Max Harwood isn’t one to surrender to fate, chance, or some greater force. If there is a current attempting to pull him under, he simply swims upstream — opting to take the reins of his career and direct it as he wishes rather than letting someone else make decisions for him. The 27-year-old actor, born and raised in Basingstoke, is someone who is equal parts dedicated and deliberate, ensuring every choice he makes today will service him as an actor and help him be the best he can be at his craft in five, 10, or 20 from now.
When he sits down with 1883 on a hot summer day in London, he shares a secret: he’s taking on the lead role in the then-forthcoming The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. At that point, he was juggling eight shows a week in Stranger Things: The First Shadow while meticulously unpacking the world of Percy Jackson by reading every — yes, every — single book in the series to prep for the role. At first meeting, it was obvious just how much Harwood cares not just about how he navigates the industry, but about every step of the creative process — from character development to song selection to his own creative direction on his 1883 shoot. It’s apt, then, when you find out that he was following The Lightning Thief‘s transition from Broadway to the West End two years prior to its debut.
Harwood had his big break in an uncommon way in such a fickle industry — his first major role out of drama school was starring as the beloved Jamie in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the film based on the hit musical. It took him around the globe, giving him a taste of what a typical major studio film promo tour looks like and just how grand they can be. For any other actor, going back to basics — smaller projects with smaller teams — would feel like a downward shift. But for Harwood, returning to his acting roots in theatre was exactly what he needed to avoid getting typecast in certain roles or projects. Being selective eventually brought him The Loneliest Boy in the World, a British comedy-horror film where Harwood could lean into his comedic chops, and an episode of the beloved British anthology television series Black Mirror.
He just spent the last year of his life as Alan Munson, the father of Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), in Stranger Things: The First Shadow. As an ensemble show, the role wasn’t exactly the star of the play, but brought Harwood something he hadn’t experienced before: a chance to grit his teeth on stage, night after night, to perfect his craft. It was, in a way, his post-drama school training; a place for him to flex new muscles and uncover parts of himself as both a human and an actor that he hadn’t seen before.
Now, with The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, he takes on the lead once again — but this time with a lot more experience under his belt. In a two-part conversation with 1883’s Kelsey Barnes, Max Harwood opens up about the dichotomy between making his film debut in the titular role of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie to gritting his teeth on stage in Stranger Things: The First Shadow, hustling to get the role of Percy Jackson in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, and more.
Something I find interesting — and what must’ve been interesting for you to navigate — was starting your career with a major debut in a film like Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and then almost going back and grinding your teeth with TV and theatre. How do you think that has helped your growth as an actor?
I think I’m used to working in high-stakes environments. Obviously, Jamie was high stakes. Being on a film set, being the number one, if you have a day off, thousands of pounds go down the toilet. In theatre, you have to be on top of it, but the stakes are less high. It’s not because the work isn’t important, but because, for example, if I didn’t go on, we had an incredible cover who would do the show. So, the stakes are less high, I guess. It’s prepared me for hard work and allowed me to be a bit freer.
Do you think that’s impacted the way you approach acting since it’s a form of play? How has that influenced the way you navigate a character or a stage?
I think I have a lot more fun now than I would have if I had done things the other way around. If I started in theatre, I might have been really meticulous and particular about making sure things were good and right. Now, the play and fun are such a huge element of what we do that I can really allow myself to have fun with it. Especially with a show like Percy Jackson, and also the roles I’ve played since Jamie, I’ve discovered that I enjoy playing funny roles. I’d like to say I’m a serious dramatic actor, but I really thrive in comedy. I enjoy hearing an audience react to jokes; it really tickles me. A laugh from the audience is the only sure way you know you’ve got them. You can’t hear a smile, but if they laugh, you know they’re really with you. In dramatic scenes, you can’t hear them feeling it. A laugh gives you that electric buzz you don’t get when shooting a film. I remember the first time I saw the film at the premiere in London, hearing people laugh at the jokes was surprising because on set it felt awkward. Since Jamie, I’ve leaned into that a lot, which has been really fun.
Because it’s instant feedback, right? I remember talking about this with Oscar Lloyd when you were doing previews for Stranger Things: The First Shadow and how you’re able to fine-tune if a joke doesn’t land. Have you been able to do that with your current show?
Yeah, definitely. We’re just out of previews now and still settling into the show. There’s still a lot to discover. The same thing happened with me on “Stranger Things.” My character is a bit whack, and in the rehearsal room, people weren’t laughing, not because it wasn’t funny, but because it works differently in a theater. Similarly, with this show, Percy isn’t the funny character in rehearsal. Grover or Mr. D are the funny ones. But when you put it in front of an audience, they laugh at different moments. It’s often the little details and beats in scenes.
That’s probably what Oscar meant about the preview period—refining what lands with the audience. In theater, it’s all about what they can hear and see. If it’s physical and audible, they’ll laugh. If it’s too physical and they can’t hear it, they won’t understand. Conversely, if it’s too verbal without enough physicality, some might miss it. The front row gets the full experience, while those farther back might only catch the physicality and words. Everyone needs to hear and see the same thing. It’s about being a technician within the work, knowing how much space to use physically and vocally to land those moments. It’s been so much fun.
I want to talk to you about your childhood. Was there a specific book, film, or any sort of media that inspired you to get into this world of make-believe?
I say this all the time, but it was really the VHS tapes of Oliver and Annie that made me want to sing and dance. Also, The Wizard of Oz was a big influence. Without sounding too cringe, the Percy Jackson series was hugely influential for me. Being a bit Greek — my granddad’s Greek — it made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t before. I don’t know if I’ve told you this story, but when I was a little kid on holiday in Spain, I fell into a pool. I was under the water for a long time, and I remember looking up at the light of the sun and feeling so calm. Long story short, I was fine; my dad pulled me out. When I saw the Percy Jackson movie and when he sits under the water, he’s so calm. It felt like me. When the opportunity to do this job came up, I felt like I had to do it.
Musicals were a big part of my life, thanks to my mom. She used to make me watch all the old movie musicals and took me to my first youth theatre group. She even stayed with me because I didn’t want to be alone. If it wasn’t for her, I might have been very unemployed.
I read that you had a box of dressing-up clothes and would do Grease and stuff like that.
Yeah, me and my sister did. My nan ran a pub, and there was karaoke all the time. We were encouraged to get up and sing. During Christmas, someone would dress up as Father Christmas. My nan also did themed nights at the pub, so we got a bunch of wigs for our dressing-up box. That’s how we got the Rizzo wig, for example. It was a very theatrical upbringing, but not in a formal way. I didn’t go to singing lessons or acting classes. Lots of people I work with did professional shows as kids, which is amazing. But for me, it was local amateur dramatics. Without my time there and the people who nurtured me, I wouldn’t have pursued this. Otherwise, I might have had to do a more traditional job, like a nine-to-five, which I wasn’t capable of [laughs]. I got so lucky that I found something I loved, and it found me in a way.
Did you go to theatre school at all?
I did. After sixth form, my college teacher suggested I go to drama school. I was like, “What’s that?” I didn’t know much about it, but I went for it. I did a foundation course and then got a scholarship to do two years at a school in London. I left in my second year, but it all worked out.
Did you work in the cinema in Basingstoke? I think I read that.
Yeah, I did. My first job was there when I was 16.
Amazing. I read that you saw Hunger Games there and thought, “Wow, this is wild.”
I stole all the posters from the storeroom and kept them under my bed, including big posters of Jennifer Lawrence. I told this story once about how I always had her face on a poster. After Jamie was done, and we were back in London after COVID, I was in a taxi and saw a massive bus with my face on it. I was like, “Well, I’m Jennifer Lawrence now.”
It’s all downhill from here.
Trust me, I have plenty of Jamie posters under my bed now, trying to get rid of them. The Jennifer Lawrence one, I don’t know where that ended up.
I wanted to talk a bit more about the come down after Jamie. Your first major film, a whirlwind press tour in America during the pandemic — it must have been quite intense. What was that experience like? Did you have any moments where you thought, “Is this it?”
Yeah, let’s be real. It was intense. When they told us we were going to America, I thought, “Wow, people must be enjoying the film.” We went everywhere: Dallas, Atlanta, New York, Miami, Chicago, LA. It was nuts. I never expected to do anything like that. It was honestly stressful. The weight of expectation was heavy because I was leading the movie, and I’d never done anything like that before. Coming out of a pandemic, I felt the pressure for people to enjoy the film because it could be life-changing for me.
But the fact that they were taking us to America meant they were confident in it. Despite the challenges, like the pandemic and coming out the same year as West Side Story, the film did really well. It reached its intended audience, and the industry responded well. I was nominated for a BIFA (British Independent Film Awards Nominee) for Breakthrough Performance and BAFTA Nomination for Outstanding British Film, which I’m so proud of.
The most rewarding part was the response from fans, both old and new. They felt seen and connected with the film, which was life-changing for many. Being at the center of it, my life was changing massively, and I was left wondering what to do next. How do I follow this? I struggled with my team, figuring out what the right next move was, both for my career and my happiness. It was a balance between what I wanted to do and what the industry expected of me. Especially as an openly queer actor playing a major queer role right out of the gate, there was a lot to navigate.
I went through a transitional period of growing up, which was hard. But I stuck with my team, who I love dearly, and they stuck with me. We chose another film, The Loneliest Boy in the World, which was so much fun. Then Stranger Things came along, and I knew I had to do it. Since then, I’ve felt the momentum growing even more. I’m proud to be challenging myself and playing with the perception of who I am. That’s why I was so keen to chat with you and work on this editorial because I feel like you see me exactly as I am.
That is so nice of you to say, but really you took on so much of the creative for this — I’m just happy to be a vessel for it.
I feel like you really enabled me, especially with this editorial, to be more involved. I could give my ideas, and the range of shots we got really showcased the vastness of my capabilities as an actor and as a person. It also highlighted the diversity in fashion and personal style. I would wear any of those outfits on any given day for different events.
I think the intersection of me growing up, fashion, and being able to pick different roles since Jamie has done me a lot of good. It’s all part of the journey, growing up a bit and discovering myself.
I think there was two years between when you actually filmed Jamie and when it actually came out. That alone, when you’re at that age, is such a big amount of time where you grow up a lot. Touching on Stranger Things, what was it about that role in particular that made you want to be involved? Alan and Percy are quite different.
Different, very different. So the full team of Stranger Things, the way it happened was I actually was auditioning for a different project. Someone was casting at the time, two different projects, a movie and a stage show. And, as far as I’m aware, I was really close to getting those jobs, but it didn’t quite work out for many different reasons, as these things do. I was never, ever in the original group — I didn’t do the workshops, I didn’t go in the original round of auditions at all. So the project really wasn’t on my radar at all.
Then, two weeks before they started the rehearsals, I get a call from my agent to say, “Jessica’s office and Stephen Daldry and Justin want me to come in to read for this role they have for me in the show and they need someone who can cover the lead roles.” And I was like, “Oh. So what is this?” They said, “Yeah, they start rehearsing next week.” I was like, “What is this then?” It was very much a week before and they were calling in people who could sort of do it anyway.
So I get the script and all I could think was, “What is going on with this kid?” At the time, we didn’t have any context for the show, so I didn’t know that he was a kid playing a part. I was like, “Okay, what do I do? I’m just going to have to go in and play this scene as straight to the point and honestly and truthfully as I can possibly make it.” So I researched this Appalachian accent, I went into the room, I sat on the floor and pretended I was starting a fire. Honestly, the choices I made were insane.
In the room, Justin was very much like, “Right, can you just, like, go out of the room and come in?” It was like a meeting where I read the scene a few times. Anyway, I left that first meeting, and they also then threw me a bunch of different scenes from the show to read, like Bob and Hopper. I think that afternoon, I got the call a couple of days later, saying they wanted me for the job. They needed to know basically today because they were starting rehearsals. And I said “Well, I haven’t even read a script yet.” And they were like, “Right, okay, well, we’re not sharing scripts.” I said, “Well, I can’t take a job if I don’t know what the script is.” They said, “Well, you can come to the office in London.” So they got me to London, they locked me in a little office without my phone, and I had to read the whole script.
The first preview we did of Stranger Things was four hours long. I sat in that room for hours reading the script. At the time, there wasn’t much for Alan. It was done differently in the original script, where he was this kind of mad, weird character the whole time. Alan really developed and changed. I haven’t seen the new cast yet, but hopefully he continues to be this very misunderstood, troubled, slightly insane lover of the Dramatic Arts. Deeper than that, he’s really failing at school, and he has one last-ditch attempt to get any extra credit to pass before he gets expelled from school. So, Joyce’s school play is his final, last resort, and he really, really commits to it, as you’ve seen.
Was there a little bit of muscle memory that came into play? Because when you’re playing somebody for a year, which I feel like is quite —
So long, I don’t know how to do it. I don’t think I’ll be able to do it.
Every day. That’s a long time.
Yeah, muscle memory definitely kicks in. It’s really exciting when someone new goes on. But I say this all the time, the show kind of does you. The show does you, and it’s beautiful, but especially a show that’s so beautifully tech-heavy, like Stranger Things, you just get on the roller coaster, and it happens.
Was that daunting for you at all, because this was your first stage role? Acting for the camera versus acting to an audience is very, very different.
Very, very, very different. In rehearsals, I was very reserved. Justin Martin, co-director of the show, came up to me. He had just directed Jodie Comer in Prima Facie, and he said to me, like he said to Jodie, “You just need to share more.” He was basically saying, “You’re going to be active. I need it bigger. I need to feel it.” So it took me a while to get into that. The room for Stranger Things was daunting, working with Stephen, Sonia, Miriam, and everyone involved in the show and design. I mean, everyone was the top of the top. So there was definitely a lot of pressure to come in and deliver your absolute best every day. In a play that’s four hours long, my job isn’t going anywhere. I’ve got to be in the play, you know what I mean? So it was a lot of pressure, but also so exciting. Being part of the original cast and the buzz of that, with people coming from all over the world to see the show, fans of Stranger Things, fans of TV in general — it was crazy, crazy.
I read an interview you did with Richard E. Grant for Backstage. He interviewed you, which was such a sweet interview. You said to him that you want to get to a point in your life or in your career where a young actor can come to you, and you can help them the way he helped you. With Stranger Things, you mentioned that you and Izzy were the only two who had done stuff outside of Stranger Things. For many of the others, it was their first job, more or less, on the West End.
The adult company had experience. There were loads of people with experience, but it was my West End debut and my theatrical debut. Are you going to ask if I felt like Richard E. Grant [laughs]?
No, no. What I was going to ask was, with Percy, now you’re the lead. How has it been taking on more of a leadership role? I know the effort you put into getting Percy. How has it been stepping into that role?
One thing that Richard said to me in that same timeframe when we were speaking was that you never have all the answers and you’re always learning. This is a very different job. Stranger Things was a very different job. My ultimate goal is to always be learning and growing. There is a responsibility when you’re leading a company, not just in the show, but in terms of leading the company. It’s important to make sure that everyone is looked after mentally, physically, and emotionally. Making sure that everyone is happy. If someone isn’t happy, it’s not my job, but it feels like a responsibility to ensure everyone’s well-being. If we’re all having a good time, we’re going to do a good show. So I do feel that responsibility more so than I did on Stranger Things. It’s not about guiding and shaping every week but making sure that everyone is having fun.
We kind of already talked about this when we had our first sit-down for coffee, but actually getting the role of Percy—how it took, I think, about two years, right? I was trying not to ask you about it back then because I wanted to save it for the interview. But tell me a little bit about following that journey. I know you were trying not to pester the producers, but you were like, “What’s happening?”
Yeah, exactly. It was just a long time. What happened was, from the start, I was speaking to the producer about another show I wanted to do. They said, “Oh, it won’t sell,” but then they said, “We have another show you might be interested in.” They basically said, “We want you to be Percy.” It was like, “Yeah, we want you to be Percy.” I said, Percy“Wait, what? What’s going on?” So, I wanted to meet Lizzi, the director. They took me to this cozy restaurant, and we sat down with a massive picture of all the ideas for the production. I met Lizzi, and I said, “I want to do this show.” Then, of course, what happened was, we were just coming out of the pandemic—two years ago—and there were new chats. Then, I was busy and couldn’t do the show, and then Lizzi, the director, was busy, and then Stranger Things happened. So, I was like, “Please wait for me. Please, please wait. I really want to do this show. If you wait, I’ll do it.” So, it was two years of making sure everything aligned so I could do it.
What was it about you specifically that made them want you to be Percy? To me, it’s obvious, but did they ever mention what it was?
I don’t know… I don’t really know. I suppose, in my head, I was on their radar from doing the Jamie film. So, they obviously had me in mind. That’s the thing, right? When you do a job, you get on people’s radar. You get into their minds. So, when they think about future projects, you’re one of the people they consider. I was really lucky in that sense. I don’t know specifically why me for this project, but it just felt right. I think the producers and Lizzie really trusted my ability to take on a lead role, as I’d done it before with Jamie. It was kind of a big risk for them to cast me in this role because I’d never done something like this before. But, somehow, it just felt like the right fit.
When we met up, I think you were reading the second or third Percy Jackson book. The actor who plays Grover mentioned that he didn’t want to read ahead; he just wanted to stick to the first book. Why did you want to read all of them?
I read all the books. I read all six Percy Jackson and the Olympians books, then all five Heroes of Olympus books, and all five Trials of Apollo books. I’m currently reading Son of the Star, the Nico di Angelo book. I’m just such a world builder. When you’re working on a show or a film, there are so many elements you can’t control. As soon as the lights come up, as soon as the cameras roll, you’re relying on other people to do their job fantastically. The only thing you have control over is your internal world. That’s why I do a lot of internal world-building. I create these worlds for myself, then I forget about them. If it doesn’t live within me on stage or within the script, it doesn’t exist.
The more prep I can do for myself to make my internal world full and complete, the easier it is for an audience to look at a character and think, “I think they’re thinking that.” If it’s just surface-level, then all they’re getting is what’s on the surface. You saw Stranger Things many times, and you saw many different versions of Alan, and different versions of every other character. You’re also in the audience interpreting it differently. If I’m just a blank sheet inside, you can tell. I can tell when I watch someone if they’re just a blank sheet, but also when they have that extra layer going on that isn’t just in what they’re saying. For me, that comes from world-building, research, and understanding the character on a deeper level.
Do you do anything specific to get into Percy’s mindset? Are you the type to make playlists for characters or anything like that?
For this show, there’s a lot of focus on resting my voice, stretching before fights, and taking care of myself physically. In terms of character prep, I don’t do anything too crazy. With a musical, the music and the energy of the show really carry you there. The vibe of the music is so powerful that it becomes a huge part of getting into character. I always think about how, when I’m on movie or TV sets, scenes that don’t have music are so different than when you watch them back with the score underscoring everything.
Musically, my internal world is always active; there’s always something driving the scene with music. So, for Percy Jackson, it’s really about resting, eating, sleeping, steaming, and taking care of my voice. Character-wise, everything comes from the script and what I bring to it. It’s not about doing anything offbeat, especially when you’re portraying a character that already exists in some way. You can’t help but bring yourself into it, and I think that’s the key.
That makes sense. Is there a specific scene in the musical that stands out to you, one that you’re especially excited to perform?
Yeah, there’s a new song in Act 2 that we added to our production, which they didn’t have on Broadway. When I first heard the track, I knew we had to include it in the show. The song is called “Try,” and it’s just at the start of their quest. It’s about how everything could go wrong, and the weight of the world feels like it’s on their shoulders, but all they have to do is try. It’s about pushing forward, trying, and giving it a shot, especially with these new friendships they’ve made. It’s such a beautiful song, and we’re doing it for the first time, which makes it extra special.
How was the collaborative process there? It sounds like it’s been really fulfilling for you as an actor.
It’s been huge. I’ve been really lucky, I work with directors that really want to hear your voice in the room. It was really collaborative. I feel like any, any good director will make you feel like you’re having collaborative freedom in the process, even if you’re not, even if your idea is to definitely go with it. In the end, a good director will always be like, “Oh yeah, let’s try that.” Or like, “Oh, let’s just think about that.” It’s all about play — the show is super fun, so if we weren’t having fun doing it, it would be a nightmare.
I like to think roles enter actors’ lives at a certain time or chapter. Does it feel that way with Percy?
Yeah, it feels like the right time. I was ready, very ready, to do a musical again. I really enjoy singing, so this just felt like the gorgeous Christmas show that I could do.
The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is at The Other Palace from now until August. The second part to this special feature with Max Harwood will be released in the new year.
Interview Kelsey Barnes
Photography Brennan Bucannan
Styling Margherita Alaimo
Hair Sandra Hahnel
