She
came onto our screens as the cannibal woman with the shotgun in the episode ‘Countrycide’. Still performing as an actress, appearing in
the series ‘Stella’, Maxine also works behind the camera, as both writer
and director for her own projects. We
caught up with Maxine, who loves our website and has contributed to the front
cover with her own pumpkin design, (diolch yn fawr), to find out more about her
character Helen Sherman, Stella, about the lovely Owen Teale, oh and baking!
Helen
Sherman was a really nasty character, quite handy with a butt of a gun! Were
you given much of a background to this character and how did you ‘get’ into
character for her?
Helen: Did I enjoy playing Helen Sherman? I
relished it!! She’s been one of my all
time favourite roles. It’s not often a 30 something woman (That’s what I was at
the time) with motherly hips (over weight!) gets asked to play a baddie, so I
grabbed her with both hands. It’s odd you know, you can’t think ‘I have to make
her a baddie’. You have to open them up and step inside and work out what her
needs and wants, joys and sadness, motives and methods are. It’s what they want
and what they’ll do to get it that makes a character bad or good. You can kill
to defend yourself or others. Eat another human being to survive. But when you
do those things for pleasure? That’s where you get your baddie. I LOVE baking
biscuits. She LOVES eating people.
So the ‘feast’ happens
only every ten years. The thrill must be incredible. Also, she’s taking part in
that ‘feast’ with those that she loves, especially her husband, played by the
wonderful Owen Teale. This was the relationship most visible on screen between
of all the villagers. But what’s their relationship like? They kiss. So it’s a
sexually fuelled ‘feast’. Adrenalin filled, with their lives at risk. So the
passion between them was something that I used to find the woman, not the
cannibal. She loves her husband and does anything to please him. They are very
much in this together. But I figured that she derived as much pleasure from the
‘feast’ as he did. And there is always something more disturbing when a woman
commits an act of atrocity, don’t ask me why. In the story the audience needed
to see Helen as a victim at first. Wearing a mask if you like. I think that’s
why the casting was quite clever. This, poor bedraggled women holding a gun
couldn’t possibly be the ‘bad guy’. Could she?
Switching from victim to
predator in the blink of an eye was great fun. I didn’t quite know I had it in
me. My mother-in-law wouldn’t sit on her own with me for months after she saw
the Countrycide Episode !! She said there was something in my eyes that didn’t
look like me at all. I think what she’d picked up on was the fact that Owen and
I had a dead, soulless look in our eyes.
Most psychopaths (and lets face it, that’s
what they were), are incapable of making a connection with their victims,
that’s why they are able to do what they do. So I made sure that was something
I brought to the scene with the Torchwood members. Owen and I almost played
with our food! And found their cries amusing. Void of compassion, I think
that’s what was the most frightening.
Had
you auditioned for any other roles before Helen, in Torchwood?
Helen: I previously auditioned to play mum
in an earlier episode. (I can’t remember the episode – Sorry. But I’m sure
you’ll know which one I mean).
Although
she was a nasty character, what did you LIKE about Helen?
Helen: What did I like about Helen? She
wasn’t house proud!! So I liked the fact that she didn’t care what the place
looked like before the guests arrived!! And she could make a mean sandwich!
Have
you played any other characters like Helen since?
Helen: Since? No. Not unless you count my
character in Stella (Sky 1). She’s not particularly house proud!! I don’t think
she owns a bar of soap. But before Helen I played a female Renfield in a stage
adaptation of ‘Dracula’ at the Theatre Royal in York and loved it!! Dracula is
one of my favourite gothic horrors so it was a thrill to be a part of a
wonderful adaptation directed by John Doyle
What
was it like working alongside Owen Teale?
Helen: Working with Owen Teale was an
absolute joy. The man is so generous, warm and kind. By the time we’d finished
filming I felt like I’d known him all my life. At the time of the filming,
playing his wife, I didn’t find him frightening at all. Watching it back was
another story. I’m very pleased to say we are still very good friends and in
fact I’ve just taken his new headshots!
