‘What It Feels Like For A Girl': Meet The Cast And Characters Of BBC's 'Visceral, Wild' New Drama

Elle

3 days ago

Since its resurgence, the Y2k wave has shown no signs of slowing down, be it in fashion and culture, and such is the case in BBC Three's latest drama, What It Feels Like For A Girl. The show is set in the early 2000s in Nottinghamshire, through the eyes of teenage Byron who is beginning to grapple with his sense of identity and sexuality in a small regressive town that doesn't seem to accept nor tolerate him. Byron yearns for life beyond what he knows.
His journey of self-discovery and eventual transition into a woman begins when he becomes a part of 'The Fallen Divas', a queer group of teens who riotously and often dangerously, together, begin to come into their own through a series of alcohol and drug-fuelled escapades.
Based on Paris Lees' coming-of-age memoir of the same title, the series has already been heralded as one of this year's leading drama - a title which is largely in part due to the series' cast ensemble.
From breakout actors Ellis Howard, Laquarn Lewis and Hannah Jones to the more seasoned, including Michael Socha, we break down all there is to know about the cast and characters of What It Feels Like For A Girl.
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Who is Byron? The series' protagonist - a teenager living in a small town where no one seems to understand their gender expression and identity. That is until he meets the Fallen Divas, a queer group of friends who, together, are able to grow into their identities.
Who is Ellis Howard? A breakout actor, Howard has previously starred in Red Rose, Romeo & Juliet and Catherine The Great
Who is Lady Die? Big on fashion and style, Lady Die is one of the central members of the group, similar to Byron, she is very much ready for all things fun and wild.
Who is Laquarn Lewis? An actor from Nottingham, Laquarn is best known for starring in the TV series Jamie Johnson.
Who is Sasha? Another member of the group, Sasha can often come across as brash and aggressive, but is quite sensitive and caring, especially when it comes to her friends.
Who is Hannah Jones? She is an actor, who made their debut on screen role in What It Feels Like For A Girl.
Who is Dirty Damian? A member of The Fallen Divas, and similar to Sticky Nikki, he is one of the more well-behaved members of the group.
Who is Adam Ali? He is an actor and director who is best known for appearing in Waterloo Road and Europa.
Who is Sticky Nikki? She is slightly older than the girls, meaning she often approaches their wild behaviour with a sense of empathy, understanding and support.
Who is Alex Thomas-Smith? They are a singer, dancer and actor who has appeared in a number of on stage and screen projects including The Cereal Café at The Other Palace, Bat Out of Hell and The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury.
Who is Steve? He is Byron's father, who is dissaproving of their femininity and lifestyle, causing the pair to have a strained relationship.
Who is Michael Socha? A seasoned actor, Socha has starred in the likes of Summer, This Is England, Being Human and Once Upon In Wonderland.
Who is Lisa? She is Byron's mother, who has tried her best to raise Byron in the way she best believes, but often falls short of understanding and accepting his gender and sexuality.
Who is Laura Haddock? She is an actor best known for appearing in White Lines, Guardians Of The Galaxy and Transformers: The Last Knight.