The second series of BBC Three’s zombie drama In the Flesh concludes at 10pm tonight and the complete Series 1-2 boxset is released on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow.
CultBox caught up with actress Emily Bevan, who plays Amy, for a look back at Series 2…
Series 2 is a real rollercoaster for Amy – what’s been your favourite moment?
“Yeah, it’s been so much fun, and watching the episodes back it’s been lovely to relive all the different scenes.
“I think for me – because Amy’s quite big and quite out there – I love the comedy side of her, I love the awkward humour. But things like the bus stop scene (Episode 4) were really lovely to do. And all the little moments with Kieran, reliving that relationship. And exploring the bashful Amy with Simon was really interesting.
“But the stuff in Episodes 5 & 6 pushed me in a direction that I haven’t been before with the character, and I’m excited about that. In those episode’s Amy’s so vulnerable and you really see a different side of her. Those were big scenes to shoot. I tried to get myself into a different headspace and prepare the work in a different way.”
How much of Amy is you and how much is Dom Mitchell’s writing?
“It’s a really wonderful sort of thing when you find a writer who you’re on the same wavelength with, and I really feel that with Dom’s writing. I just jump on it and I have a very strong sense of how it’s meant to be played.
“There are few writers you come across where that happens, and it’s really exciting. So it’s Dominic’s writing, and I jump on it and go with it, but I like to think I have qualities that feed into Amy. I like a laugh, I can be quite confident, but I’m as vulnerable as the next person.
“It’s a dream role for me. Dom is extraordinarily talented. And nothing is predictable; it’s so real and…I always want to use the word ‘nobbly’; people say weird, unexpected, mad things. It’s so rooted in reality. And the things people talk about, really mundane things often. That all roots in the reality that makes you care.”
Do you use the word ‘Moregeous’ as much as Amy? I love that word.
“I love that word too! Moregeous. Yeah, that’s a Dominic Mitchell word. (In Amy voice) Moregeous!”
You’ve been playing Amy for two series now – has your view of the character changed?
“I think I always knew that her vulnerability existed. In the first series there was that lovely scene where they tell each other how they croaked and show each other their scars. And so I’ve always known that that was underlying. And there’s a loneliness about Amy which is really tragic. She doesn’t have anyone in her life and that’s why she seizes onto Kieran.
“She’s been brought up by her nan, and now she’s gone Kieran and the Walker fam’ is so attractive to her because she wants to be part of a family. And they are such a lovely family, the way they’re represented. Sitting around having meals together – that’s very appealing to Amy. So I always knew that was there, and I think she’s pretty gutsy, the way she stands up for herself.
“I don’t really think she knew what she needed and I don’t think she knew what she needed. And Philip was what she needed. She needs that unconditional love, and it’s been really lovely to discover that.
“You get the scripts a few scripts at a time and, as you are in life, you’re kind of discovering things as you go along. I know myself pretty well but I don’t know what’s around the corner and in the same way you unravel your character throughout the series. It’s surprising and exciting.”
Knowing Series 1 had been such a success, was there a greater confidence and enjoyment in filming Series 2?
“Yeah. Yeah we just all genuinely really get on, and Luke and Harriet and Kev and the whole Walker family…everyone was so excited about seeing each other. There was real excitement about everyone being together.
“But it didn’t feel too comfortable because there were new storylines and different directors, and we wanted to be on our game, and different directors work different ways, so it still felt very new and as scary as before. But it was really exciting to know that we were on the right track.
“We had a really good sense of where our characters have come from. It was wonderful actually. And to be able to live in those characters over six episodes, and to drive the relationship further, was really fantastic.”
How’ve you found the fan reaction to this series?
“It’s been so lovely. I think Twitter can be a strange place to be, but it’s really important because it’s a really good way to engage with the fans. We’ve had such lovely reactions gorgeous messages and a bit of artwork, it’s fab. There’s a guy who does little cartoons of all of us, it’s really lovely, and I feel so proud to be part of a show that’s engaging with its audience.
“I’ve said this before, but to be working on a programme that’s aimed at a BBC Three audience, which isn’t about people who are really sorted and cool and amazing and glossy – that it’s characters who don’t know what they’re doing and trying to muddle things through and they’re vulnerable and showing their vulnerabilities – I think that’s quite appealing.
“People can relate to that because it’s maybe people like them, or situations they know or may be in. I’m not sure how many people will have been to a PDS brothel…! But you can connect things in your own way with your own life.”
> Read Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Emily.
> Buy the complete Series 1-2 boxset on Amazon.
What’s been your favourite moment in Series 2? Let us know below…