John Early Doesn't Consider His 'Maddie's Secret' Role Drag

John Early Doesn’t Consider His ‘Maddie’s Secret’ Role Drag reports that the comedian, director and star John Early does not view his role as “Maddie” as drag, despite wearing a wig and fake boobs. In an interview, Early said he is “not strong enough” to do proper drag, explaining that while he loves the art form, he has only done it once in a bar setting and was not good at it. He described the character of Maddie Ralph as “humble and small,” contrasting it with drag’s exaggerated gender performance. Early also said it was “hot and heavy” under the layers but described slipping into the character as easy. In Maddie’s Secret, he plays a food influencer named Maddie who gains online stardom while working for a trendy company, only to have pressures from her success awaken a secret from her troubled past. The ensemble includes Kate Berlant, Eric Rahill, Kristen Johnston, Claudia O’Doherty, Conner O’Malley, Vanessa Bayer and Chris Bauer, and the film is now in theaters.