"Oscar-worthy performance"— House of Villains' Kandy Muse on convincing fellow villains not to vote her out

In competitive reality shows like House of Villains, contestants must constantly adapt and strategize to avoid elimination. The show brings together reality TV figures with villainous personas, aiming to outwit, outlast, and outplay fellow contestants through challenges and social manipulation.

For Kandy Muse, a former RuPaul's Drag Race contestant, this meant giving her best performance to try and sway her fellow villains. In an exclusive interview with Parade on December 12, 2024, Kandy explained:

"I can sit here and give you the utmost Oscar-worthy performance and just cry and see what happens."

Despite her efforts, she was ultimately voted out, though she emphasized that such moments were crucial to the game's dynamic, where every move counts until the very end.

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Kandy Muse reflects on her exit from the House of Villains

An Oscar-worthy performance

Ahead of her elimination, Kandy recognized that she was a major threat within the game. Jessie Godderz, who had previously aligned with her, ultimately voted for her banishment— a decision Kandy had not anticipated. Kandy explained that she tried to use her emotions to her advantage.

"It was one of those things where you have to try to the very last moment because you never know—they might feel bad and vote for you to stay," Kandy stated.

She underscored that she understood the competitive nature of the show.

"It's a game. Everybody wants to win, and they knew going up against me, they were not going to win in the finale," she said.

Kandy highlighted that her elimination was largely due to her perceived strength in the game, adding,

"Wes caught that, so he knew that if they were to come back and vote as a jury, they would've voted for me, and I would have won."

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The fall of alliances

In the lead-up to Kandy's elimination, a conflict arose between her allies, Jessie and Wes Bergmann. Jessie, who had repeatedly assured Kandy of his loyalty, ultimately allowed Wes's influence to guide his decision to vote her out. Kandy explained that she was aware of Jessie’s internal conflict:

"I knew Jessie felt like an a**hole for putting me up because he let Wes get in his ear."

This moment marked a significant shift, as Jessie and Wes, previously aligned, engaged in a public argument during the final stages of House of Villains as they were deciding who to vote out. Kandy also highlighted how the elimination set off a chain of reactions among the eliminated contestants.

"When I got back to the hotel, all of the eliminated villains were texting each other. We were like, 'We're all here. We're gonna get them, we're gonna be a**holes to them, they eliminated us'," she explained.

Kandy emphasized that the eliminated contestants returned to the house with no pressure, as they no longer had anything to lose.

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Kandy Muse's legacy in the House of Villains

Although Kandy was eliminated from House of Villains, her influence continued to resonate throughout the game. She emphasized that her exit allowed her to reflect on the impact she had made on the show.

"I get to walk out of House of Villains knowing that I was House of Villains," she said.

Kandy underscored her role as a significant competitor.

"If the boys wanted me gone, if the man who had won The Challenge three times—...Wes...—wants me gone, it's because I must be big competition," she noted.

Kandy also reflected on her position as the first drag queen to compete in House of Villains. She explained that while she was initially unsure of how she would be received, the cast and crew made her feel welcome and supported, saying they were "very accommodating".

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E!’s House of Villains airs Thursdays at 9 PM ET on E!, and episodes are available to stream on Peacock.