Eve
Myles has worked alongside Owen Teale in another programme, ‘Belonging’, have
you ever worked alongside any of the other Torchwood cast in another programme
at all?
Helen: I’ve had the pleasure to work with
both Eve and Owen on other projects. Eve and I worked on a HTV Wales series,
‘Nuts and Bolts’, although she was on screen and I was directing, writing and
storylining the show. I’ve always been a huge fan of Eve and was thrilled to
bits when I saw that she was the female lead in Torchwood. I’ve not had the
opportunity to work with Eve as a fellow actor. Who knows, one day.
Owen and I worked
together on Stella, series 1 and 2 and had the best time ever!! Although never
on set at the same time the laughs we had with the rest of the cast at the
hotel in Cardiff will stay with me forever. Great times.
Claire Pritchard Jones,
a wonderful make-up artist, created Helen’s look for me in Torchwood and that
of Rhian in Stella. Her attention to detail, the way she helps create the look
of the characters is such a crucial part, for me, of how I then see that character
and fundamentally how I play them.
You
played a character called Beryl Barr in Eastenders (18 May 2012) what was her
role in the story, as I watched a brief clip but couldn’t see you?
Helen: Beryl Barr was the Sonographer
conducting Janine’s scan! Honestly, blink and you’d miss me!
You’ve
featured in some very well known shows before and after Torchwood, from
London’s Burning, The Bill, Holby and Casualty, and now Stella? What has been
the highlight of your career so far?
Helen: I’d have to say it’s a tie between
Torchwood and Stella. And that’s because of the fans! They are so amazing.
Torchwood fans are so loyal. You know they’ll be there for you in everything
else you do. And that’s something very special.
You’re
a fan of Halloween, how do you celebrate it?
Helen: I love Halloween! At some point
during the week leading up to Halloween I have to watch ‘Carry On Screaming”
and “Nightmare Before Christmas”. I’ve just bought 2 pumpkins. One to eat
(Simon Hopkinson has an amazing recipe I’m dying to try from his book ‘The
Vegetarian Option’ – I’m not a vegetarian by the way) and the other to carve!!
I buy huge quantities of treats and then spend the entire evening watching
scary films and answering the door to anything aged between 2 and 17 wearing a
costume and shouting “TRICK OR TREAT”. Last year I downloaded an app that had
scary sounds so I could frighten the kids before opening the door! Next year I
might dress up!!
Are
you from an acting family, and if you have children, do they want to follow in
your footsteps?
Helen: No I’m not from an acting family. My
dad was a miner and then factory worker and my mum worked in the munitions
factory in Swansea during the war and then, like my dad, worked in a factory
the rest of her days. I have no children. But my Staffordshire Bull-Terrier dog
Fletcher wants to be an actor and my bitch Ripley wants to be his manager.
We’ll see.
You
play Rhian in Stella, can you tell us more about the character – for those of
us who haven’t seen the programme?
Helen: Stella is an hour-long comedy drama
on Sky 1. We’ve just finished filming Series 3, which will be out in Jan 2014.
Rhian Evans, my character, is a warm hearted, doesn’t give a hoot what others
think, grandmother of many, loud-mouthed kinda gal!! It’s been a while since
she had a bath and her dental hygiene leaves a lot to be desired too but she
has a heart of gold. However she has no filter between her brain and her huge
mouth. She thinks it and it’s out there. She tips up in almost every episode
and makes us laugh. Her catch phrase is ‘Cocking’. And she do ‘love avin a
cocking laugh’. And I love her to bits.
What’s
your favourite horror movie and who is your favourite horror character?
Helen: ‘The Exorcist’ if I’m going for pure
horror, but ‘Alien’ has to have a mention. I know it’s science fiction and
Agatha Christie but for me it’s a wonderful horror story too. And my bitch is
named after the lead – Ripley. Favourite character? I can’t answer that one!!
Sorry. Oh wait, wait…Hannibal Lecter!! ‘Silence of the Lambs’. Of course…one cannibal
to another and all that!!! Haha
What
was it about Helen Sherman that made you want to take on the role?
