The film was released on September 8, 1995, and held the number one spot in the North American box office for two weeks with a worldwide gross of $47.8 million.

To do this, they cash in their plane tickets to a friend, John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt (a "Camp" name, which in reality is the title of a song), and use the money to buy a yellow convertible 1967 Cadillac DeVille.

They set off for Los Angeles in it, carrying with them an iconic autographed photo of Julie Newmar (signed "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything!

Bobby Ray, a young man from the nearby small town of Snydersville, happens to pass by and gives them a ride to a bed and breakfast inn.

While searching for the new outfits, they are ecstatic to find vintage fashions from the 1960s in the town's clothing store and give the female residents (and themselves) a makeover.

Vida, Noxeema, and Chi-Chi do what they can to be positive, and they set out to improve the lives of the townspeople, including offering assistance in organizing the Strawberry Social.

In honor of their friendship, Vida gives Carol Ann the autographed photo of Julie Newmar that has accompanied them on their trip.

They eventually make it to Los Angeles where Chi-Chi, after having received many tips from Vida and Noxeema during their ordeal, wins the title of Drag Queen of the Year.

[4][9] When it came to casting the leading men, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo (for whom the role of Chi-Chi Rodriguez was specifically written)[4] both immediately said yes.

[6] Many actors were considered for the role of Vida Boheme, including Robert Downey Jr., William Baldwin, Gary Oldman, Matthew Broderick, James Spader, John Cusack, Mel Gibson, Robert Sean Leonard, Willem Dafoe, John Turturro, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, and Robin Williams (who has a brief cameo in the finished film).

[16] In interviews and recollections with actors and crew after the film, the production of To Wong Foo has been described as "a tough shoot", partly due to the discomfort the male leads experienced with their extensive makeup and costumes.

[4] To Wong Foo shares certain plot details with Priscilla, which also concerns two drag queens and a transgender woman on a road trip who manage to win over the locals of a small town.

[19][20] The success of Priscilla, along with the popularity of drag queens like RuPaul and the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning, is credited with helping pave the way for To Wong Foo.

[21] It consists of eleven tracks:[22][23] Music and songs not included in the soundtrack:[24][23] To Wong Foo was released wide in North American theaters on September 8, 1995.

[3] Professional golfer Chi-Chi Rodríguez sued the production company and distributor over the use of his name in the film,[29] eventually settling on undisclosed terms.

Julie Newmar, which features interviews with screenwriter Douglas Carter Beane, director Beeban Kidron, and John Leguizamo.

[35] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B+" on scale of A to F.[36] Though critical reviews were mixed, the performances of the three leads were roundly praised.

"[37] Emanuel Levy of Variety gave a mixed review but wrote, "Sporting blond wigs, Snipes admirably wiggles his hips while wearing high-heeled red shoes.

'"[38] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "What is amazing is how the movie manages to be funny and amusing while tippy-toeing around (a) sex, (b) controversy and (c) any originality in the plot.

[40] Multiple critics pointed out the film's similarities to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and said To Wong Foo was subpar in comparison[37][38][41][42] due to the predictability of its plot, script and tonal unevenness.

[37] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote screenwriter Beane and director Kidron "don't seem to know any way to emphasize the humanity of their characters except by swaddling them in mushy cliches".

[37][39] In a positive review, Edward Guthmann of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "It's a distant cry from the reality of gay bashings, poverty and evictions that real-life drag queens suffer—which may be part of its point.

Imagine, Wong Foo suggests, a world where people stopped judging one another and simply surrendered to the silliness that's dormant inside us.

"[47] Emanuel Levy concluded though the film "is not as outrageous or funny as [Priscilla]...it still offers some rewards as mainstream entertainment" and that "ultimately, the comedy comes across as a celebration of openness, alternative lifestyles and bonding, all life-affirming values that in the 1990s are beyond reproach—or real controversy".

Kumar added, "That To Wong Foo's drag performances remain completely unbroken throughout the film's entirety heightens the movie's extreme emphasis on beauty and artifice" and that the film is very "conscious of its ironies [as] Swayze and Snipes were both box-office draws known for hypermasculine and romantic leading roles; the perceived incongruity of dressing them in drag is part of what fuels the comedy".

"[4] Candis Cayne, who appears in the film, said its fantasy element can also be seen as problematic, "[perpetuating] an idea that transgender identity is nothing but make-believe".