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Hot off the back of his BIFA nomination for Breakthrough Performance of the Year in James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini’s Unicorns, the actor and singer sits down with Wonderland to talk about carving out a space where everyone feels seen on the silver screen.
“When I found out I got longlisted, I fell down the stairs,” Jason Patel tells me as we sit down to chat over a much-deserved Friday evening glass of wine in Central London. For a split second, I wonder if he’s being serious, or if I’m just discovering a new form of internet colloquialism. “No, I’m not even joking,” he quips. The breaking news in question — quite literally, in this case — is Patel’s nomination for a Breakthrough Performance award at this year’s British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), the latest accolade cementing his spellbinding turn in Unicorns, 2024’s queer drama from longtime collaborators James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini.
“You want it to happen to you, and when that moment happens, because you dream of it for so long, or dream of moments like this, of that external validation,” he pauses. “Not that I necessarily need it,” he laughs, “[But] it’s just lovely to have the recognition for all the hard work that you put into it. I just didn’t believe it.”
In Unicorns, Patel plays Ashiq, a Manchester-born Muslim man working at a drugstore, and Aysha, the charming and alluring drag queen who comes alive in nightclubs. The story is heartwarming, layered, and deeply emotional, brimming with the relatable rawness of an unexpected romantic connection, when Aysha meets Luke (played by Ben Hardy), a young single dad from Essex, and both are compelled to reconsider their respective identities.
“Aisha and Ashiq are obviously two sides of the same coin,” Patel starts. “James [Krishna Floyd] said it really well the other day, how even though Aisha is putting on all these layers physically – the outfits, the clothes, the tucking, the makeup—they’re also taking off a lot of layers, getting rid of all the smoke and mirrors to become this confident person, to feel empowered. In the same way, when Aisha takes off all the layers, they’re putting on a lot on their protective self. It’s about being where they can feel vulnerable and where they don’t. And in that essence, it’s a balance. Everyone does that in their whole life. We’re all trying to be something, to feel a certain way.”
Right now, Jason Patel seems to be exactly where he’s meant to be—a breakthrough star, reaping the golden fruits of a carefully planted (and planned) career. And he knows it. “I basically was my own Kris Jenner, pushy parent, mumager,” he tells me with full seriousness as we discuss his creative upbringing. Self-assured and determined, his eyes have been on the prize since he came “out of the womb,” he says, only half-jokingly.
“I find creativity in everything that I do, whether it’s music, acting, fashion, writing,” Patel continues. From as early as he can remember, the actor and musician had his fingers either on a piano or on a drawing pen. His attention, however, was locked on Britney Spears (specifically in her “…Baby One More Time” music video) and Hannah Montana, thinking, “that’s me!”
The lure of pop stardom, the limelight, being in front of the camera… all things Patel has always strived for. A slightly unnerving realisation to his parents, who “were working class parents, and had no creative bone in their body.” To them, he tells me, acting and the creative industry at large was something only a very specific pool of people could make a living off of. But Patel’s effervescence is too dazzling to be dimmed. “I remember, as a kid, emailing people, thinking, ‘who am I?’ But you’ve got to shoot your shot, because if you don’t ask, you don’t get,” he says. “No one’s gonna find you on the street and give you a million pounds if you don’t put anything into yourself. So I really started to look at the world [in] a really different way [as] a young person being independent, being the go-getter.”
Flash forward to today, and Patel’s childhood tricks are paying off, as it was an email which got him the part in Unicorns. James Krishna Floyd had spent the better part of a decade writing the script for this film, but when it came to casting the roles of Ashiq, he found himself in a bit of a rut. That was, at least, until Jason came along. “Lo and behold, I’m acting away in the theater, [and] my cast member sent me this open casting call for this film,” he remembers. Instantly, Jason knew this role was made for him. “I just emailed them myself,” he recalls. “I sent an introduction of who I am and what I do. I sent my music, I sent my “One Last Dance” music video, and I was like, ‘I’ve been in Wonderland Magazine.’ I had a self tape to do in about one hour. The rest [is] history.”
Since hitting theatres this summer—and recently making its way to Netflix—Unicorns has charmed audiences far and wide. The film not only claimed the coveted ‘Best of Fest’ titles at Palm Springs and BFI Flare but also secured Jason Patel a spot on numerous lists celebrating the year’s strongest performances. “It’s just a labour of love,” Jason says of Unicorns. “All we want to do is give love to the world and show that you can have it with anyone that you desire to have it with.”
The unexpected love story finds itself at the crossing between queer South Asian communities and the idea of compulsory heterosexuality, and it is these very complex constructs of identities that draws us, the viewers, in and makes us question our very own perception and interpretation of love. “[It has] been beautiful, because it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, you can connect to something in this film,” he reflects. “There’s like a golden nugget for everyone in there.”
