The most well-known role of Maximus Evans is that of Corey Brent in Coronation Street.
When the juvenile character debuted in 2019, he took center stage in a horrifying and terrible plot in which Corey and his gang attacked Seb Franklin (Harry Visinoni) and Nina (Mollie Gallagher) based only on their appearance.
The plot saw Seb die as a result of his injuries. In the devastating aftermath, Nina experienced memory loss as a result of the trauma. Eventually, as she recalled the walk she took with Seb before the attack, she was able to remember what happened and who was involved.
Corey’s part in the attack was only exposed as a result of Stu Carpenter (Bill Fellows), who was homeless at the time. He had found the bag containing Corey’s clothes from the night of the attack and when it was handed to the police, they were able to arrest and charge him.
The ITV soap worked closely with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation in this storyline. Sophie and her boyfriend Robert Maltby were attacked in a park back in 2007 because of the way they looked.
As a consequence of the attack, Sophie died from her injuries and her mother Sylvia chose to set up the foundation in her daughter’s memory.
Following his departure in 2021, Maximus Evans decided to return to education and attend drama school. Three years on from developing his craft, he is now rehearsing for a theatre production of the novel Never Let Me Go.
As Maximus prepares to make his debut, he found the time to sit down with me and reflect on his new role, as well as why he decided to create new career paths and go into drama school after Corrie.
‘The truth is, I didn’t want to be tied down. Not just to the character, but through one form of acting. I loved my time at Corrie but I knew that it was limited. Acting, for me, has been a passion of mine since I was a child. I wasn’t very academically inclined so for me, acting and the drama department at high school was a place I could really be myself.
‘I made the choice really early on in my life that this is it. When I left Corrie at the age of 21, I had to change things up – theatre allows you to do that. I didn’t want to just be known as that guy from Corrie – what I wanted is to explore different characters and that’s what I’m getting from this show.’
‘There was an intensity to my time at Corrie – in the character and also in the public side to it’, he said, explaining what it was like after he left the ITV soap.
‘For me, drama school was an opportunity to settle and really hone the craft and it did do that, I met some fantastic people and for me, my passion has always been in theatre and I think it is with a lot of actors. It feels important to not be cornered into one style and to really be open when it comes to changing and exploring different styles.
‘That’s what drama school has done for me. When the opportunity came up to attend, I jumped at the chance because ultimately I wanted to work with an woman called Patty Rosenberg – she’s this fantastic professor of voice and she helped me find mine, in ways that were surprising to me.
‘Also, in terms of the material we were using, it was really challenging. Now, it’s so nice to go on and do this play where I can put all the work into fruition.’
Never Let Me Go is a book by Kazuo Ishiguro. The theatre production, which begins on September 20, is by Suzanne Heathcote, and directed by Christopher Haydon.
Detailing Kazuo’s novel and work as a writer, as well as revealing more about his role in the play, Maximus revealed: ‘He’s an absolute legend of literacy, listed in the top 100 best English language novels since 1923, he’s been involved in the best novel of the year, he’s a real legend. The production starts on September 20 through to October 12, and then we go on tour afterwards. We go to the Royal Derngate in Northampton, Worcester, Bristol Old Vic, that’s a legendary stage, and then we finish in Chichester.
‘As for the play, it’s a dystopian story of three friends who grew up in an enclosed environment. Ultimately, it’s about their growth in a world in which their only purpose is to donate their organs, which is obviously really intense but funnily enough, my character Philip isn’t actually in the book. The adaption flips a character called Cathy and has her talking to Philip, a fellow donor, rather than the audience.
‘There’s a real tragedy to it. It’s a love story, it’s funny, but there’s no denying that underneath, there is a real sense of tragedy that lingers without it being too in your face. The opportunity came up and I feel I would’ve been daft to not take it! I think it’s a really important story and it’s the first time it’s been adapted on stage in England – it’s really huge.’
Maximus went on to explain to me that he felt quite ‘tense’ during his arrival at drama school. After playing ‘such a hard, abusive, psychologically inept character’ in Coronation Street, it took him a period of time to adjust from that life-changing role.
‘It took me a while to loosen up because you’ve got to allow yourself to one, be callable but also, be loose and agile going from character to character.
‘It did take me a while to settle, which I think is normal, but with help from my peers and the amazing staff, they just see me as an actor who has worked before’, he added, discussing what it was like settling into the theatre cast.
‘I was able to become me, which I think was really important – I didn’t want my time with Corrie to interfere with my training.’
Given his character Corey hasn’t been killed off, it gives Maximus the chance to reprise the role in the future.
When asked about if he’d like to return, the young star explained exploring other avenues of the industry is more enticing at the moment.
‘It’s not on the forefront of my mind at the moment. The opportunity hasn’t come up yet for any potential return. At the minute, I want to explore different paths. As much as I love everyone at Corrie, it was so valuable to me as a young actor too, at this moment it time it isn’t where I want to be.
‘I want to get a couple of other boxes ticked but you never know! He might get an early release, we’ll see!’
