The BBC’s new series, What It Feels Like for a Girl, premiered at SXSW on Monday (2 June) night.
Based on Paris Lees‘ memoir, it follows Byron, played by Ellis Howard, a semi-autobiographical version of the author, as they grow up and explore their queerness and trans-ness in Noughties Nottingham.
There they meet The Fallen Divas: Lady Die (Laquarn Lewis), Sticky Nikki (Alex Thomas-Smith), Dirty Damian (Adam Ali) and Sasha (Hannah Jones), as well as drug-dealer Liam (Jake Dunn). All of them have a strong effect on Byron’s journey of self-discovery and self-destruction.
The eight-part series, which PinkNews’ senior entertainment reporter Marcus Wratten described as “visceral, essential viewing” in his review, also stars Calam Lynch as Max, Michael Socha as Byron’s dad, Steve, and Laura Haddock as mum Lisa.
With the full series now available to stream on iPlayer, here’s your chance to meet the cast and learn a bit more about the characters.
Byron – played by Ellis Howard
“Byron is at school, without much of a support system, bouncing between their mum’s, dad’s and Mammar Joe’s homes, with a desperate internal desire to escape,” Ellis Howard says.
“It’s the story of someone who has grown up in a small town with people who aren’t like them, dreaming of a life bigger and bolder.”
Lady Die – Laquarn Lewis
“Lady Die is eye-catching, fashionable and super stylish,” Lewis says of her character. “She’s over-caring, loving, fun, wild and crazy.
“I could relate to her, as she has a loving nature. She’s someone everyone would want as a friend, and that’s what I love about her.”
Sasha – Hannah Jones
“Sasha is a very proud Scouse. She’s part of The Fallen Divas, her little friendship group,” says Hannah Jones.
“Sasha is volatile and aggressive at times. But underneath all of that, she is a real sweetheart who just wants friendship, family and love.”
Sticky Nikki – Alex Thomas-Smith
“Sticky Nikki is a passionate and headstrong woman who deeply values her friends, relationships and life,” says former CBBC star Thomas-Smith – who you won’t recognise from The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury, 17 years ago.
“She’s a little older than the other girls, which allows her to look at their more-outrageous behaviour with a sense of understanding.
“Her role is about supporting the others, encouraging them to have fun, but also imparting some of the lessons she’s learnt along the way.”
Former West End star Thomas-Smith, who identifies as trans femme non-binary, recently described What It Feels Like for a Girl as “Pose meets Skins” in an exclusive interview with PinkNews.
Dirty Damian – Adam Ali
“Dirty Damian is the party instigator and he’s there for The Fallen Divas,” says Ali, who is possibly best-known as Kai Shariff in Waterloo Road. “The girls are protective of each other, and I feel Damian and Sticky Nikki are the good ones.
“They are a bit more behaved and sensible. They’ve got work in the morning when the party is coming to an end.”
Liam – Jake Dunn
“Liam’s a complicated, intense character,” says Renegade Nell star Dunn. “While we share some similarities, like being from Nottingham and being in our early twenties, he’s completely different from me.
“He’s a gangster who is involved in some dark stuff.”
Steve – Michael Socha
“Steve is a father to Byron. He’s your classic strong, working-class man and is feared,” says Socha, seen recently in DI Ray and before that in This is England.
“He struggles to accept Byron’s femininity and is determined to toughen them up, which can come across as aggressive and even violent at times.”
Lisa – Laura Haddock
“Lisa is Byron’s mother, and [with] Byron secretly struggling with their sexuality and gender identity, [their] relationship isn’t what it was,” says Downtown Abbey: A New Era and Transformers star Haddock.
“There is a lot of tension between them, and she is doing what she can to reconnect.”
All episodes of What It Feels Like For A Girl are streaming on iPlayer now. The first two episodes air on BBC Three from 9pm on Tuesday (3 June) and on BBC One from 10.40pm the same night.
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