Helen: I was a huge fan of ‘Doctor Who’
when I was a kid and to be a part of ‘Torchwood’ allowed me to be a part of
something special. Helen allowed me to play pure horror.
Despite
the horrific scenes there must have been some funny moments, who made you laugh
on set?
Helen: Most of my scenes were shot at
night. It was the early hours of the morning shooting the scene in the abattoir
and the set, props and cadavers were so life like it was unnerving. We got the
giggles quite a lot! I kept pretending to eat parts of the dead bodies and Owen
pretended we were having friends round for a BBQ as there was an incomplete
body on a grill!
When
you’re not acting what do you do to relax?
Helen: When not acting I love to bake.
Bread is my favourite thing at the moment but last week I made Christmas
Buns!!! Everything I’m baking at the moment is from Paul Hollywood’s ‘How to
Bake’. His shortbread biscuits are cocking lush!!
You
Directed a Musical earlier on in your career can you tell us more about it?
Helen: The musical I directed was an
original musical feature film. Originally named “Summertime” it was written
(Screen play/ Score/ Music) by Neil Antony Docking. I worked with over 700 children from South
Wales during the school workshops/ auditions. The talent was awe-inspiring. We
shot it in and around Neath/Port Talbot in 2009. It tells the story of a single
mother of 3 boys by different fathers and her struggle to provide a future for
her boys. I’ve never quite experienced anything like it. By the time I took on
this enormous challenge I had directed theatre, TV and a short film, but
nothing prepares you for your first feature. It literally took over my life for
18 months as I also graded and edited the film too. I am extremely proud of
what we achieved during that summer. And I am also eternally grateful to all
those who also gave up their precious time to share the experience with us. I
learned so much and am proud and humbled by the finished product. Neil and I
have now set up our own production company and are currently working on our
next project.
What
was the last book you read?
Helen: Last book was Bram Stoker’s
‘Dracula’ (Well, I’m reading it for a third time now actually). But I’m also
reading ‘How Much Is Enough’ by Robert and Edward Skidelsky.
Where
do you see yourself five years from now?
Helen: Five years from now I would like to
see myself focussing more on directing and getting back into my script writing.
Are
you currently involved in any new projects that you can share with us?
Helen: Not at the moment.
You’re
on Twitter, but do you have a website or a Facebook account where the fans can
follow you?
Helen: I keep Facebook for friends
actually. But please follow me on Twitter.
Claudia
Lindner: How was it playing a cannibal?
I'd think it must be such fun to play a genuine horror film character. Were you even a bit afraid of your character
and Owen Teale's when you saw yourselves on screen?
Helen: I have to be honest, I kept thinking
about Hannibal Lecter. I don’t think that I actually thought about cannibalism
in a realistic way or it would have put me off! I love rare steak, so that’s
what I imagined I was dying to eat and that I hadn’t eaten in weeks. It was
enormous fun to play. I have never shot a gun before, and it was a real gun
with blanks. It was incredibly heavy and when they say it has a real ‘kick’
when you fire one? They’re not kidding!.
Originally Helen was
meant to have her knee -caps shot out by Captain Jack. But at the last minute
they decided to shoot me in the shoulder. Problem was they didn’t have a spare
shirt. For those of you who don’t know, something called a ‘squib’ is placed
next to your skin. It’s made up of a piece of metal to protect you, next to
that is a small explosive. On top of that is a blood bag. The clothing covering
the squib, (my shirt) is thinned out by using sand paper. They run a wire
through your clothes to a guy with the firing device. He pushes a button and
there’s a small explosion under a blood bag and BANG there’s blood and bits
flying! So only one shirt meant one take!! I was terrified. So we rehearsed 3
or 4 times and then we went for it. Me shooting at Jack, he shoots me in the
shoulder, I have to remember to turn my head away from the explosion (just in
case) and then throw myself into the sink and then fall onto a crash mat! It
may not sound like much but when you also have to hit your marks and stay in
character and only have the one go at getting it right…it was scary!!
And yes…watching the
episode Owen Teale frightens the life out of me!!!
Photo Source:
BBC Torchwood 2006
Google
Maxine Evans (headshot)
No comments:
Post a Comment