Crowning Achievement: Houston teacher turned wig designer shares his journey to Emmy success

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Award-winning wig designer, Houstonian Abdiel Urcullo has been nominated for a second time for his work on HBO's "We're Here," but getting to where he is now has been a journey marked with struggle and self-discovery.

Abdiel Urcullo has become synonymous with dazzling Texas-sized wigs in the world of drag. He was a 4th grade math and science teacher but yearning to tap into his creative side, so he started doing drag on the side for fun.

His dazzling costumes, but especially his wigs, started getting attention.

"And then drag queens started asking me who did my hair," he said.

He started creating wigs for Kim Chi, a world-famous queen, and then launched his online business, Wigs and Grace.

"One random afternoon in 2019, I got a call from HBO saying that they wanted to do this show of three drag queens going to small towns, and they would share these stories," he said.

Before he knew it, he became "We're Here's" creative hairstylist, winning his first Emmy last year. Now, he's being recognized yet again; he's up for a second Emmy.

"I never expected to do hair for drag queens for a living. I had interest in hairstyling, but I was always too afraid to tell my mom, Hey, I want to go to cosmetology school. Uh, because I know that would not go well," he explained.

He now flies his flag with pride, but growing up a closeted queer kid in a conservative home in south Texas was not easy.

While he has come a long way, it was clear that the struggle for acceptance, both self and societal, still weighs heavily on him.

Abdiel hopes that by sharing his story and showcasing his artistry, he can inspire others to embrace their true selves and create a world where no one has to hide.