New CBC Documentary Celebrates Toronto Drag Icon Michelle Ross
By Stephan Petar | Monday, 29 September 2025
Premiering October 8, the film explores the life and legacy of the visionary performer and Church Street drag fixture…
At the end of March 2021, Toronto’s 2SLGBTQI+ community learned of the passing of trailblazing drag icon Michelle Ross. The queen was a fixture on Church Street. She performed at various Toronto Pride events and clubs like Crews & Tangos and Woody’s. The Jamaican-born queen left her mark on the community, illustrated by tributes from notable Canadian organizations, politicians and fellow queens.
Now, Canadians will be able to learn more about the visionary drag performer in a new documentary. Michelle Ross: Unknown Icon is set to premiere on CBC’s The Passionate Eye on October 8. It will air across CBC channels nationwide and on CBC Gem. Here is what you need to know about the documentary and the legendary Michelle Ross.
What is Michelle Ross: Unknown Icon about?
The documentary will explore Michelle’s legacy looking at her life on and off stage. “To her community, she was a dazzling trailblazer; to her family, she was Earl Barrington Shaw, or simply Barry,” the official synopsis reads. It goes on to say Michelle’s family only discovered her hidden life and legacy when she passed. The documentary uses intimate interviews and archival footage, examining the “emotional architecture of a person who lived between worlds.”
“At the heart of this film is a delicate balance between two worlds: Michelle’s family life and the queer community where she reigned as a performer,” said director Alison Duke. “When someone is compelled to live their life in fragments, we need to ask why and confront the impact it has on all of us. For me, the film is a testament to the power of discovery, the resilience of the human spirit, and the courage to see beyond the masks we wear.”
