That's not just because O'Connell, who was one of GQ's men of the year in 2014, looks a lot like the late, great designer—dude's already got the goatee!—but also because he has a rough charm and a rakish sensibility, which are two of the qualities that helped make McQueen a beloved figure all over the world.
The film will track the creation of McQueen's Fall 2009 ready-to-wear show, a highly controversial demi-retrospective of his own work—the models wore what Style.com called "sex-doll lips and sometimes painfully theatrical costumes." Nevertheless, it's remembered as one of his greatest collections.
"It was a show that he dedicated to his mother and one in which he tried to make sense of his life and art," said a statement from Pathé, the production company behind the movie. "The film explores McQueen's creative process in the months leading up to the show, providing an intimate portrait of the man behind the global brand—a moving celebration of a visionary genius whose designs transcended fashion to become art."
It's a lot of history to live up to, but after watching O'Connell act his face off in projects as wide-ranging as Skins and Unbroken, we're confident he can do the work. (Jack, if you're reading this, know that we're rooting for you. And in the immortal words of RuPaul Charles, don't fuck it up.)
