Showing posts with label Megan Prescott. Show all posts
"The Teen drama, and BAFTA awards winning series. Skins, has become a worldwide phenomenon. Premiering in the UK in 2007, the controversial program focuses on a group of sixth form teenagers growing up in Bristol and exploring issues such as sexuality, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and family problems.
Most of the actors in the program were unknown before the series began but it has launched the careers of several talented teenagers, including Lily Loveless. Lily, who made her acting debut in the third series of Skins, playing the sexuality confused, outspoken political activist, Naomi Campbell, sat down with us to talk about what it was like being a part of Skins, and suddenly becoming a celebrity
I: Tell us a little bit about your character, Naomi.
L: Naomi is an independent young woman who thinks she knows exactly who she is. She´s one of those people who thinks the world doesn´t really match up to her standards. She gets pursued by the character of Emily (played by Kathryn Prescott), who has a big crush on her and Naomi has never thought that she´s gay so she has to question herself and who she is. It´s something she thought she would never have to do because she thought she knew exactly who she was and where she was going, so her vulnerable side comes out, and her way of dealing with it is pushing people away. She´s quite closed, she has a wall around her.
I: Are you anything like your character Naomi in any way?
L: I think I am a bit. I mean I have to be, to have got the part. But I think I´m a lot nicer then she is. I think it would take a lot of effort to befriend her, and get to know her. Whereas I am much more easy going and I don´t have as high standards about everything and everyone.
I: As Skins is aimed at teenagers and older teenagers, how well do you think it reflects everyday teen life?
L: It´s written by young writers, who are writing about their own experiences a lot of the time but of course it has to be heightened for the sake of entertainment, otherwise watching it would be boring. So I wouldn´t say it reflects teenage life, but I´d say parts of it are definitely relatable, more so than a lot of other programs.
I: Your character is faced with a big sexuality dilemma. What was your initial reaction and how did you feel about having to play a lesbian?
L: It´s weird kissing anyone on-screen. It anything, it was better doing it with a girl because are more similar and you´re more squeamish and embarrassed about it. Whereas if you do it with a boy their really up for it and they don´t care. I had to kiss Jack who plays Cook, and he´s like my brother, so that was just as weird as kissing Kat. It´s just kissing anyone on-screen that you´re not attracted to and that you´re not with is a weird thing to do whether they are a boy o a girl.
I: So from Skins, who have you stayed friends with for life and who do you still talk to outside of filming?
L: I still talk to everyone. It´s quite hard to see people who don´t live in London. So I mainly see the people who are still in London, like the twins (Megan and Kathryn Prescott). I see them probably more than anyone else. I see Merv who plays Thomas quite a bit. But it´s quite difficult to see people like Jack (O´Connell) or Luke (Pasqualino). Luke is away in America right now, so I haven´t seen him in ages.
I: So as a cast, do you all get along, or is there any rivalry going on between the girls?
L: No. Amazing all the girls really get along. No one has any bitchy problems or anything, and you´d expect there to be wouldn´t you? That´s what I thought was going to happen, but it´s not like that at all. I think was more just thrown in at the deep end and we just had to get on. I mean we argue, but it´s like when you argue with your sister, you´re going to talk to them again two minutes later.
I: It must have been quite awkward when you started Skins because of the old cast like Kaya who have been there for longer. Was it intimidating?
L: Really! Because I used to watch the first series, and I really liked it, and I never thought there would be a new cast. So it was intimidating because we had to live up to them and so many people were going to watch it and be like “Why did they get rid of the old cast?”
I: Is there any element of the most recent series that you can relate to from any of the characters?
L: In Katie´s storyline, which is a really good storyline about her parents losing the house and they might break-up or they might not break-up. I think a lot of people can relate to that, when you hear your parents arguing and you wonder if they´re going to break-up or not. Just home life troubles with your parents and money; I though it was very relatable for me and a lot people.
I: Do you ever get noticed in the street or people stopping and asking for your autograph?
L: Yeah, it´s quite annoying actually – no I´m joking! Most people just shout at you from across the street, they just shout “Skins!” at you, and it´s like “No shit Sherlock”. I try not to get noticed because if you´re in a quiet restaurant and they say “You´re that girl from Skins!” everyone will turn around. So it can be annoying but it can be really nice. Some people will say they can really relate to my storyline and I’ve had some people say I´ve helped them come out as gay to their family. So on that side; it makes it all worth it.
