Daisymay Cooper speaks!

How would you describe Rain Dogs?

It’s about a single mother who wants to be a writer and has a weird, platonic love relationship with her gay best friend Selby. She’s got a mad friend called Gloria and she wears some quite cool clothes.

How did Rain Dogs come into your life?

I was already a fan of [creator] Cash Carraway, because I’d read Skint Estate. It was the first script I’d read in a long time that had the word “c**t” in the first four pages, which was brilliant. But it was also brilliantly written, especially because I’ve come from a similar background to Cash, where we really struggled for money, had bailiffs at the door and had to pawn everything. She had such a strong voice and it really resonated with me.

I thought, “I’ve got to play this part.”

How would you describe Costello?

Costello is feisty, she’s got a dry sense of humour, and she’s a very loyal mum and friend who doesn’t put up with any shit. She’s also a brilliant, aspiring writer and a single mum who has had a really tough time of it. She’s come from a rotten family. She’s gone from job to job, trying to support her daughter when she has this amazing talent, which is her writing. It’s about her trying to make a success of herself despite everything thrown at her.

Which aspects of Costello did you identify with?

Being a single mum – which I am – is unbelievably hard. You’ve got to be mum and dad and you’ve got financial issues on top of that. The guilt that you feel is horrendous. When you’re responsible for this other human being, you have to try even harder, to sacrifice your feelings and wants for your child. I totally understand that and why it’s so important for Costello to make a success of herself, because she’s got a daughter who looks up to her. It’s not just for her, it’s for Iris.