Russell Tovey and Olivia Colman to Star in Andrew Haigh Short About Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow (EXCLUSIVE)

The relationship between Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow — famed enfants terribles of the early 90s fashion world — is set to be brought to the screen in a new short film starring Russell Tovey and Olivia Colman.

“Wild Bird” is being directed by acclaimed Brit filmmaker Andrew Haigh (“All of Us Strangers,” “45 Years,” “Weekend”), will see Tovey play the late fashion designer McQueen and Colman play Blow, the fashion editor credited with discovering him. Blow would serve as a mentor and muse for McQueen as his career rose, but their relationship fell apart when McQueen became head designer at Givenchy and didn’t land her a position at the fashion house. When she committed suicide in 2007, he dedicated his next show to her.

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The film — written by Tovey — comes from WePresent, the Oscar winning arts platform of WeTransfer, and is produced by HATO Pictures.

“Wild Bird” sees Blow (Colman) take McQueen (Tovey) on an imagined road trip seeking emotional redemption — a new and interpretive approach to one of fashion’s most storied relationships. Principal photography will begin this June in the U.K.

“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,” said Tovey. “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. The friendship between Isabella and Lee is beautifully tragic and endlessly compelling. 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.”

“Wild Bird” is produced by BAFTA winning producer Susie Hall. Haigh and Tovey serve as executive producers alongside Holly Fraser and Alex Mattinson of WeTransfer. Three-time Academy Award and three-time BAFTA winning costume designer Sandy Powell is on board for costuming. In addition to executive producing and starring, Tovey is credited as screenwriter.

Haigh was attached to direct a biopic about McQueen announced by Pathe in 2016, with Jack O’Connell set to play the designer. However, that project subsequently stalled.

WeTransfer, through its arts platform WePresent, has commissioned short films that have played at film festivals and won awards. Their short film commission “The Long Goodbye” with Riz Ahmed and director Aneil Karia won the Academy Award in 2022 for Best Live Action Short Film. Animated short “The Brown Dog,” starring Michael K. Williams in his final role, and executive produced by Steve Buscemi, Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor, was an Official Selection of the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. Most recently, they released political satire “Vote Gavin Lyle,” directed by Aneil Karia and starring Jack Lowden.

“Wild Bird” is the latest creative collaboration between WeTransfer and Tovey following his guest curatorship of the WePresent platform in 2023. Their collaborations included a series of commissions spotlighting the works of LGBTQIA+ artists including “Life Is Excellent,” a look at the life of late artist David Robilliard which was WePresent’s first feature-length documentary.