I: Now Skins is coming to an end, how do you feel about not being on T.V. and the cast moving on?
L: Well we always knew it was going to happen because of the first cast so we were ready for it. It´s sad but we finished in November so I think back on it and I really enjoyed it but it is good that were moving because if they kept us on, I´d be too scared to leave.
I: So what do you have planned for the future? Is there anything you would like to audition for and is there a perfect role for you now that you´ve done Skins?
L: I´d like to do theatre because it´s like opposite of Skins. I think a lot of people in the industry are quite snobby towards Skins having not watched it and assuming it´s all about sex and drugs. I´d like to do any good drama and have a role that you really care about whether it´s a film or T.V.
I: Are you looking forward to summer?
L: I can´t wait. I need to go on holiday though I can´t plan anything though because if something comes up, it comes up suddenly and you have to cancel everything and do it."
"Having abit of a skins reunion tonight. Can't wait to see meg lily and Luke. Should be fun times!"
"End of a brilliant night.on the way home now after a group trip to burger king.big love to ALL the skins cast.friends for life!! Night!"
AfterEllen: I think it's pretty obvious by now that I think Skins is better than any show on TV in America or in the UK. How did the concept originate? And how did you plan to distinguish it from the millions of other teen shows out there?
Jamie Brittain: I wrote a short story when I was 16 called Machina. It was terrible, adolescent guff but it had three characters in it who I liked — Sid, Tony and Michelle. And though the story was crap I occasionally read it over the years and always thought that there might be some future in these characters. So when Dad [Skins co-creator Bryan Elsley] asked me to help him come up with a new show, my thoughts immediately sprung to those characters.
I love teen drama, and have watched pretty much all of them. But in the UK (and the US to a lesser degree), many TV shows seemed to patronize their teenage characters with an adult drawn version of their lives — with s--tty dialogue, crap soundtracks and actors pushing 30. US telly is still particularly bad about that.
AE: I agree. Every actor on 90210 looks 45.
JB: My idea was to start fresh, to involve young people from the start, and to present teenagers as fully-rounded characters with complex emotional lives. Plenty of shows have done that before — Buffy, My So Called Life — but not really on UK telly.
So once we had that, Bryan filled in the gaps with his experience and we put the show together. The one character per episode thing was completely stolen from Lost, which I was addicted to at the time.
AE: Jack Thorne told me you are Sid. Is there any truth to that?
JB: Yep, totally. Except when I was a teenager, I had even less sex than he did. But then again, Tony is me too. And Effy.
AE: Well Effy had enough sex for all of us.
JB: Absolutely.
AE: Are those three the characters you relate to most?
JB: Well, like I say, they're all facets of me. Sid is the anxious nerd, Tony the smart bastard and Effy the mentally ill weirdo.
AE: Would you say you projected your hotness onto the Stonems?
JB: None of my hotness went into the Stonems. I think that would have been too much to handle.
AE: Yeah, Effy and Tony are unsightly. No one lusts after them.
JB: Absolutely. Ugly bastards. It's no surprise that Nick (Nicholas Hoult) has been cast as 'Beast' in X-Men.
That's actually awesome, by the way. I can say I've met Hank McCoy.
AE: OK, so Skins origins. Standards and practices are obviously way different in the US and the UK — swearing on primetime costs a million dollars or something on American primetime — but was there any hesitation from E4 when you approcahed them with a script full of sex and drugs and language?
JB: No hesitation at all. They were really cool. The show has a reputation for all those things but I think if you actually watch it there really isn't that much debauchery going on. Certainly less than a lot of real teenagers I know.
AE: Less than some adults I know! Generation one was so beloved. I mean, there are still people who refuse to watch generation two. Was it always your plan to change generations after series two?
JB: Well, we didn't know we were even going to get a second series when we did the first one. I think as soon as we did, we decided to do the generation swaperoo. It was scary, but we had to make it work, and luckily we did. Skins loses some of its audience with every generation, but it finds new ones too.
AE: I don't know any American show that would have had the balls to do it, to pull such a cherished cast like that. It would have been like Skins: The Uni Years over here.
JB: You're wrong, Heather. Remember Saved By The Bell: The New Class? We basically nicked the idea from them.
AE: Yeah, Saved By The Bell: The New Class was a cinematic masterpiece.
JB: Also, when teen shows go to Uni they inevitably become shite. See Dawson's Creek and The OC for examples.
