Digital spy liv interview

Well, that was quite a ride! Four episodes in to the new batch of Skins, it was Liv's turn to take centre stage and she certainly didn't disappoint! Danger, drugs, drinking and doing it... this episode recalled some of the dizzier moments from previous series of the teen drama. Hoping that Liv had survived after downing those two bottles of vodka, we got on the phone with actress Laya Lewis to talk about her episode.

That was pretty full-on! What was it like filming so many intense scenes so close together?
"It was just mental! With Skins you don't really know anything about your character or how you're going to play them until your episode. It was really enjoyable reading it. The first draft they wrote was just fun all around, really light-hearted. Then they re-wrote it and it was really dark and I was pretty worried about if I'd be able to pull it off. It was so much fun to do at the same time - it was such a mix. It never got too heavy, which was good."

How would you describe the feelings Liv has for Nick?
"She's definitely quite a stubborn girl in terms of her opinions and she's always thought of Nick as a 'jock'. To her he's an idiot - he's not even worth her time! The only reason she sleeps with him is because she's trying to get through to Mini. Instead of going about it in the right way, she's like, 'I'll just have you over instead'. I think Nick doesn't even take up 10% of her brainspace."

And Matty?
"He's the complete opposite of Nick in every way. At that point Liv's not interested in anything anymore and Matty really amuses her and is everything that her life is missing. She just falls for him. I'm not sure if it's love but it's definitely intense and that's what she really likes about it."

Did you know that Matty and Nick were brothers before you got the script for this episode?
"Yeah, we knew that from the beginning. When they were casting Matty it took ages because they cast Sean [Teale] and the rest of us way before they found a guy for Matty. Not only did he have to actually pull off this weird, mysterious character, he also had to look like Sean! I was especially apprehensive about meeting Seb [De Souza] because I knew what was going to go on in my episode!"

How can Liv win back Mini as a friend after what's happened?
"I think when you've been friends for that long - this is what a lot of girls do - instead of actually facing it head-on and trying to sort it out, they go the other way. That whole 'I'm not saying sorry until she says sorry' kind of thing! They don't really actually sort it out - not for a while. They don't do anything about it, they just leave it. I guess they want it to simmer down and cool down a bit and it doesn't. They just end up completely ignoring their situation."

What was it like working with Jaye Griffiths, who plays your mum?
"It was brilliant. Jaye Griffiths was so amazing. I was wondering how that whole relationship with Liv and her mum was going to work. She was so good. There was one point where we were doing a scene at the end of my episode and I had to be like, 'Oh no, LINE!' because I completely zoned out watching her - I forgot I even had to speak!"

And Eloise Joseph, who plays your older sister Bella?
"She was awesome as well. She was so believable. At that point when she pulls out that ponytail I was like, 'Oh my god, this is so funny'. If you can do that and not make it look really stupid then you know that she's obviously amazing. She was really good."

Is Liv scared that her relationship with little sister Maude might reflect her own with Bella?
"Definitely. Her going to the cinema at the end, that's her making amends. Liv thinks she has an amazing relationship with her older sister where they're best friends. But when she goes back she's like, 'Actually, we're nothing alike, and hopefully never will be'. I think she really doesn't want her or Maude to turn into Bella because she's just ignoring all of these problems that are going on, and Liv can't understand why."

Will we get to see the family again?
"They're not really in the rest of the series, but I have no idea what they're going to do with Liv next year. It's really exciting but at the same time worrying and a bit scary! I'd love to see my family back in it. I'm really excited about what they might do with Liv's dad maybe."

As ever there was a lot of sex, drugs and drinking in your episode - do you worry about fans imitating what happens on the show?
"I do - how does she not die in that episode! It's mental! Hopefully people don't take it... well, do take it seriously to an extent and don't do it because obviously you see how it turns out for Liv. She doesn't drink for fun at the end of the episode. It's an apology in a weird kind of way, and hopefully people see it as the kind of thing you shouldn't be doing. It's so bad and all it does is pretty much mess her up."

Labels: Brand New , interview , laya lewis , Liv , Skins season 5