SEAN TEALE

THE FORMER Skins ACTOR ON THE PERILS OF PLAYING A MUTANT…

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CHARACTER, ECLIPSE?

His real name is Marcos Diaz and he’s a newly created character for the show. Eclipse was a child in Bogota, Colombia, and was kicked out by his parents when they discovered he had the mutant gene. He was forced to live on the streets for a lot of his upbringing, with no family, before going to America.

WHAT APPEALS TO YOU ABOUT THE CHARACTER?

The fact that the mutants aren’t really superheroes. They’re not just donning a suit and flying off. They are ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

WHAT IS ECLIPSE’S POWER?

He can absorb and emit light photons – he uses blinding light and lasers. Basically, he can manipulate light.

SO HOW DO YOU FIRE LIGHT FROM YOUR HANDS?

As well as the CGI, I actually have lights attached to my palms with batteries attached to a pack I carry on my back, so when I’m running around there’s light shooting out of my hands. They have even strapped welding machines to me as well, so I’m shooting hot iron out of my arms.

HAS ANYTHING GONE WRONG?

Once, sparks from the welding machine landed on my shoes and they caught on fire. I tried to stamp them out until they came along with the fire extinguishers.