WHAT’S NEXT FOR RHONA?
Zoe Henry talks to Inside Soap about her character’s terrifying rape ordeal…
We’re still reeling from the horrific scene that saw monstrous Pierce brutally assault his wife Rhona on their wedding day. Our hearts racing, we jumped straight on the phone to actress Zoe Henry – who plays Rhona – to find out how she’d coped with the filming, and where her alter ego goes from here…
We’re lost for words, Zoe. How did you and Jonathan Wrather, who plays Pierce, prepare for filming those powerful scenes?
We learned our lines way in advance so that we could continuously run the scene every time we met, which we did over a three-week period. So when it came to shooting it, we didn’t have to think about what we were doing. I could probably still recite the dialogue to you now.
Was there a tense atmosphere on set, or were you able to distance yourselves from the horror of it?
We did sort of chuckle between scenes about all sorts of stuff outside the building. We spoke about our kids and had a bit of chit-chat about various bits of nonsense, which really helped!
What is Rhona’s state of mind straight after the brutal attack?
It’s one of panic and disbelief. She always knew that Pierce had a temper, but of course it’s gone way beyond that.
What happens next?
She escapes from Smithy Cottage, puts herself into a taxi and heads straight for the police station.
Will she name Pierce as her attacker?
I think it’s impossible for Rhona to get any words out, really – it’s an amazing feat that she gets to the police station at all. I think she’s going to find this
very difficult.
How does Rhona face going back home after she’s been to the station?
She’s terrified because she doesn’t know what or who she’s going back to – but of course, her main priority is her son Leo. Pierce has been so aggressive and awful that now she’s frightened for her little boy’s safety.
Does Rhona fear for their lives?
Without question. I think if she’d ever thought there was a danger of this sort of thing happening, she would have got out a long time ago. But of course she didn’t think it was possible. It’s gone beyond anything she could have imagined.