Callum Scott Howells Explains The Madfabulous Process of Becoming Henry Paget in FAULT Magazine Issue 33
Callum Scott Howells X FAULT Magazine
Vest and Shorts: Geordie Campbell
See the full shoot and exclusive interview with Callum Scott Howells – secure your copy of FAULT Magazine Issue 33,OUT NOW!
Photographer: David Yeo
Stylist: Krishan Parmar
Grooming: Lucy Thomas
Words: Miles Holder
Callum Scott Howells is no stranger to transformation. From stage to screen, his performances have consistently balanced emotional depth with a sharp sense of character – but his latest role in Madfabulous pushes that even further.
Taking on the real-life figure of Henry Paget, Howells steps into a world of excess, identity, and contradiction, bringing nuance to a character often reduced to spectacle.
We caught up with Callum to discuss the challenge of portraying a larger-than-life figure, the emotional weight of telling real stories, and why he’s drawn to characters that defy expectation.
Vest and Shorts: Geordie Campbell
See the full shoot and exclusive interview with Callum Scott Howells – secure your copy of FAULT Magazine Issue 33,OUT NOW!
FAULT Magazine: He’s such a larger-than-life character. Was it difficult finding the balance between truth and performance?
Callum Scott Howells: That was the big question with this role. On the page, he’s incredibly flamboyant and eccentric, almost overwhelming in how big he is.
For me, the challenge is always about making a character feel three-dimensional and believable. You want to understand why they behave the way they do, not just present them at face value.
I looked at performances like Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose or films like Amadeus, where characters are larger than life but still deeply human. It’s about getting underneath that surface and finding the detail.
FAULT Magazine: What surprised you most during the filming process?
Callum Scott Howells: There was a point early on where I felt quite scared. I kept thinking, “I really hope I’m doing him justice.”
Then I had this moment where I wrote a diary entry as Henry, just trying to get into his voice and mindset. After that, something shifted.
It wasn’t that I stopped trying, but it started to feel more instinctive. I could just go on set and do it, and the emotions began to come more naturally. It felt like the character had settled into me in a way I hadn’t experienced before.
FAULT Magazine: Did you learn anything new about yourself during the process?
Callum Scott Howells: I definitely fell in love with North Wales. The landscape, the culture; it’s incredible.
But beyond that, it made me reflect on what it means to live in a society with rigid expectations, and how much courage it takes to go against them.
I think that’s something very universal, the idea of wanting to express yourself in a way that feels true, even when it creates friction.
Waistcoat: Clothsurgeon I Jeans: Fendi
FAULT Magazine: What is your FAULT?
Callum Scott Howells: I think it’s trusting the process and sometimes overthinking it.
I care a lot about the work, and that can come with pressure. But I’m learning to sit with that and not rush things.