Bright Ideas!
The fight goes on for Laura, even after the death of Dr Andrew Earlham, in the second series of popular dark drama, Liar
Despite serial rapist Dr Andrew Earlham (Ioan Gruffudd) having been found dead at the end of the first series of the gripping TV drama Liar, he is continuing to haunt his victims from beyond the grave in the compelling sequel.
Now finding themselves as the main suspects for his murder, an irate Laura is at the forefront of the fight back as she and the other women face frosty questioning from chief investigator, DI Karen Renton (Katherine Kelly)
“Laura is still angry about the injustice of all that has happened to her and she feels that is being carried on because she is now one of the main suspects of Andrew’s demise,” Joanne Froggatt, who plays her, tells us.
“But her personality is such that she isn’t just going to sit back and do nothing. She is still on her fight for justice, for herself and also for the other women he assaulted. It seems like Andrew is getting his justice because they are investigating his death, but what about what he did to her and the other women? While the police are investigating who killed d him, none of his victims can move on with their lives because they are being questioned. They are stuck in this horrible place still. That’s what makes them feel like he is still there, hanging over them, even though he’s dead.”
It’s an intriguing and fresh take on the original storyline and one that Joanne, 39, was eager to explore.
“Liar made a huge impact with viewers and I had at least six people tell me that they or their daughter had been sexually assaulted and, like Laura, initially hadn’t been believed. When you hear that sort of thing and know that these people will be watching it makes you want to be as believable as possible on screen, for their sake.
“I had a similar reaction when I was in Downton
Abbey and my charactercharacter, Anna Bates, was raped. It was always in the back of the minds of Liar writers, Harry and Jack Williams, to do two series and then stop and I think that’s the right decision, because then it really will be the end of
Andrew and Laura’s story.”
The dark nature of the drama and the often intense and emotionally draining scenes were not easy to shake off at the end of a long day’s filming but Joanne discovered a rather unusual way of switching off once she got home.
“Ioan would go home and watch comedies on TV to clear his head of the grim scenes he had been playing during the day, and that seems normal, but I would watch a really depressing documentary! I know it’s odd, but I think it just grounds me back into reality again and makes me really appreciate where I am and what I’ve got.”
I WANT IT TO BE BELIEVABLE ON SCREEN, FOR THOSE VIEWERS WHO’VE BEEN THROUGH IT