Sir Ian McKellen and RuPaul’s Drag Race U.K. star Divina de Campo appear together in the new stop-motion musical short Dragfox.
The film follows the young transgender character of Sam (voiced by Aidan Gale) as they struggle with their identity. After being visited by a charming fox named Ginger Snap, “this unlikely duo embarks on a magical musical adventure where they discover surprising commonalities and learn to embrace the beauty of their differences.” McKellen will lend his voice to the fox, with de Campo delivering Ginger Snap’s drag musical number.
McKellen himself came out as gay in 1988 and shared his personal connection to the material: “When I was a kid growing up in South Lancashire just after the war, there were lots of things that preoccupied us, nobody really had time to wonder what it was like to be a little gay boy growing up at a time when that word hadn’t really been invented.”
De Campo also praised the Lisa Ott-directed project, saying “Being a part of Dragfox is a dream come true. I get to share a role with an absolute hero and icon. More importantly, this film is not just a celebration of identity and diversity, but also a beacon of hope for anyone struggling to find their place in the world.”
McKellen recently concluded his run as John Falstaff in The Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre following an injury. However, he is expected to continue his role in the national tour, which begins in July. In 2019, De Campo finished runner-up in the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and has since appeared onstage in several musicals including Chicago and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The release date and platform for the short has yet to be confirmed.
