Torchwood star Eve Myles is currently starring in ITV’s Broadchurch, where her character Claire Ripley is at the centre of the unsolved Sandbrook murder.
> Order Season 2 on DVD on Amazon.
As the second season moves closer toward its conclusion, CultBox caught up with Eve to try and trick her into giving away some secrets about the show…
You were a fan of the first season on Broadchurch. Was working on the show everything you expected it to be?
“Yeah, absolutely, and more. At the beginning you don’t quite know how your story arc is going to work out and what happens to your character, so I’m really please with her, Claire, and how it’s worked out.
“And just to be a part of the event of Broadchurch has been the best thing ever. It’s been wonderful.”
Broadchurch is kept under such secrecy. What’s it been like having to do so many interviews, knowing there’s so much you can’t say?
“New! Usually you’re trying to involve everybody and tell them about a show and get them excited about it, and this is the absolute opposite to that. So you’re desperately trying to keep it, well, keep it for you guys, you know? And spoon-feed you how much you’re going to see.
“We want to keep our audience – who are a big intelligent audience – and let them work it out from themselves as they watch it on the night. There’s nothing worse than having a really great drama and having it diluted by spoilers, it’s rubbish.”
Does all that secrecy surrounding the show make your job of portraying the character harder?
“Erm, no! No, not at all. It’s just a different process. She’s been an incredible character to play and I’ve really loved it, really enjoyed it, and I’m really looking forward to the next three episodes to see how it all unfolds and how it all happens.”
Did you know what kind of character you could eventually be playing when you auditioned?
“No. We were given two scenes, and my direction was ‘Use your instincts’…”
Which served you well…!
“Yeah, so helpful! But it was good, because you can’t anticipate anything. You can only play what’s on the page. I’ve never worked like that before and I completely loved it.”
Your fans are used to you playing strong female roles like Gwen Cooper and Frankie, but Claire feels a lot more vulnerable. What’s your take on her character?
“Well, I can’t say! You’re not going to get me! I know that was a very, very clever question, but I’ve been doing this for a couple of months now and I am on it! (Laughs)
“Well, look, what you’ve seen so far…there’s layers in every episode; there’s certain lines that just ping out at you and you go ‘Hang on, who is this woman?’, and it’s exciting. It’s exciting to play something different.”
Many fans will know you as part of the Doctor Who universe, but this is your first time working with face-to-face with David Tennant isn’t it?
“Yeah, it’s weird, isn’t it? We had that conversation actually, ‘We’ve never actually worked together!’ Even though we’ve been under the same hood of the Whovian world it’s the first time we’ve worked together. And it was a joy.”
And where will we be seeing you next after Broadchurch?
“I’ve got a new series of You, Me & Them coming out, which will be sometime this year, with Antony Stewart Head, which is really exciting. A comedy, so it’ll be something for us all to have a lovely laugh at after the seriousness of Broadchurch!”
> Order Broadchurch Season 2 on DVD on Amazon.
What do you think of Season 2 so far and what are your theories on Claire? Let us know below…