Apparitions, a new drama series for 91Èȱ¬ÌýOne
Cast interviews
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Interview with
Siobhan Finneran - Sister Ruth
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Can you describe your character?
Sister Ruth has been working to promote
candidates for sainthood. She is a woman
who is totally committed to her faith and her
job. She comes from humble beginnings, is
bright and intelligent and has worked hard
to achieve her present status and therefore
doesn't suffer fools at all! She is sent by
Cardinal Bukovak (John Shrapnel), to find
and collect as much information on Jacob
(Martin Shaw) as possible, she's told to find
out what he's doing and why he's behaving
the way he is.
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How does she feel when she starts the
job?
When she arrives she is suspicious and
wary. She's there to do her job and then
she thinks she can go back to what she was
doing before. She does worry about her life
though and she is very mistrusting of the
character of Michael (Rick Warden). He
makes her feel uncomfortable because she
doesn't know where he has come from and
Jacob is very cagey about giving information
about Michael.
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How does her relationship with Jacob
develop?
She doesn't think she's going to like or
understand Jacob but she does. She sees that
what he is fighting is real and therefore she is
much more sympathetic and understanding.
Jacob warns her that anyone who gets
involved with him will end up embroiled in
the problems that he's fighting against. But
once she sees possession and once she has
been subjected to everything, she knows that
what he is doing is the right thing. So she
changes from being on Bukovak's side to
being on Jacob's side and they get on very
well then.
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What attracted you take the role?
The script is always what attracts me to a job.
It made me interested and I had seen stuff
that Joe had written and directed before and
always thought that was fantastic. I thought
Perfect Parents was one of the best things I
had ever seen on television for a long time.
And I have never played a nun before.
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How do you feel in the costume?
I'm really comfortable in it now! The first
couple of times I saw myself in the mirror it
was a bit of a shock but it is very comfortable
and I don't have any costume changes which
is great! But I do get a bit of costume envy
when I see other people wearing nice shoes!
The last thing people will have seen me in
on TV was Benidorm so I have gone from
wearing a bikini to a habit!
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What's been the most interesting
scenes to film?
I love the fact that Ruth was very sniffy to
begin with and has then softened and warmed
to Jacob and I have enjoyed showing that. I
also enjoy doing the scenes with Martin where
there's a bit of banter between him and Ruth.
I think this is so brilliantly written that most
of the scenes have been an absolute treat to
do. What I haven't enjoyed doing though is
learning the prayers. The other day we were
all struggling with the prayer of exorcism, I
found it so hard to get it in my head!
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Interview with
Rick Warden - Michael
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What kind of character is Michael?
Michael is a troubled young man in his
thirties who has invited dark forces into
him. There is one specific demon called
Astaruth who possesses Michael and he is
the other character that I play. When you
first meet Michael he is fully possessed by
Astaruth and doesn't even know his real
name or anything about himself until much
later in the series. Michael has ended up
homeless, wandering the streets of different
cities speaking languages he's never learned.
Astaruth was a leper-healing demon cast out
by Bartholomew, and he has returned for
Father Jacob.
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Which character did you prefer to play – Michael when he is possessed (aka
Astaruth) or the troubled Michael?
I much preferred playing Michael when he's
possessed than when he's troubled. There's
nothing ambiguous about what Astaruth
wants from things, he says what he feels and
so he is fun to play. By episodes three and
four, Michael is really thrown into chaos –
amnesia, huge amounts of confusion, he's
full of fear and is preyed on by all kinds of
influences. I found that a lot less fun to play.
I have to say that I would rather be the bad
guy than the troubled one.
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Did you have to do any research to get
into character?
The main work was vocal, learning how to
make various languages sound like my own,
or the reverse dialogue.
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How difficult is it to play this sort of
character?
I made a very conscious decision at the
start of filming not to over-involve myself
with Astaruth/Michael. The material is too
sensitive for that, and I'd end up not being
able to sleep at night.
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What attracted you to the role?
The script terrified me and that was the
central attraction. I had never read a story
where speaking in tongues was even braved,
let alone be central to the drama. It made
the character irresistible and the project a
rare one in my estimation.
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Does Michael know he is possessed?
In fleeting moments he knows some "thing"
is controlling him to do horrific acts but he
is utterly powerless over it. The demon is
old, and strong, and could discard Michael
as a "vessel" at any point so whether Michael
knows or not won't help him.
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Which scene did you find most difficult/interesting to film?
I have to say the exorcism scenes. They threw
up emotions I hadn't anticipated, reversed
all of the decisions I'd made and happened
in a blur. I know I felt very, very tired, and
put upon by the words. Essentially I felt a
huge amount of self pity and that's not at all
what I'd prepared for. I felt impending loss,
bereavement somehow. It was one of the
weirdest things I've ever shot.
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Where did you get your inspiration for
the character?
My inspiration mainly comes from Joe
[Ahearne] who really fires my imagination.
I've always been an Exorcist movie nut so
didn't need to find inspiration. These dark
stories of tested faith have always interested
me and I thought the script was fantastic. In
my opinion it's more frightening than any
of the Exorcist films since the original, but
viewers will have to concentrate and be open
to it to fully experience that.
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Interview with
John Shrapnel –
Cardinal Bukovak
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How would you describe your
character?
