Tony Cowell
As crime drama Lucky Man returns, Sienna Guillory talks sexy co-stars, kids and superpowers…
Former model Sienna Guillory, 41, found fame in the 1993 TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Riders, and has since starred in Luther, Fortitude and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, which is back for a second series on Sky 1. It stars James Nesbitt as Harry, Clayton, a detective with the power to control luck.
Lucky Man is a brilliant idea for a TV show. What attracted you to the role of Eve? It’s very rare to find someone so good to work with, and James [Nesbitt] is just one of those actors who is also an incredibly nice man. And I respect Sky for coming up with such a clever, original idea. So it was a dream job; I’m so grateful I was asked to play Eve.
The show has been a huge hit for Sky. What’s the key to its success?
It’s incredibly well written and completely original, and the fact the series is set in London adds so much character to the series – it’s such a magical place. We go to parts of the city I’ve never seen before.
As Eve, you’re the only person who can transfer the magic bracelet from one wearer to the next. You’re Harry’s guardian, aren’t you?
Yes, I am. But Eve has to be the most impulsive character I’ve ever played. She gives no forethought to anything she does, and is completely mad. It’s because she’s grown up with the security of having the bracelet. I enjoy playing her.
You get to perform more stunts in this series. Were they fun to do?
I love doing stunts, and we have such a great team on the show. The training is hard because of the precision required, but it’s still fun to learn. It’s tough, and if you don’t get it right, you can end up on the floor looking like an idiot.
There’s a big fight scene coming up later in the series, isn’t there?
Yes, and it’s crazy good! This was another of those moments when we needed all the help we could get from the stunt team. It was great fun to do.
What else do you enjoy about working with James?
He’s got a fantastic sense of humour, and he’s a lot more genuine
than you might imagine. He will always spend time with fans who come up and ask for a selfie while we’re filming, and gives them a cuddle. I’ve worked with a lot of big-name actors, and they sometimes treat fans really badly. It’s lovely to see James being grateful and enjoying spending time with them. He’s a good lesson to us all.
The screen legends you’ve worked with include the likes of Jude Law and Antonio Banderas. But am I right in thinking that Idris Elba is your favourite?
Yes, he is. He’s such a wonderful actor; I worked with him on the BBC drama Luther. He’s this big man with a big voice and an incredible physicality. When you’re working with him, you just don’t know what he’s going to do. He’s great!
You also play Natalie in the Sky drama Fortitude. That’s become a real cult show, hasn’t it?
Yes – and it was such a treat to be able to film somewhere as beautiful as Iceland. I took my daughters [twins Valentina and Lucia, six] out there with me to show them the Northern Lights. Fortitude is another great idea from Sky, and I’ve really been enjoying the series.
Is it true that Helen Mirren is your acting role model?
Absolutely – I think she’s extraordinary. She just gets better with age. In fact, she only came into her own in her 40s. Helen just inspires me. When you see her on stage, she is just incredible.
You lived in LA for many years, but came back to the UK to bring up your daughters. Wasn’t that a risk, career-wise?
Everyone thought I was mad to leave LA, but I think you have to put your children first. I had issues with racism and sexism [in LA] and I didn’t want my daughters growing up with those values.
How do you balance life as a mum and an actor?
It was hard early on, when the twins were little. My husband [ Game Of Thrones actor Enzo Cilenti] and I took turns to look after them because he was away a lot. That gave me huge respect for single parents. Now the girls are older, things are quite a bit easier… but I could still do with a superpower of my own!
Can we expect a third series of Lucky Man?
I don’t know –we’ll have to see how this second series is received. I think it’s much stronger than the first series, so I very much hope there’ll be a third one, because it’s a really fabulous show.
Series 2 of Stan Lee’s Lucky Man starts on Friday 24 February, Sky 1, 9pm