Russell Tovey's debut novel stars Andrew Scott as a drag queen reckoning with family

Russell Tovey, the British actor known for his podcast Talk Art, has written his first novel, and it's already lined up an impressive cast—including fellow actor Andrew Scott—for its audio debut. The novel, titled Starlings, launches exclusively on Audible on July 1. Set in Clapham, South London, the story follows Donald, a middle-aged aspiring drag queen played by Scott, who has spent decades masking deep pain behind wit and makeup after being exiled from his northern hometown when his father discovered him wearing women's clothes.

A story about reckoning and healing

The narrative takes a turn when Donald's younger brother Owen (George MacKay) unexpectedly arrives at his door following their father's death. The brothers must then confront years of unresolved hurt, navigating shared history through drag shows, dive bars, and difficult conversations as they work toward healing. Beyond Scott and MacKay, the production features an ensemble that includes drag performers Dosa Cat, Gigi Zahir, and That Girl, alongside actors Michele Austin, Julian Kostov, and Jason Patel. Tovey himself narrates portions of the audiobook.

Celebrating a creative milestone

In a statement, Tovey expressed his gratitude for bringing the project to life. "It's been the biggest privilege to bring this story and these characters alive with the best team at Audible and the most perfect and gifted cast of actors," he said. "This is a world and a community that I admire and love so much and hope in turn listeners will fall in love with too." The project has already drawn enthusiasm from industry peers. Queer as Folk creator Russell T Davies congratulated Tovey on Instagram, while Murray Bartlett, who worked with Tovey on the drama series Looking, called the novel "wonderful."

Source: Queerty

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