麻豆约拍

26 March 2020

In My Skin is a coming of age story set in Cardiff, told through the eyes of a teen girl, Bethan. There’s heartache, laughs and sometimes an almost too-hard-to-look quality as In My Skin echoes a time that was the most difficult for us all: Adolescence.

We caught up with the three stars of the show Gabrielle Creevy, Rhodri Meilir and Jo Hartley to get the inside scoop on their part in the story.

Describe your character in three words...

Brave. Awkward. Charming.

What can you tell us about your character Bethan?

Bethan has a complicated life and the only thing she wants is normality (or what she sees as being a normal life) like every other 16 year-old. She's striving to be someone, in fact, deep down she knows she can be someone but confidence, self-love and a whole load of other things get in the way. She has a heart of gold and her mum is her number one priority.

How would you describe Bethan’s relationship with her Mum?

I'd describe it as a rollercoaster with a capital R. Ups and downs but their love always wins. They are a team and they'd be lost without each other. Both have their struggles and even though the roles are reversed at times it doesn’t stop Bethan fighting for her. It makes them stronger. Bethan only wants her mum to get better and be the mum she knows she can be, but I guess life isn’t that simple.

And how about her relationship with her mates?

Love/hate. Less hate. Bethan has grown up with Lydia, she's always been there and Travis is a new friend since high school. Travis is more understanding of Beth and (if she could) she would tell Travis everything. Lydia on the other hand doesn’t get it. Life’s a bit of a party for Lydia, and Bethan isn’t like that. But I must say as a trio they are pretty badass. They (think) they are cool. Deep down they have this underlying love for each other but no one wants to say it.

What was it like filming in Wales?

Lush! I’m from Port Talbot and surprisingly haven’t seen much of Cardiff. Even though it’s the capital. How embarrassing. Wales has some cool and beautiful locations. It was nice to see my mother on my days off, who also did my laundry. Bonus really!

What can audiences expect from the series?

To laugh and cry in the matter of two minutes. Well I did anyway.

Describe your character in three words.

Vulnerable, kind and unpredictable.

What was it like playing Trina?

It was a gift, an education in some respects, I learned a lot. I found myself empathising more with people who have to live with bipolar. There’s a duty of care, so I worked hard on prep. Some days were mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting, but we laughed a lot too. I felt loved and supported throughout the process and was given a safe environment to work in. From an actor’s point of view, it was an opportunity to transform, completely let go and experience a new way of performing, cathartic. Whilst being aware of the sensitive nature of the topic and my responsibilities.

And what was the biggest challenge in taking on the role?

Finding Trina’s authenticity, the characters truth and a version of bipolar, which is pretty incomprehensible if you’ve never experienced hyper mania or an episode. The challenge was not to overperform or cover a whole spectrum of bipolar. Just to allow myself to investigate the complexities, layers, sensations and emotions of the character, becoming the best version of Trina, I could possibly be.

What stood out for you when you read the script?

It was refreshingly honest and brave; sharp witted, explosive, moving and original. The characters just jumped off the page. I was transported into Bethan’s world immediately and felt intuitively connected to Trina. A heart-warming and complex journey between mother and daughter.

What kind of person do you think will enjoy the series?

I believe In My Skin will appeal to everyone. It’s a story about being human, growing up and the challenges we all face in our relationships. It covers mental illness, youth, sexuality, dreams, and desires. I think we just all hope people will connect with it. Our aim was to tell the most truthful version of this story we possibly could and just maybe, someone out there can identify and no longer feel alone.

What was it like playing Dilwyn?

Mostly, playing Dilwyn is a lot of fun. Some of the things he says and does are vile and I’d never get away with such behaviour in everyday life. I suppose it’s a form of escapism, you’re permitted to behave in a way that would never normally be tolerated. It’s liberating leaving yourself at home. I suppose one of the biggest challenges is that before shooting began; I was taken to one side and told not to engage with Gabrielle when off set. They wanted her to hate me. Fair enough, I thought, so I just gave her the quiet treatment whilst engaging fully with others. I still don’t know if Gabrielle is aware of the instruction I was given. Maybe she just doesn’t like me anyway. Sorry Gabrielle!

How did you get into character for the role?

I find the character’s shoes are always a solid way to start. During shooting, Jo and I enjoyed the luxury of an extra day’s rehearsal as we had some sensitive scenes to shoot. Although that day was of great use for us, it was strange attempting to find our characters whilst wearing our own personal footwear.

Did it feel different playing a real life character from a true story rather than a fictional character?

In My Skin may be based on some of Kayleigh’s experiences but I was never told that the project was 100% autobiographical. Kayleigh’s father isn’t called Dilwyn so the character lies somewhere in the limbo between fiction and reality. Kayleigh told me several stories about her father, which were of great use when building the character and in hindsight, I don’t know if I pushed the character far enough. I believe the reality of her father may be much greater than what is portrayed. Fingers crossed for another series so I can push him further.

What was it like acting alongside Gabrielle Creevy, Jo Hartley and Di Botcher?

They’re a great gang and a lot of fun to be with. I find Jo dangerous to work with as she makes me laugh when I’m not supposed to. But that’s also true of Gabrielle and Di. Sometimes we were told to improvise a little around the script and keeping a straight face during those takes could be quite painful. They’re all fantastic professionals and given the chance, I’d work with the three of them again tomorrow.