Casualty Eddie the baddy?
NEW CASUALTY RECRUIT JOE GAMINARA TELLS US THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET A LOT DARKER FOR HIS ALTER EGO…
We want people at home to have debates about this story…
As Inside Soap reported last issue, Alicia Munroe is about to face one of the toughest moments of her life – when she wakes up in bed with her colleague Eddie, with no recollection of agreeing to have sex with him. The hardhitting storyline kicks off this week, after the pair share a post-work drink and end up going home together – so we grabbed Casualty newbie Joe Gaminara, who plays Eddie, for a chat about what the next few weeks hold for his character…
Hi Joe! Did you know anything about this storyline when you took on the role of Eddie?
Yes, I did – although I didn’t know all of the details. I was told that it would be a consent storyline, and it would be handled with care. The writers and producers have spent a lot of time researching it and talking to the charity Rape Crisis – they wanted it to be a truthful reflection of real life.
Why do you think it’s so important for Casualty to cover a topic like consent?
There’s a real grey area in situations like this – it’s not always black and white. We want people at home to have debates about this story, rather than just going, “Oh, he’s a bad guy,” or, “No he’s not, she’s being silly”. I think what happens between Eddie and Alicia is quite realistic, especially given the statistics of how many rape cases fall apart because of a lack of evidence.
What do the Casualty viewers make of Eddie so far?
I think when he originally came in, people were wondering if he was going to be really cocky and arrogant, or if he was just a bit of a wind-up merchant. And I think they’re starting to realise he’s just a very ambitious person who enjoys the thrill of the contest.
It’s usually in good jest. He’s keen to progress.
He’s going head-to-head with Bea for a place on the international trauma course. Does he see her as serious competition?
He does, actually – he really rates Bea because she’s a very good doctor. And I think that if he didn’t see her as a genuine challenge, then he wouldn’t enjoy the thrill of it. She’s forcing him to raise his game.
Can you tell us about the competition that the pair of them have this week?
It’s basically just who can treat the most patients in a day, which is a bit of fun. It’s a really good bonding exercise for the team. But it’s also a bit naughty because you shouldn’t be doing that in a hospital!
Alicia is acting as Eddie’s mentor – what does he think of her?
They get on very well. He certainly respects Alicia, because she’s been promoted pretty quickly within the ED, and he finds that inspiring. But that doesn’t mean he won’t challenge her when he thinks she’s wrong.
Can you tell us what happens at the pub at the end of the shift?
They’re all hanging out as a gang and having a good time. Eddie is left talking to Alicia, one on one – it’s not a deliberate thing, it just happens. Alicia is in a flirty mood and makes a move on Eddie, which is unexpected. Although he has thought that she might fancy him!
How will this storyline affect Eddie going forward?
It gets quite difficult, and there’s a lot of tension in the air. The paranoia creeps in, and he begins to wonder if everyone is talking about him behind his back…
Is Casualty your first major TV role?
I’ve done a few little things before –
I died in Holby City a few years ago! But this is my first consistent TV part. It’s been really nice, as there are so many guests coming in for each episode, so you get to work with a new bunch of people.
You have a lot of heavy scenes coming up. How do you switch off from Eddie at the end of the day?
I’m really into football, and I run a club back in London. So I love to go home for the weekend and play some footy!