“You can’t explain real people. People just do things and are the way they are”: Ellis Howard, Laquarn Lewis, Jake Dunn and Hannah Jones on What It Feels Like for a Girl at SXSW London 2025

Visceral and entrenched in sexual exploits, What It Feels Like for a Girl is a gritty coming-of-age set in the 2000s club scenes, focusing on queer culture and the search for identity. It follows Byron, who’s constantly taking blows in life – from his narrow-minded peers to his unforgiving father. Looking for an escape, he crosses paths with Lady Die and her ragtag group of Fallen Divas. They take Byron in and show him a bustling experience unlike any other through dance, drugs and the complex dynamics of sisterhood. As he falls further into this intoxicating world, Byron makes mistakes, falls in and out of love, and learns more about himself. Taking cues from the MTV era of music videos, the series is visually enthralling, drenched in vibrant neons and an electric soundtrack.

The show, adapted from Paris Lees’s black comedy memoir of the same name, features strong performances from its charming cast, led by Ellis Howard as Byron. Howard is magical and alluring, supported by the excellent portrayals of the Fallen Divas by Laquarn Lewis as Lady Die, Hannah Jones as Sasha, Alex Thomas-Smith as Sticky Nikki, and Adam Ali as Dirty Damian. Another highlight is Jake Dunn and his volatile chemistry with Ellis, showcasing Liam and Byron’s magnetic and destructive attraction to each other. The Upcoming caught up with Howard, Lewis, Dunn and Jones to discuss their characters, the juxtaposition in female friendships, and the highlights and challenges of playing characters based on real people.

Mae Trumata

What It Feels Like for a Girl is released on BBC iPlayer on 3^rd June 2025.

Watch the trailer for What It Feels Like for a Girl here: