By Denny Patterson
In Lady Like, director Luke Willis brings the rags-to-riches story of drag royalty Lady Camden to life in a deeply intimate and riveting documentary.
The film chronicles the extraordinary transformation of Rex Wheeler—a bullied boy from Camden Town, England, who first dreamt of becoming a ballet dancer—into the dazzling drag persona who captivated audiences on Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. However, as fame brings new challenges, Camden must confront the shadows of a troubled childhood in London and explore the pain that led her to seek solace in the performing arts.
Narrated by fellow drag icon Nina West, Lady Like offers a front-row seat to Camden’s path of self-discovery, as she embraces vulnerability, finds her chosen family, and proves the healing power of art.
After garnering global acclaim and earning several accolades at prestigious festivals, Lady Like is now available on VOD. OutClique recently caught up with Camden to talk more about it, as well as her Drag Race experience and visions for the future.
Denny Patterson: Let me begin by asking, how excited are you for Lady Like to now be available on VOD and streaming?
Lady Camden: I’m excited! We’ve been making this film since the series was airing, so it feels like it’s been going on forever. For it to finally be tangible, accessible, grabbable, punchable, and you can watch it now, I couldn’t be happier.
Denny Patterson: How did the idea for Lady Like come about, and what made you want to do this project?
Lady Camden: Luke Willis, the director, and I were working on lots of different films for social media content. We were making fun, short films for different parts of the season, and we wanted to do something more creative than just me posting nice photographs. In that process, it was Luke’s idea to make something a bit bigger. When he got to know me a bit more, I think he realized that my story was maybe a little similar to his own story in terms of coming of age, his background, his family, and his love of theater and ballet. I think it resonated with him personally, so I think that’s why he felt more inspired by what was going on.
Denny Patterson: I love that not only does this film follow your journey from being a local drag queen to an international celebrity, but there’s also this parallel fantasy story of Lady Camden being born out of a glittery dumpster explosion and her quest to find her way back home. Is there a specific part of Lady Like that you are most excited for audiences to see?
Lady Camden: What I’ve been told by everybody that has watched it is that they are kind of surprised at how honest and blunt I am, and they’re sort of taken aback by how vulnerable, personal, and real we get. I forget about that because I wasn’t focused on trying to portray life in a certain way. I wanted to pull back the facade of anything that’s fake, so I’m excited for people to learn a bit more about my own personal journey and the journey of what it’s like going through the experience of being a Ru girl. They’re going to get a slice of honesty from the whole situation.
Denny Patterson: What do you ultimately hope audiences take away from Lady Like?
Lady Camden: I hope people see someone accepting that there’s not just one way to come to terms with who you are. We often hear time and time again, be yourself, and I hope that people can take away from this that it doesn’t matter how long it takes or if the journey looks different. Ultimately, as long as you can eventually find a way to truly love who you are, even if it doesn’t happen in the way that you expect, as long as it happens, then that’s the most important thing.
Denny Patterson: Why did you want to be on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and what was your biggest take away from that experience?
Lady Camden: It was my favorite TV show at the time. I just loved it, and I understood how hard it is to be a working drag queen. It was during the pandemic, I had no gigs coming up and I was having a tough time, so I thought, why not? I’ve got nothing else going on, so I might as well give it my all. I had nothing but a good attitude and an ambitious mind and heart. I wanted to challenge myself. I knew it would be scary, but I knew I had what it takes to get very far. And what I wanted to take away from the experience was some growth. I wanted to gain a bit more confidence and character in the process.
Denny Patterson: Although you didn’t win, I thought you absolutely killed it on your season. Which challenge was your absolute favorite?
Lady Camden: Honestly, I enjoyed all the ones I did well in, especially the three that I won (laughs). I think the Moulin Rouge musical was the most fun for the group because everyone had a fun part, and the music was amazing. I felt confident going into it because we felt the most prepared. Some of the other challenges, we didn’t have as much time to learn as we would have liked. I was nervous for the musical because I felt like I had short, little parts. I didn’t have a huge, meaty role, but it was the most fun. There was a different energy that I don’t normally exude when it comes to dancing, choreography, or acting.
Denny Patterson: Do you have any interest in returning for an All Stars season?
Lady Camden: I would, but it’s all about timing. Some people are keen to go back right away, but I am not one of those people. They don’t ask every girl every season to go back, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll continue to ask you to go back, but I think I have a bit more growth to do before I consider going back. And I don’t think I’m that far away from it. I want to go in feeling like I’m going to win without any doubt in my mind.
Denny Patterson: What are some other future goals you hope to accomplish with your career and platform?
Lady Camden: I want to do a lot more acting in general and have roles that are more challenging on TV and film. I’ve had the opportunity to do small, bite-sized parts. I filmed a small part a couple months ago for a film called Loves Company, but I would love to do larger speaking roles for TV and film, as well as get back into choreographing some ballet again because I used to do that a lot before drag. It would be fun to bring the drag perspective into ballet a bit more. I’d also love to continue writing and producing my own stuff.
Denny Patterson: Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you’d like to mention or plug?
Lady Camden: Just make sure to check out Lady Like! It’s a fun, light hearted film. Obviously, there are some heavier topics about life and hardships, but ultimately, beyond that, it’s a fun look into the behind the scenes of what it’s actually like to prepare for the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race and what it’s like to experience people second guessing you at first. They may not be into your drag, but then they slowly start to fall in love with you. It’s a weird and scary experience, but I wouldn’t change anything.
Stay up-to-date and connect with Lady Camden by following her on Instagram.
