‘Jamie changed my life!'

Rising star Max Harwood on playing a teen with big dreams in a screen adaptation of the mega-hit musical

- STEVEN PERKINS

Some teenagers want to be doctors or lawyers, others aspire to be singers or social-media stars. What 16-year-old Sheffield schoolboy Jamie New wants more than anything, however, is to become an iconic drag queen.

Based on the smash-hit musical – which was itself inspired by the BBC3 documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16 – Amazon Prime Video’s new film Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a fabulous, heart-warming tale of one boy’s battle to overcome ignorance and prejudice to make his dream come true.

Newcomer Max Harwood makes his screen debut as Jamie, and the star-studded cast includes Sarah Lancashire as Jamie’s supportive mother Margaret, Sharon Horgan as Jamie’s exasperated teacher Miss Hedge, and Richard E Grant as Jamie’s drag mentor Hugo – also known as Loco Chanelle.

TV Times joined Max, who turns 24 on 12 September, for an exclusive video chat to find out more…

How would you sum up the film?

It’s an uplifting coming-of-age story about a 16-year-old from Sheffield who’s trying to find his place in the world.

Specifically, it’s about Jamie’s journey of wanting to be a superstar drag queen, and it’s filled with loads of crazy songs and high fashion moments, and some real British heart. It’s got something for everyone!

How does the film differ from the original stage musical?