Cardinal Bukovak is a senior figure in his
Clergy, a bit like a Head of Chambers in
the legal world. He is ultimately responsible
for representations for canonisation, and
the examination of "miraculous" claims.
He enjoys his power and the popularity it
brings him. He feels Jacob is a challenge –
a man with a mission which is clouding his
judgement. He thinks that Jacob is obsessed
by the idea of possession and the power of
exorcism to counter it. Bukovak is suspicious
of his motives.
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Does he believe in exorcism?
As far as exorcism itself is concerned,
Bukovak feels it is being too easily used as
an exotic response to "conspiracies of Evil",
maybe for reasons of self-advancement
in Jacob's case. He wants to discredit the
practice, which brings him into direct conflict
with Jacob.
He believes in Satan, and the possibility of possession, but thinks it is often an excuse for
other motives and that claims for it are often
exaggerated.
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What attracted you to this role?
The story is a fascinating one and all the
characters are very complex. So, the idea of
playing a man of depth and power who will
use all his skills to challenge Jacob was very
attractive.
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How did you find filming for
Apparitions?
Filming has been hugely enjoyable. I came
on the set when the production was already
under way, so there was a great sense of
excitement and anticipation. It was a very
welcoming unit and I felt very much at home
from the start.
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Interview with
Michelle Joseph - Sister Anne
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Can you describe your character?
Sister Anne is basically there to help Jacob
(Martin Shaw) in any way she can. She is a
perfectionist and wants everything to run
smoothly. There is a great deal of mutual
respect between her and Jacob and she
considers herself to be his equal – but she
definitely rules the roost! It's her office and
she runs it the way she likes it – she definitely
knows what she wants.
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What does Sister Anne think about
Jacob's work?
She just thinks that it is their job to make
people saints, not to get involved in exorcism
and fighting off demons. She believes that
Jacob should stay out of it as it's not what he
is there to do. She tries to discourage him and
questions his motivations, but she will stand
by him whatever he chooses to do.
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So, what attracted you to this role?
Well, I'm a Christian myself and I thought
it would be a lovely part to play. Sister Anne
always stays firm in her faith and she isn't
scared to give her opinions. Everything
she says and does stems from her religious
beliefs.
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Apparitions is a hard-hitting thriller – did you have any particularly difficult
scenes to film?
Well I think I got off quite lightly! I did have
to do a scene in which we were in a small
room with hundreds of flies coming at us and
that wasn't nice at all!
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Have you enjoyed filming for
Apparitions?
Yes it's been lovely. Everyone from the cast
and crew has been so friendly and I've just
loved every minute of it.
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Interview with
Shaun Dooley - Liam
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Can you describe your character?
Liam is just a really normal bloke. He's a
good dad and was a good husband to his
wife Sarah (Sarah-Jayne Steed) before they
split up. He is very anti-religion and has
really strong atheist views. I think his views
were strengthened when he went on holiday
to India. He visited one of the missionaries
there but all he could see were the poor people
and the poverty they were living in. For him
it just reinforced his beliefs about religious
fundamentalism. He's also got definite anger
management problems!
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How difficult is it to play a character
that has so many inner demons?
It's really difficult, I was effectively playing
three different roles and each of Liam's
"characters" has different traits and
characteristics. When he is completely
possessed he speaks in Albanian and so I
had to learn a whole new language, which
surprised me as when I was immersed in
this character and speaking in a completely
foreign language I felt able to do things that I
wouldn't ordinarily have been able to do. But
Liam is definitely one of the most difficult
characters I have ever had to play and I often
needed to be in quite a dark place – The
Prodigy certainly helped!
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Playing such a complex character,
were you involved in any particularly
difficult scenes?
Yes lots! But the one that really stands
out for me is when Liam is exorcised by
Father Jacob. It was such a frightening and
unnerving experience. To have two priests
standing either side of you and be playing a
character who is in so much pain with every
word they say is one of the most difficult
things I have ever done.
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Have you enjoyed playing such a
difficult role?
I've loved it. You go home at night and every
muscle and emotion has been exercised.
It's been fantastic to work with such
accomplished actors, Rick (Warden) who
plays Michael has been great and Martin
(Shaw) is a great actor who cares so much
and wants it to be good and that just makes
you up your game.
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Interview with
Elyes Gabel - Vimal
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How would you describe your
character?
He's a young man who has a very strong faith
and is working towards his ordination. His
life has taken quite a dramatic twist as when
he was 14 he was cured of leprosy. There is
great confusion around how he was cured;
initially he believed he was cured by Mother
Teresa but as he gets older things become
more ambiguous and he starts to think it
may have been demons who took away his
leprosy. Vimal is also confused about his
sexuality and he is unsure as to whether his
feelings are a result of his cure. On the whole
he is quite lost and looks to the Church for
security.
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What made Vimal want to become a
priest?
The Church is all he has ever known. He has
always been very religious and had strong
faith. He also sees the Church as a secure
environment which gives him stability and
strength.
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How would you describe Vimal's
relationship with Jacob?
Jacob is a father and a friend to him. Vimal
isn't socially inept but he struggles to cope
with certain situations and it's then that he
looks to Jacob for strength.
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How did you find filming for
Apparitions?
Interesting! No, really it was great. All of
the cast are fantastic and everyone has really
clicked. We've also been trying to spook each
other with tales of extraordinary things that
have been happening which has been fun!
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