For him, his golden nugget might have been his first time stepping into drag. “It was incredible, because I knew there would be a moment I would [do drag], but it had to be the right moment,” he says. “And this was the time to explore it in my own medium of music and art and film and acting and in my workspace. Drag is such an Olympic sport—it’s a lot, and it’s hard.”
Having spent many, many hours enjoying cabaret shows, and introducing his family to RuPaul’s Drag Race during the pandemic (which, by the way, they were hooked on after the first episode), Jason may not have committed to the winged liner and fabulous wig prior to this film, but it did, nonetheless, teach him a lot about himself and his own identity.
Whether it’s the connections he’s forged on this project—with the directors Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, his co-star Ben hardy, with whom he had an instant connection with upon their initial chemistry read, or even the costume designer Nirage Mirage, with whom he spent countless hours discussing the vision for his characters-–or whether it’s the bond with his blood relatives, Jason is a family man, in every sense of the word.
“I genuinely feel inspired by my grandma,” he speaks wholeheartedly. “She came to the UK, and she had three children, but my granddad suddenly died. So she was left with three kids, really, really young. [She] was in a country where she didn’t know anyone, didn’t have an education, no job, no money, no friends. What was she supposed to do? If she can raise three kids and make it to [that] point, I could do anything that I want.”
At 27, Jason Patel is ending the year having ticked off bucket-list accomplishments at his fastest rate yet. Still, his feet remain firmly on the ground, rooted in his beginnings as he rides the wave propelling newcomers into the “next big thing” spotlight, fully aware that getting to the top isn’t a solo act. Patel’s community-driven mindset has landed him where he is today: nominated for a BIFA for Breakthrough Performance. Yet he’s quick to share the credit, pointing to the collective labour poured into Unicorns — a project far bigger than just him, serving a purpose that reaches well beyond the screen.
“I always say, once this film came out, it stopped belonging to us. It belongs to the audience. It belongs to the people. And I get shivers saying it, because I just want everyone to grab this film, go wild with it, and hold it tight to their chest,” he says. “When you need to feel like you belong somewhere, this film is there for you.” His wishes for the new year? “For our industry to thrive like no tomorrow,” he says. “Everybody’s had a really hard few years. I really hope 2025 brings a lot of prosperity, regardless of all the circumstances everybody’s dealing with. I won’t thrive on my own. Everyone thrives together.”
Unicorns is now available on Netflix.
Words by Juliette Eleuterio
Photography by Dillon Rana
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Hot off the back of his BIFA nomination for Breakthrough Performance of the Year in James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini’s Unicorns, the actor and singer sits down with Wonderland to talk about carving out a space where everyone feels seen on the silver screen.
“When I found out I got longlisted, I fell down the stairs,” Jason Patel tells me as we sit down to chat over a much-deserved Friday evening glass of wine in Central London. For a split second, I wonder if he’s being serious, or if I’m just discovering a new form of internet colloquialism. “No, I’m not even joking,” he quips. The breaking news in question — quite literally, in this case — is Patel’s nomination for a Breakthrough Performance award at this year’s British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), the latest accolade cementing his spellbinding turn in Unicorns, 2024’s queer drama from longtime collaborators James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini.
“You want it to happen to you, and when that moment happens, because you dream of it for so long, or dream of moments like this, of that external validation,” he pauses. “Not that I necessarily need it,” he laughs, “[But] it’s just lovely to have the recognition for all the hard work that you put into it. I just didn’t believe it.”
In Unicorns, Patel plays Ashiq, a Manchester-born Muslim man working at a drugstore, and Aysha, the charming and alluring drag queen who comes alive in nightclubs. The story is heartwarming, layered, and deeply emotional, brimming with the relatable rawness of an unexpected romantic connection, when Aysha meets Luke (played by Ben Hardy), a young single dad from Essex, and both are compelled to reconsider their respective identities.
“Aisha and Ashiq are obviously two sides of the same coin,” Patel starts. “James [Krishna Floyd] said it really well the other day, how even though Aisha is putting on all these layers physically – the outfits, the clothes, the tucking, the makeup—they’re also taking off a lot of layers, getting rid of all the smoke and mirrors to become this confident person, to feel empowered. In the same way, when Aisha takes off all the layers, they’re putting on a lot on their protective self. It’s about being where they can feel vulnerable and where they don’t. And in that essence, it’s a balance. Everyone does that in their whole life. We’re all trying to be something, to feel a certain way.”
Right now, Jason Patel seems to be exactly where he’s meant to be—a breakthrough star, reaping the golden fruits of a carefully planted (and planned) career. And he knows it. “I basically was my own Kris Jenner, pushy parent, mumager,” he tells me with full seriousness as we discuss his creative upbringing. Self-assured and determined, his eyes have been on the prize since he came “out of the womb,” he says, only half-jokingly.
