Movies Like Underneath the Empire

If you liked Underneath the Empire (2021), a movie directed by Valerie Brive-Turtle, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)
★ 7.5/10
Veteran drag queens Vida Boheme and Noxeema Jackson take novice Chi-Chi Rodriguez under their wing on a madcap road trip across the country to compete in the Drag Queen of America pageant in Los Angeles.
2
Hairspray (2007)
★ 6.7/10
Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad auditions to be on Baltimore's most popular dance show - The Corny Collins Show - and lands a prime spot. Through her newfound fame, she becomes determined to help her friends…
3
Kinky Boots (2005)
★ 6.7/10
Charles Price may have grown up with his father in the family shoe business in Northampton, central England, but he never thought that he would take his father's place. Charles has a chance encounter with the…
4
Step Up (2006)
★ 6.9/10
Delinquent Tyler Gage receives the opportunity of a lifetime after vandalizing a performing arts school, gaining him the chance to earn a scholarship and dance with up-and-coming dancer Nora.
5
Paris Is Burning (1991)
★ 8/10
Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City's African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball…
6
Hairspray (1988)
★ 6.8/10
'Pleasantly plump' teenager Tracy Turnblad achieves her dream of becoming a regular on the Corny Collins Dance Show. Now a teen hero, she starts using her fame to speak out for the causes she believes in, most of all…
7
Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021)
★ 6.1/10
Jamie New is 16 and doesn’t quite fit in—instead of pursuing a "real" career he dreams of becoming a drag queen. Uncertain about his future, Jamie knows one thing for sure: he is going to be a sensation. Supported by…
8
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
★ 7.3/10
Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.
9
Step Up All In (2014)
★ 6.8/10
All-stars from previous installments convene in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers.
10
Dumplin' (2018)
★ 6.8/10
To prove a point about measuring up and fitting in, Texas teen Willowdean “Dumplin’” Dickson enters a local pageant run by her ex-beauty queen mom.
11
StreetDance 3D (2010)
★ 6.5/10
In order to win the Street Dance Championships, a dance crew is forced to work with ballet dancers from the Royal Dance School in exchange for rehearsal space.
12
Connie and Carla (2004)
★ 5.9/10
After accidentally witnessing a mafia hit in the Windy City, gal pals Connie and Carla skip town for L.A., where they go way undercover as singers working the city's dinner theater circuit ... disguised as drag queens…
13
The Birdcage (1996)
★ 7/10
A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen partner agree to put up a false heterosexual front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's conservative parents.
14
Flashdance (1983)
★ 6.5/10
Alex Owens, a young woman juggling between two odd jobs, aspires to become a successful ballet dancer. Nick, who is her boss and lover, supports and encourages her to fulfil her dream.
15
Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts (2019)
★ 6.8/10
Trixie charmed audiences and judges as winner of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. But the grind of performing and the pressure of the title proves that heavy is the head that wears the tiara.
16
Step Up 2: The Streets (2008)
★ 6.7/10
When rebellious street dancer Andie West lands at the elite Maryland School of the Arts, she finds herself fighting to fit in while also trying to hold onto her old life. When she joins forces with the school's hottest…
17
Exotica (1994)
★ 6.6/10
In the upscale Toronto strip club Exotica, dancer Christina is visited nightly by the obsessive Francis, a depressed tax auditor. Her ex-boyfriend, the club's MC, Eric, still jealously pines for her even as he…
18
Trick (1999)
★ 6.9/10
Gabriel is a young, aspiring musical composer whose life seems stuck in the First Act. When his new musical number gets a critical reception, a theatre colleague, Perry, tells Gabriel that he needs to get a life before…
19
Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023)
★ 6.4/10
Mike Lane takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to…
20
Make It Happen (2008)
★ 6/10
Embarking on a journey to fulfill her dreams as a dancer, a young girl discovers a new style of dance that will prove to be the source of both conflict and self-discovery.