MARTIN COMPSTON
Actor talks about intimate moments as a womaniser in new TV show Our House and calling in a favour from his footie star pal Kieran Tierney
MARTIN Compston has admitted sex scenes are “always awkward”. It’s been 20 years since the 37-year-old from Greenock became an overnight success with Sweet Sixteen.
In that time the Line of Duty actor has become one of the UK’s best loved TV stars.
But stripping and smooching other women never gets easier although he admits “you really need to go for it” and likens sex scenes to fight scenes claiming they are like “stunts”.
In new ITV series Our House, Martin plays a womaniser who has intimate scenes with co-stars Tuppence Middleton and newcomer Buket Komur.
The Scot admitted: “They are always awkward. Getting your kit off and doing that sort of thing in front of a room of people is never something you look forward to.
“You have to be respectful which is why these intimacy coaches are fantastic. There used to be an old attitude ‘och just get on with it. Do it’.
“But you have to really be aware of everyone’s boundaries and what everyone is comfortable with.”
Martin applauds TV productions now who employ intimacy coordinators to explain exactly what to do.
Martin added: “In some ways it’s like a stunt. When you have a fight there’s a co-ordinator.
“So for intimate scenes you now have someone to take you through it then you don’t have to ask.
“You’re usually worrying where you’re putting your hand or what you’re doing to do. It’s still awkward.”
Martin is very rarely off our TV screens at the moment. He’s currently starring in the second series of Traces on Alibi. Last year he once again put on the infamous waistcoat to play DS Steve Arnott on Line of Duty and caused a sensation when he was bumped off at the beginning of Vigil.
He was also in another well received series, The Nest.
His latest drama, Our House, is a four-part thriller beginning next month. It stars Tuppence as Fiona Lawson who arrives home one day to find strangers moving into her house.
With all her family’s possessions and furniture nowhere to be seen, Fi believes there’s been a huge mistake and insists her home isn’t for sale. With events spiralling beyond her control, her panic rises as she can’t reach her estranged husband, Bram – played by Martin.
Intertwining the present day with flashback scenes of Fiona and Bram’s life together, their separation and their new relationships with Toby, played by Rupert Penry-Jones and Wendy, played by Buket Komur.
Speaking via Zoom from Las Vegas where he lives with wife Tianna Chanel Flynn and their son, Martin laughed at the notion he’s playing a womaniser.
“It’s stretching the realms of fantasy that I’m a womaniser. But I’ve got all these gorgeous women
throwing themselves at Bram. You’ve got to find the charm in him rather than he’s just this pretentious d**k.”
The TV series is based on the book of the same name by Louise Candlish. It’s a domestic thriller and Martin was determined to make sure viewers didn’t dislike his character.
The way into the viewers’ hearts was through Bram being a great father to his and Fi’s two sons, Leo and Harry played by Tommy Finnegan and Casper Knopf.
To make sure the chemistry was right between him and the two actors playing the boys – he was helped by former Celtic star Kieran Tierney, now playing for Arsenal.
The Hoops-daft star revealed: “Luckily Tommy is a big Arsenal fan and I know Kieran Tierney a bit so he sent me a video saying ‘good luck’ so that got me cool dad points pretty quick.”
Martin was hooked from the start reading the script, describing it as a “page turner” but after taking the role had largely forgotten what his character would be going through as he finished another job he was on. He admitted: “I’d put it to the back of my mind and it wasn’t until I landed and went ‘oh holy f*** this is a journey’.
“It was a tough old shoot but one that was really enjoyable.”
March will be another big month for Martin. He will be back in Scotland next month to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sweet Sixteen at the Glasgow Film Theatre and to reunite with his AC-12 colleagues Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar at Port Glasgow town hall to raise funds for Ardgowan Hospice.
He will also be back on prime time TV with Our House.
It’ll be a talking point as it has a lot to say about scams and con artists.
But while some may be wary of con men – Martin isn’t worried – because of where he was brought up. He laughed: “I’m a Greenock west coast of Scotland lad – I’ve always been pretty aware of grifters.
“I’ve been doing this for 20 years. I’m one myself.”
Our House starts in March on STV and ITV Hub.
A tough old shoot but one that was enjoyable COMPSTON ON JOY OF FILMING NEW SHOW