“I find creativity in everything that I do, whether it’s music, acting, fashion, writing,” Patel continues. From as early as he can remember, the actor and musician had his fingers either on a piano or on a drawing pen. His attention, however, was locked on Britney Spears (specifically in her “…Baby One More Time” music video) and Hannah Montana, thinking, “that’s me!”
The lure of pop stardom, the limelight, being in front of the camera… all things Patel has always strived for. A slightly unnerving realisation to his parents, who “were working class parents, and had no creative bone in their body.” To them, he tells me, acting and the creative industry at large was something only a very specific pool of people could make a living off of. But Patel’s effervescence is too dazzling to be dimmed. “I remember, as a kid, emailing people, thinking, ‘who am I?’ But you’ve got to shoot your shot, because if you don’t ask, you don’t get,” he says. “No one’s gonna find you on the street and give you a million pounds if you don’t put anything into yourself. So I really started to look at the world [in] a really different way [as] a young person being independent, being the go-getter.”
Flash forward to today, and Patel’s childhood tricks are paying off, as it was an email which got him the part in Unicorns. James Krishna Floyd had spent the better part of a decade writing the script for this film, but when it came to casting the roles of Ashiq, he found himself in a bit of a rut. That was, at least, until Jason came along. “Lo and behold, I’m acting away in the theater, [and] my cast member sent me this open casting call for this film,” he remembers. Instantly, Jason knew this role was made for him. “I just emailed them myself,” he recalls. “I sent an introduction of who I am and what I do. I sent my music, I sent my “One Last Dance” music video, and I was like, ‘I’ve been in Wonderland Magazine.’ I had a self tape to do in about one hour. The rest [is] history.”
Since hitting theatres this summer—and recently making its way to Netflix—Unicorns has charmed audiences far and wide. The film not only claimed the coveted ‘Best of Fest’ titles at Palm Springs and BFI Flare but also secured Jason Patel a spot on numerous lists celebrating the year’s strongest performances. “It’s just a labour of love,” Jason says of Unicorns. “All we want to do is give love to the world and show that you can have it with anyone that you desire to have it with.”
The unexpected love story finds itself at the crossing between queer South Asian communities and the idea of compulsory heterosexuality, and it is these very complex constructs of identities that draws us, the viewers, in and makes us question our very own perception and interpretation of love. “[It has] been beautiful, because it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, you can connect to something in this film,” he reflects. “There’s like a golden nugget for everyone in there.”
For him, his golden nugget might have been his first time stepping into drag. “It was incredible, because I knew there would be a moment I would [do drag], but it had to be the right moment,” he says. “And this was the time to explore it in my own medium of music and art and film and acting and in my workspace. Drag is such an Olympic sport—it’s a lot, and it’s hard.”
Having spent many, many hours enjoying cabaret shows, and introducing his family to RuPaul’s Drag Race during the pandemic (which, by the way, they were hooked on after the first episode), Jason may not have committed to the winged liner and fabulous wig prior to this film, but it did, nonetheless, teach him a lot about himself and his own identity.
Whether it’s the connections he’s forged on this project—with the directors Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd, his co-star Ben hardy, with whom he had an instant connection with upon their initial chemistry read, or even the costume designer Nirage Mirage, with whom he spent countless hours discussing the vision for his characters-–or whether it’s the bond with his blood relatives, Jason is a family man, in every sense of the word.
“I genuinely feel inspired by my grandma,” he speaks wholeheartedly. “She came to the UK, and she had three children, but my granddad suddenly died. So she was left with three kids, really, really young. [She] was in a country where she didn’t know anyone, didn’t have an education, no job, no money, no friends. What was she supposed to do? If she can raise three kids and make it to [that] point, I could do anything that I want.”
At 27, Jason Patel is ending the year having ticked off bucket-list accomplishments at his fastest rate yet. Still, his feet remain firmly on the ground, rooted in his beginnings as he rides the wave propelling newcomers into the “next big thing” spotlight, fully aware that getting to the top isn’t a solo act. Patel’s community-driven mindset has landed him where he is today: nominated for a BIFA for Breakthrough Performance. Yet he’s quick to share the credit, pointing to the collective labour poured into Unicorns — a project far bigger than just him, serving a purpose that reaches well beyond the screen.
“I always say, once this film came out, it stopped belonging to us. It belongs to the audience. It belongs to the people. And I get shivers saying it, because I just want everyone to grab this film, go wild with it, and hold it tight to their chest,” he says. “When you need to feel like you belong somewhere, this film is there for you.” His wishes for the new year? “For our industry to thrive like no tomorrow,” he says. “Everybody’s had a really hard few years. I really hope 2025 brings a lot of prosperity, regardless of all the circumstances everybody’s dealing with. I won’t thrive on my own. Everyone thrives together.”
Unicorns is now available on Netflix.
Words by Juliette Eleuterio
Photography by Dillon Rana
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