Richard E Grant cast as former drag queen in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

He joins Sharon Horgan in a film adaptation of the hit British musical.

Words

Charles Bramesco

@intothecrevasse

Though it might seem that Richard E Grant fever peaked earlier this year during his charming Oscar campaign, the people’s thirst for further Grant content cannot be fully slaked. His fanbase requires a steady drip of new information about the beloved English character actor, and today, they’ve gotten precisely what they crave.

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that both Grant as well as Sharon Horgan have joined the cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, an upcoming adaptation of a London stage smash. The musical concerns the plight of schoolboy Jamie, a 16-year-old who lands at the centre of controversy in light of his plans to wear a frock on prom night in brash defiance of the provincial town’s notions about gender performance.

Grant will play the wise mentor Hugo, a former drag queen offering Jamie solace and support – though the ‘former’ bit has this writer worried that we may not get the chance to behold Grant fully resplendent in drag regalia. Either way, he’ll be able to indulge the lively, wily energy that’s been his career’s bread and butter.

Horgan has been set to appear as Jamie’s teacher Miss Hedge, one of the primary antagonists in the young man’s life. Miss Hedge’s constant refrain of “get real” discourages Jamie from living his exceedingly fabulous truth, but of course she’s no match for the power of individuality and pride.

There’s been a recent spike in feel-good musicals about teens plagued by angsty distress, from Dear Evan Hansen to Be More Chill to The Prom, many of them passing off their upbeat ethic as an excuse for subpar writing. Grant’s involvement looks like the first sign that Jamie and his cohort will fare a bit better than their transatlantic cousins on Broadway – if nothing else, we know he’s got the pipes.

Published 14 Jun 2019

Tags: Richard E Grant Sharon Horgan

Suggested For You

Thirty years on, Withnail & I feels more relevant than ever

By Stephen Puddicombe

Bruce Robinson’s cult classic will strike a chord with any struggling young artist living in a big city.

Richard E Grant: ‘Acting is like juggling with jelly and water’

By Sophie Monks Kaufman

The loquacious actor (and latter-day perfumer) discusses his stellar turn as a silver-tongued grifter in Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Little White Lies Logo

About Little White Lies

Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.

Editorial

Design