Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Read more
When TV director Simon Draper decided to produce a podcast with Miriam Margolyes, he kicked into motion a series of encounters that ended up changing his life in an unexpected way.
In 2024, Draper, whose credits include Rob & Rylan’s Grand Tour, had no work on the horizon and thought a project with one of his former collaborators – the 84-year-old national treasure, former Harry Potter star and outrageous anecdote-teller Margolyes – would be a good creative use of his time. (He previously worked with the comedian and actor for 2016 documentary The Real Marigold on Tour, in which she visited a retirement home in Florida – and swiftly got booted out for getting in a row with a resident about Trump.)
Margolyes accepted Draper’s offer, and welcomed him and his camera into her home so he could track the podcast’s journey to fruition. A new one-off documentary film, titled Miriam Margolyes Made Me Me, tracks his tireless efforts to create the audio series, pitched as her “final act”, only to be met with increasing obstacles thanks to her free-wheeling way of life.
After completing just one episode of the podcast, Margolyes dropped a bombshell – she was going to Australia to embark on a lengthy tour. Realising his documentary would suffer as a consequence, Draper sold his guitar collection to travel across the world to be with Margolyes.
Upon his arrival, things aren’t as plain-sailing as he’d hoped – rather than getting to work on the podcast, Margolyes keeps kicking the can down the road, with Draper essentially becoming her errand boy. If he isn’t sitting around waiting for her to summon him, he’s performing small tasks for Margolyes, like helping her with her shoes or fetching her a coffee. (Her order? A decaf almond milk cappuccino, extra hot.) “She has the amazing power to draw the people-pleaser out of everyone, including me,” an obliging Draper says at one point as he hangs up her underwear on her hotel room balcony.
But he’s also there at a pivotal moment in Margolyes’ life, as her surge in popularity led to her performing sell-out shows at iconic venues like Sydney Opera House, and responding to droves of Cameo requests, from which she reveals she’s made more than £320,000 to date.
Miriam Margolyes is at centre of sweer new documentary (BBC)
It soon becomes clear that their companionship is more important than any podcast could be. One moving scene shows Draper accompanying a worried Margolyes to a hospital appointment where she’s due to have a spinal injection. “I’m not chipper this morning, but I will be,” the unusually restrained star tells Draper. She’s clearly happy he’s with her, even if she’s not entirely sure why.
Draper is disarmed by his experience with Margolyes in Australia, becoming inspired by “her honesty and bluntness and way of expressing affection”, which “seems to make people feel alive” – and he returns home one guitar collection down but enriched by an experience that forms the basis of the documentary.
Speaking about the film, Draper said: “I thought getting Miriam Margolyes to make a podcast would be easy, after all, everyone’s doing them, but Miriam’s lifestyle is bonkers.
Simon Draper with his friend and collaborator Miriam Margolyes (Rex TV)
“In two years, we made just five episodes, but hanging out with her was life-changing. Mim’s a woman with strong opinions and a weak bladder, and I feel lucky to have been able to capture all the chaos and sparkle of the bravest, most honest person I know.”
Miriam Margolyes Made Me Me is available ton BBC iPlayer