WOULDILIETOYOU? OUR FAIR LADY
JoanneFroggatt’sgrittynewdramaseriescouldbeabigfatfib!
She was one of the standout characters in Downton
Abbey, playing lady’s maid Anna Bates, whose assault by a visiting valet shocked viewers. Now Joanne Froggatt returns in a contemporary six-part drama, where her character is once again the victim of sexual abuse. Or is she? That is the question in the gripping series Liar, penned by the writing team behind the hit show The
Missing. We catch up with the 37-year-old on set in England as she sits under a dark, brooding sky to chat about her new role.
What attracted you to Liar?
I accepted the role after having read only the first two episodes, which I haven’t done for a while. The scripts were real page-turners and I was very much into the psychological drama of it all. It was a very interesting concept that you don’t know who is really telling the truth. We find out during the course of the series, but it’s hard to tell at the beginning. It’s a great, meaty role.
Do you feel an extra responsibility because of the sensitive nature of the topic?
You always do, no matter what role you’re playing, but especially so when the drama is based around sensitive subject matter. When I did the TV drama DarkAngel, in which I played serial killer Mary Ann Cotton, I felt a huge responsibility to get that right because it was something that really happened.
Were you able to draw on any of the research you did when playing Downton’s Anna?
Not really. It’s a very different situation and a different time. With Anna, a lot of it was to do with that era and her status. There was so much she couldn’t speak about because she felt people wouldn’t believe her or would blame her. She he also feared she would lose her job. b. As a modern woman, I found it difficult to get my head around.
Is it nice wearing jeans and a jumper instead of period costume?
It’s lovely! And under these clothes, es, I’m covered in heat pads – these amazing things that keep you warm. rm. They’re like hot-water bottles on you. I’ve also got numerous thermals mals on. It’s all very glamorous!
There’s been talk of a Downton Abbey movie. What’s the latest on that?
I don’t know, really. There’s lots of talk of it and the cast got on so well together, so I know we would ould all love to get back. But it’s very complicated with everyone being out of contract and there’s so many ny in the main cast – it’s not like just trying to get four people together. It’s a tough one, but we’ll see.