AE: And rest in peace, Gossip Girl. When you started creating characters for generation two, you were obviously like, "Where can we get some crazed fans?" And you had this lightbulb moment where you realized "lesbians!"
JB: Oddly, no. I can remember coming up with the lesbian storyline and it was really a case of "Hmm. Twins. One of them is gay. One of them is a queen bee. That might be interesting. Oh, and this Naomi character, she's kind of headstrong and opinionated. Maybe that would be interesting too." I never, ever knew it would be so big.
And without sounding like I'm bigging us up as bastions of progressive LGBT fiction, the whole thing never seemed particularly groundbreaking. We just thought it was a sweet, sad love story.
AE: Well, that's certainly the reason I adore it so much. It's not a "lesbian" love story. There's nothing PSA or after school special about it. So the twins came first?
JB: Yes, they were the first idea for the second generation. Me and the writers sat in a hotel conference room and came up with them on the spot — totally built by committee.
AE: Best committee ever. I get a lot of s--t for saying Katie is my favorite character. I want to see a Katie spinoff on telly, and a Katie movie in the cinema, and a line of Katie action figures. Kung Fu Katie Fitch and Party Planner Katie Fitch. The Katie Fitch zebra-striped glam convertible.
JB: Katie is great, I love her too. Meg [Prescott] had acted far less than her sister and really pulled off something quite special, I think. And Georgia Lester really took ownership of that character in series 4 and wrote a great episode for her.
AE: I think Meg added a layer of incredible vulnerability to Katie. So much tenderness. Her series four episode blew me away.
JB: Yeah, it's a favourite of mine.
AE: When you created Emily and Katie, their dynamic was supposed to be controlling queen bee and overshadowed gay?
JB: Yes, that was the dynamic between the twins, at least initially. As always with Skins, it grew into something a bit more complicated.
AE: Like with all great stories! And then Naomi. Did you always know she would be Emily's love interest?
JB: As far as I can remember, yes. I mean, we didn't invent her to be a love interest, but we very quickly partnered her with Emily.
AE: And you were surprised by the reaction? The Naomily Phenomenon?
JB: Yes. It started when we posted the kissing clip on the internet ahead of the episode — and then grew and grew.
AE: And grew and grew and grew.
JB: Yep. And, you know, I've heard that fans think I hated the Naomily storyline and phenomenon, which couldn't be further from the truth. I love it. I love that people have taken two characters that I helped create into their hearts so much.
AE: And not just in the UK. I mean, it's worldwide. What do you love most about them, as individuals and as a couple?
JB: I love how simple Emily is. How she just wants Naomi's love and that's kind of enough for her. I think that's a very pure thing. I like Naomi because she wants the same thing, but doesn't know it. I think the success of their characters is down to the simplicity of their dynamic.
AE: Just two girls in love?
JB: I think so. I'm sure people have different opinions on this, but that's what it is to me. Two girls in love, trying to love each other better.
AE: That's lovely, Jamie. Do you think they succeed? In loving each other better, I mean? That's a lot of what series four was about for them: OK, we've taken turns f--king it up. Now what?
JB: I think they both made mistakes, but I think in the end they ended up on better terms than the ones they started with. When it started it was chaotic and full of turmoil, with moments of happiness and joy, and continued like that for a while. I think they were both confused — not sexually, though that's an element. More confused about what they were becoming, or what they should become. I think in the end what they realised that is, if you get it right, there's something gloriously simple and liberating about love. It was always between them, but it took some time for them to realize.
AE: What's your favorite Naomily scene?
JB: I love the cat flap scene from Naomi's episode because it's gorgeous. And it's soundtracked by Grouper, who is a genius.
AE: I want to talk about Lily Loveless and Kathryn Prescott for a minute. What they brought to Naomi and Emily still boggles my mind a little bit. It feels like the perfect storm of acting and writing.
JB: Yes, I agree. Lily is super-smart, which is important to the character. But she's also incredibly soulful and emotional. That dichotomy between head and heart is vital and she got it just right.
AE: Every time Lily cries, I find myself bawling. It's the weirdest reaction. I'm like, "Make it stop!"
JB: Yeah, me too, it breaks your heart!
Kat has a sweetness and a purity to her too, just like Emily, and a beauty that isn't easy to define, but is obviously there. You're just drawn to her.
AE: So, just like their characters!
JB: Well, they are. All our actors are like their characters at least a bit, because we match the actor to the character and the modify the scripts to their own personalities. The actors will always say that they're not really like their characters, but they really are — not necessarily in actions or even personality, but in fundamental essence.
