Is Wicked Pop-u-lar with Mark?

Thomasin McKenzie is this week’s guest—star of Edgar Wright’s ‘Last Night in Soho’, Mark’s film of the year 2018 ‘Leave No Trace’—and now ‘Joy’, a new Netflix drama about the development of IVF treatment at Oldham hospital in the 1970s. Written by Jack Thorne, the film’s medical miracle story is focalised through McKenzie’s character Jean Purdy—a talented embryologist whose work was key to the team’s breakthrough discovery, but whose name was left out of the history books. She chats to Simon about putting Jean back in the picture in this latest in a line of meaty and challenging roles for the young actor. Reviews this week of ‘Blink’, a poignant documentary following a family determined to travel the world and create precious visual memories for their three children, who are losing their sight—and Amrou Al-Kadhi's debut drag queen drama ‘Layla’, which follows the story of the titular performer (Bilal Hasna) as they discover their confidence and creativity whilst navigating their queer Arab identity. Plus the much-anticipated stage-to-screen musical ‘Wicked’. The Wizard of Oz prequel stars Cynthia Erivo as green-skinned misfit Elphaba, and Ariana Grande as glam girl Galinda, both st…