Russell Tovey to star as Alexander McQueen in Wild Bird short film with Olivia Colman
"As an actor, he’s a man I’ve always wanted to portray and, as a writer, he’s a character I’ve longed to get under the skin of," said Tovey
By Aaron Sugg
Russell Tovey has been announced to play fashion designer Alexander McQueen in his upcoming short film Wild Bird alongside Olivia Colman.
The plot will explore the intense relationship between the British fashion designer and magazine editor Isabella Blow, played by Colman.
Directed by Andrew Haigh, known for queer cult classic All of Us Strangers, 45 Years and Weekend, filming is expected to begin in the UK in June 2026.
“I’ve had a lifelong fascination with Alexander McQueen” – Russell Tovey on his upcoming Wild Bird film
As reported by Variety, Tovey spoke about his fascination with the late designer: “I’ve had a lifelong fascination with Alexander McQueen, his artistry and persona on and off the runway and the way he carried himself has been endlessly inspiring.”
“As an actor, he’s a man I’ve always wanted to portray and, as a writer, he’s a character I’ve longed to get under the skin of,” said the former Attitude cover star.
Tovey also reflected on the dynamic between his and Colman’s characters: “The friendship between Isabella and Lee is beautifully tragic and endlessly compelling.”
Tovey describes McQueen as one of his “heroes” and is looking forward for his screenplay coming to life
Tovey also wrote the screenplay and, speaking about the project, said: “It’s an honour to write about one of my heroes and I couldn’t be prouder of the team that we have assembled to bring this story to life.”
Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow first met in the early 1990s at Central Saint Martins in London, where Blow, who was working for Vogue at the time, discovered McQueen as a fashion graduate student.
Their relationship has been described as a mentor-like dynamic, with Blow acting as McQueen’s muse and strongest early supporter.
What happened between McQueen and Isabella Blow?
Their friendship later became strained after McQueen’s international success, particularly when he became head designer at Givenchy in 1996, with Blow reportedly hurt by the designer’s move towards commercial fashion.
Blow struggled with depression and health issues later in life and died by suicide in 2007. McQueen died by suicide three years later.
Commissioned by WePresent, a release date for Wild Bird has yet to be announced.