AE: Maybe that's part of the authenticity of Skins. I feel like we, as an audience, were lucky that Lily and Kat found the courage to be so vulnerable with one another. The lake scene in Naomi's episode is obviously a fan favorite for that reason, but I think it has less to do with sex and less with the lesbian thing, and more to do with the "love is love is love" thing.
JB: Yes, I agree.
AE: Do you identify with Naomi or Emily at all?
JB: Both of them. I've been both of them at some point in my life.
AE: It's not easy to be either one of them!
JB: No!
AE: I really loved the final Naomi and Emily scene in series four. I felt like the reveal that Naomi had loved Emily since she was 12 was perfect. It added such a beautiful layer to their relationship.
JB: I love it too. It's kind of sad, and it's kind of beautiful: that Naomi has been trying to work out what that love is for 6 years.
AE: When you started working on series three, there was no pressure from Naomily fans because there was no such thing as Naomily. But when it came time for series four, there was a full-blown cult. Did that change the way you wrote them?
JB: It didn't, and I think that pissed some people off. We continued the story in exactly the way we wanted. A lot of people were telling me that they didn't want Emily and Naomi to split up or be unhappy because it would set a bad example to young gay people, which to be honest I didn't have much truck with, and of course, the main through line of the series was turmoil between them. I guess I thought that Skins has never been about 'setting an example' before, why should it be that now? So we did what we did. Some liked it. Some didn't. That's the way it always is.
AE: I can't say how glad I am that you did what you did. I loved the honesty and authenticity of series four. I don't think you should treat gay characters with kid gloves. If you want equality, you treat gay characters the same way you treat every other character. Because that's exactly what they are.
JB: Exactly. Though I read your recaps, and for you it wasn't exactly a two-month-long telly watching orgasm, was it? I mean, you didn't like episode seven.
AE: Honestly, it was almost too real for me, for personal reasons. I wish I'd had more time to digest it. I was watching the episode at 4:00 am and then writing a recap that would go up five hours later. But yeah, it affected me very deeply. I guess that's the beauty of Skins, though: the way you feel it. I mean, I watch and write about and recap a lot of television, and nothing gets inside me like Skins. A lot of TV characters die and, frankly, I don't give a s--t.
JB: Well, that's great. If we can do that, we're doing our job. I suffer from some pretty nasty mental illnesses myself, and that episode was pretty hard to write too. And it was full of paranoia and dread and fear, but weirdly I think it's ultimately a positive episode.
AE: Maybe the reaction is a testament to the power of your storytelling ability.
JB: Yeah. But there's another way of looking at it, which is that some people didn't like it. Some people thought it was just crap. And I have to listen to that. If I don't, what am I? An arrogant arsehole convinced he's a genius and that everyone else is an idiot.
AE: I think there's a nicer way to protest though. I could have been nicer. If you had it to do again, would you kill Freddie?
JB: Yes.
AE: But he'll always live on in fan fiction because that is the beauty of the Internet!
JB: Yes!
AE: I was reading a TV theory book recently, and one of the things the author said is that the way viewers take ownership of a show's characters is directly proportional to how in-tune that show's creators are with the online fanbase. The more plugged in you are, the more the audience thinks they own the characters. And Skins is very plugged in.
JB: Yes, and we allow our audience to contribute and take part, so they feel a real sense of ownership, which is fine. I love it. But in the end the show is what me and my writers want to do. And our views don't always line up with the audiences. It's something that's true on every show.
AE: So what can you tell me about Skins generation three? Tell me James Fitch is involved.JB: He isn't yet, but I am determined to find a way! I'm making it my mission to get him back!
AE: Godspeed, Jamie Brittain! Make that happen! Is Karen involved?JB: No. There are no returning characters. It's completely new.
AE: Oh, that's exciting! Is it still set at Roundview?JB: Still Roundview, still Bristol. David Blood and Doug are back, actually.
AE: Wow, David Blood seems to really hate teenagers!JB: Yeah. I love him though. Chris Addison is a genius, and great fun.
AE: Got anymore lesbian characters to take over the world?JB: I'm afraid, Heather, that you're going to have to wait and see!
AE: Aww, come on, Jamie Brittain! Aren't you going to give me a little sccop?JB: Hmm. OK. One of the characters in the next generation is very much in the tradition of Skins portrayal of sexuality, but you wont quite know what or who she is for quite a while.
