelming experience. You’re not really thinking clearly. So I was hopeful, but not sure. But again, grateful.

What does it take to do well on Drag Race? It seems like you have to be funny, you have to be quick on your feet, you have to be able to sew and make fabulous outfits and you have to have a tough skin, interacting with the other queens.

Everything you just said. You have to be more than a quadruple threat. You have to be able to do pretty much every discipline — singing, dancing, acting, sewing, comedy, being vulnerable, all these different things that are the formula of “Drag Race.”

But if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. You have to sort of surrender to the process. I knew going into the show that I wanted to be as prepared as I could, so there were many nights where I stayed up watching YouTube videos of how to sew this and how to do this wig, and all these different things, in hopes to one day get this opportunity.

There were many nights where I said, “Am I doing all this in vain? Am I wasting my time? Is this a pipe dream?” But for this all to happen to me has been so amazing. Now I am totally a champion of saying, “Put in the work now, and it’s going to pay off.” One day, RuPaul might call you up on the cell phone and say, “It’s your time.” And you better know how to make that gown and style that wig.

You seem very comfortable on the show, on the runway and in the workroom. Was anything about filming the season intimidating for you? Were you ever scared?

All of it was very intimidating. I guess I’m a good actor, and I pretended like everything was cool. But every day I was just so overwhelmed and scared that, you know, it could be your last day. You just never know. .. I was always scared, but I was proud of myself for eventually settling in and realizing that I was there for a reason. The judges obviously liked me, or I wouldn’t be there, and it all was going to be fine.

I will say, the workroom was humongous, and the runway was humongous. So that was very intimidating. It was like walking into the wizard’s chamber in “The Wizard of Oz.” You felt like a little ant in this humongous Technicolor world. But it was amazing. It was honestly like living in a dream.

You’ve had ups and downs on this season, which makes for good television. Would you have preferred to go in, become the front-runner and cruise to victory?

That would have been nice, of course. But I’m grateful that everything happened in the way that it did, because I think that I have used Sam Star as an armor and a defense mechanism from being too vulnerable.

She was this character that I created who had no problems, and was always happy and silly and funny. (On the show), when I wasn’t doing as well or had a vulnerable moment, I think that allowed the audience to see more of the inner workings of me. Without those, I might have just been overconfident Sam Star the whole time, and never shown the real Sam underneath.

Sure, I would have liked to have just been able to sit back, and watch everybody else lip-sync, and sail to the crown. But that was not in the cards for me, and that’s all right.

Your Cher impression was a standout this season. Had you ever done Cher before “Drag Race”?

What’s crazy is, I had never done a Cher impression in my whole life. But I love Cher, and I’ve always loved Cher. I said on the show that I had been introduced to her through “Burlesque,” which is kind of embarrassing. But, I mean, it’s not my fault.

Anyway, I’ve always loved Cher, and I love Chad Michaels, who does a brilliant Cher impression. I’d never done it myself, but thank God I had all this theater experience, and being on stage my whole life to sort of, you know, pull it off somehow.

(Watch Sam Star’s Cher impression in the video below, starting at the 6:23 mark.)

Viewers also have seen you on “Untucked,” the gossipy backstage show that’s linked to “Drag Race.” What’s it like doing that part of the season, sitting and talking with the other queens?

That’s my favorite part, because you’d already heard from the judges if you were amazing or horrible that week, and you get to go back and either stress or relax. I would take my corset off, I’d take my wig off, I take my shoes off, and we just talk. I think that’s when I really was in my full form, on “Untucked,” when I wasn’t so stressed about the competition.

But it was so fun to be able to talk to the girls. Also, it was amazing to be able to sit down, have a cocktail, eat some food, you know? I love that. It’s like being in the dressing room after the show happened at a drag show, when all the girls are sitting around and talking about what happened. That was the vibe in the room.

As the season has progressed, what’s the reaction been like from your family and friends?

My gosh, amazing. Everyone is so proud. I think what’s crazy is, I think I was the most surprised to be on the show. It seems like everyone around me seems to have known that something like this was going to happen for me, and they just always believed in me, which makes me so happy. But people are so proud. I’ve also gotten reached out to by people that I grew up with — people that I haven’t heard from in years, just saying, “I’m so proud of you. Thanks for representing us.”

Also to see all the comments and things on my (social media) posts, from people that have supported me from the beginning, now commenting in support of a final four on one of the biggest television shows in the world … It’s crazy that those people have stood behind me. I’m just so grateful. There’s no other word than grateful.

Now that you’ve gained fans and fame on “Drag Race,” do you plan to stay in Alabama?

That’s a great question, and it’s one that I ask myself a lot, to be honest. I wish I could give a definite answer, but I’m not really sure. I have realized recently, especially after being on the show, that I’m not as in control as I think I am. I’ve learned that it’s way better to just surrender to the universe in a way. And the universe is my oyster, so whatever happens will happen.

It’s not in my plan or my goal to leave. I would love to cultivate more of a queer space and community here in Alabama. That would be my end goal and my dream. So we’ll see what happens. But y’all aren’t getting rid of me just yet, so don’t think I’m just gonna run off.

What would you like to say to the people in Alabama who are going to be watching the finale and rooting for you to win?

I just want to say thank y’all so much. I want to say stay strong. What an honor to be able to represent all the beautiful people of Alabama, because there are so many beautiful people out there who are on the right side of history, and are wanting to make change.

I’m hoping that all the little queer boys and girls out there see me from Alabama chasing my dream and doing it. And I hope they never stop chasing their dreams. Don’t listen to the outside world. Sometimes, being from a country place is not the easiest place to be different, but just know that it’s all going to work out. Shoot for the stars, and you just might become one.

If you watch: The Season 17 finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” airs on Friday, April 18, at 7 p.m. CT on MTV. Episodes are filmed in advance.