Durian Lollobrigida has dubbed himself “the king of all fruits” for good reason; his resume boasts the titles of singer, actor, TV presenter and transvestite. And in recent years, Lollobrigida has transformed from a local hero for Tokyo’s gay community to an increasingly well-known figure in the mainstream media.
I first encountered Lollobrigida (whose real name is Masaki Otake and who uses he/him pronouns in and out of drag) in 2020, when he was working at the well-known fetish party Department H — just months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit full force. Lollobrigida was part of an entourage of drag queens — decked out in shiny, flashy fabrics and enormous wigs — who marched across the stage to signal the start of the night.
In the four years since then we have met again and again – balls and drag shows — and I’ve seen him move from stage to screen, including a role in Daishi Matsunaga’s 2022 queer drama “Egoist.”