AE: Oh, man. That sounds so exciting.JB: Yeah, it's pretty cool.
AE: No, I'm serious. I just got giddy. So where are you in your shooting schedule?JB: We're shooting episodes two and three. We're about to start week three of shooting those episodes.
AE: Do you know yet when they'll air?JB: January and February of next year — a long way to go, I'm afraid.
AE: That's OK! The foreplay is half the fun!JB: Yep!
AE: That actually reminds me, why didn't Naomi have her own episode in series four?
JB: We always intended the last episode of series 4 to be Naomi's, but it didn't quite work out how we wanted. We messed that up a bit — but I think you'll agree that we did her story justice.
AE: Yes. You know I agree. You've read my recap. Lily Loveless was unbelievable in that final episode. She was kind of magical.
JB: Yeah, wasn't she? I loved that.
AE: So did you always want to be a writer?
JB: Yeah. I never thought I'd write for telly, but it's always been the only thing I'm good at. I think that once Skins is done, I'll might write an out and out comedy, like a sitcom maybe.
AE: And would this sitcom star Megan Prescott? And would it be called I'm Katie F--king Fitch?
JB: Honestly, if Roni, John, Meg, Kat and Red wanted to do it, I'd make the Fitch sitcom. But something tells me they wouldn't! Either way I'd only produce. Georgia would have to write it. She's the Fitch god.
AE: Well, at the very least I think you should get on those Katie Fitch action figures. I want her to talk, too, like Woody from Toy Story. Only instead of "Howdy, Partner" she'll say "I'm doing the f--king Great Northern Run; what does it look like I'm doing!?" and "She dumped you. Again." Also, you know, maybe she'll be wearing an angel costume.
JB: OK, but first up is is the Cook doll that keeps screaming 'I'm Coooook! I'm Cooook!' until you beat it to death with a baseball bat.
"SKINS twin Megan Prescott has confessed she fears for her acting career after her time on the teen drama ended last night.
The 18-year-old - who played Katie Fitch in the E4 show - said: "Obviously I'm worried. But everybody who does acting worries about their career."
She plans to study media production at university later this year.
This week her twin sister Kathryn, who appeared as Skins lesbian Emily, landed a part in new pilot Goth - as a goth living in a suburban town.
Series five of Skins will have a new cast."
* Are you pleased with the journey that has been written for JJ?
"Very much so, I think that JJ's story is one of the most complete changes in character and a great example of some of the aspects of what happens to someone as they grow up and become more mature. By the end of the fourth series JJ is a much more well rounded person. In series 3, his story was about learning what it means to be "normal", whereas this time around, its much more about accepting and embracing the things in life which set you apart form others."
* In tonight's show JJ has a romantic storyline. How do you impress the ladies?
"Personally? I don't really, It sounds really clichéd but the only thing that anyone is going to respect and admire is the ability to simply be natural and not have to put on a persona to impress people."
* Do you think the show is a good representation of teens?
"I have always said that Skins must be seen first and foremost as a TV drama. Whilst the events in it can and do happen, a certain amount of exaggeration has to go on in order to make the stories fun to watch. It shows certain aspects of true teenage life, but packages them in a humorous and often larger than life way."
* Have there been any storylines that you’ve found difficult?
"None that really spring to mind. If any of us had a problem with one of the stories, there was always someone you could get hold of to help explain why the stories were the way they were."
* What’s the best thing about being recognised? And the worst?
"The best thing is that it often lets you know that people appreciate the job you've done. The vast majority of people are really positive about the show and that's a big compliment. I would have to say the worst thing is when people follow you and don't say anything, it can be quite an uneasy feeling having people watching you while you're out and about. Its like being spied on by some very conspicuous spies."
* Do you think you could cope with the level of fame of someone like Robert Pattinson?
"I'd like to think I would, but you never really know unless you get first hand experience of it. I have a feeling good old Pattz gets pretty irked by it at times."
* Describe the other cast members in three words:
"Good question."
Kaya: Youngest on set
Jack: Quick, witty and northern
Megan: Speaks her mind
Kathryn: "like..... like, like"
Lily: "SHE"S FROM HACKNEY!!!"
Lisa: Heart of gold
Luke: Annoyingly good looking.
Merveille: Perceptive, philosophical and confident.
Yourself: Loving the ride
"It's Carnival time, so" please allow Luke, Kaya, Cook and Meg to show you around"
