ON SET WITH... Daniel Mays

as crooked Daniel, 39, best known series three cop Danny Waldron in

Biggs in of Line Of Duty and Ronnie

Channel 4 Mrs Biggs, plays Bill in he takes drama Born To Kill. Here the drama, us behind the scenes on which was shot in Wales...

9

MONDAY

My character Bill’s a troubled soul who lost his job as a copper following his wife’s death. He’s moved into his mother’s house along with his teenage daughter Chrissy – played by Lara Peake – who’s become very close to a psychopathic school friend called Sam. Bill’s very concerned for her and in scenes we’re filming today his pent-up worries surface at a family meal with his mum and Chrissy. I have to really lose it, which I do by concentrating hard. Either that or I’m just very good at flying off the handle!

10

TUESDAY

I have very few scenes with Jack Rowan, the young actor who plays Sam, but I can tell from what I see on the on-set monitors what an amazing job he’s doing. He’s totally convincing in the lead role. Under the direction of Bruce Goodison, it’s the little things he does that really catch the eye. Today, for example, there’s a scene in the hospital ward where his mum works, and Sam just strokes one of the beds with his finger as he walks past – it’s really simple but really creepy.

11

WEDNESDAY

I’d never worked with Romola Garai, who plays Sam’s mum Jenny, before, though we passed each other in a make-up truck on the movie Atonement. We’re making up for that on Born To Kill as Jenny and Bill start a relationship, and today we’re filming a heart-to-heart over dinner [right].

12 THURSDAY

I have more scenes with Lara today as Chrissy is continuing to give Bill plenty of cause for concern. I think he’ll get plenty of sympathy from the viewers because there’s no doubt parenting is the hardest job in the world, and Bill’s job is especially tough. I have two children myself, a boy of 11, Mylo, and a daughter, Dixie, who’s four going on 24! I’ve got all those adolescent years to come, of course, and I keep thinking about Kevin the stroppy teenager in Harry Enfield And Chums and worrying a bit.

13 FRIDAY

Today I have to film my most challenging scene to date on Born To Kill. It’s from the final episode and it’s basically two scenes in one, where the penny finally drops and Bill realises he has to try and save his daughter – but he has two agendas. Bruce the director talks me through it and tells me to try and enjoy the grief that Bill is experiencing, if that’s possible, and let the tears flow. Bill is in real emotional trouble and it’s about imagining the terrible state he’s in and attempting to get into his headspace. Born To Kill, Thursday, 9pm, Channel 4.