The Vivienne, who was known as James Lee Williams, passed away this weekend at the age of 32, and a close friend has spoken out about the tragic loss, calling it “cruel” how their life was “cut so tragically short.”
Simon Jones, who also handled Vivienne’s estate and broke the news of their passing, described how their professional relationship blossomed into a beautiful friendship and revealed his feelings for her. After watching The Vivienne in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Simon said he already was a “huge fan” of them and that he had been asked if he would manage them just before the first lockdown in 2020.
“Viv became a client, but a really good friend and someone I cared for dearly. In fact, we spoke nearly every day as our lives became intertwined”, he shared in the Metro. Simon explained Viv’s incredible talent, describing how the actor could challenge him to laugh more than anyone else. That was Viv’s magic, he said. They could enter a room, and it would flashed with a sense of presence, he wrote.
“On top of that, they were warm, charming, polite and professional. Everyone was treated like a special and loved one, which is unusual. They were utterly star-struck and talented.
After the performer discovered a passion for musical theater, the PR manager continued to address how Viv’s career was taking off. The Childcatcher and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang were both full UK tours last year, while The Dancing on Ice star also appeared in The Wizard of Oz as The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.
Simon shared: “It’s so cruel that this journey has been cut so tragically short. I’m confident that Viv would have achieved a major Broadway success with her multi-award-winning musical theater career. A huge dream they had”.
After expressing his shock at seeing Viv’s talent on stage, he said, “Viv leaves a legacy as one of the greatest drag and entertainment stars the UK has ever seen. Their presence will be felt forever. A beautiful human who left us too soon and an icon of drag.
Simon, as a beloved friend of Viv’s, shared the news of their death on Instagram on Sunday. He wrote: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend. James was an incredibly loved, warm- hearted and amazing person.
Their son, brother, and uncle were all killed, and their family is devastated. They are so proud of what James accomplished throughout their lives and careers. No further information will be made available from us. Please allow James’s family the time and space they require to process and grieve.
A police update was released today that stated that they had not yet determined the cause of their death. A spokesman for Cheshire Police said officers had been called to an address in Chorlton-by-Backford, near Chester, at 12.22pm on Sunday following reports of a sudden death.
The spokesman said:” Police attended, investigated the circumstances of the death of the 32-year-old man and concluded there were no suspicious circumstances. A file will be prepared for the coroner. “
* Follow Mirror Celebs on Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat.
Leave a Reply