Effy Stonem, fragile tearaway-cum-femme fatale with a history of depression, 2007-10

Why is your episode called ‘Skins Fire’?‘In my mind, it’s Effy’s burning desire to get on in life, to get a career and make something of herself.’
It sounds like she’s stuck and needs an escape.‘Yeah – over the last few series it’s always been about getting Effy’s head above water. Now, it’s a different circumstance: she’s been through school and university and is entering the world of work, which is very different and has its own challenges. It’s also about friendship and life, and the things you hang on to and the things you need to let go.’
Is it fair to say that she’s not entirely over some of the demons from previous series?‘Definitely – it’s impossible to think someone would just get over that, but this isn’t focused on her mental health any more, which I found really interesting. It’s about her as a person. Those demons she had have been focused into her work world. So she’s becoming obsessive and compulsive over something else now.’
© Gary MaclennanWe know Lily Loveless is back – any other familiar faces?‘Yes – Katherine Prescott, playing Emily, pops in and out as well.’
Did it take you long to get back under Effy’s skin?‘Not at all! I started panicking, thinking it’s been four years, such a long time ago! So I started rewatching the old series and, once I got to series three, I thought ‘“I’ve got her now – she’s in there somewhere, I just need to let her back out.”’
Was it weird watching it back?‘Really weird – we’d forgotten what had happened, story-wise. For us, it was more looking back on series and remembering when someone farted or something. So watching it and taking out our personal experiences was really strange.’
Any reservations about going back?‘Yeah – she was such an important character for me, and so loved and cared for by the fans that I didn’t want to do it half-heartedly, for the sake of E4 bringing in a few more viewers. I wanted to be sure they’d write an interesting story about her, and they did. There aren’t a lot of programmes focused on young women going through the transition from being a teenager to an adult – it’s such a confusing, difficult time and something I’m going through myself. I really wanted to explore it through a character to help my own development.’
'It was more looking back on series and remembering when someone farted'
What did you think of Effy when you first got the part, compared to how you look at her now?‘When I first played Effy, I was only 14 – I was just grateful to have a job! And I still am grateful to be in employment. A lot of my friends are finding it very tough out there at the moment. Effy’s always been the other side of me, the braver, more outgoing side that I’ve never really had. It’s been cool to watch her grow and progress.’
Having done a few bigger budget films and period dramas, did it feel odd coming back?‘Not at all. “Skins” has always been about telling stories, and the way it’s focused on young people hasn’t really been done before. The industry and a lot of young people owe a lot to “Skins”, for showing that and making it acceptable. So many great TV shows are doing it now, and it’s not thought of as dangerous or scary.’
Did you realise when you were filming the show that it would be this influential – the idea of a “Skins” generation and so on?‘No, not at all. None of us did, which was the beautiful thing about us. We were a bunch of kids they picked up and gave this opportunity to. None of us were actors, there was no jealousy or rivalry, we were all just friends. So we thought, even if nothing comes out of it, we’ve had the best summer of our lives.’
© Gary MaclennanFavourite memories of the show?‘It was like my university, it’s given me life experience. The best parts were going back to the apartment and having dinner together, or having a drink and talking about all the stuff that teenagers talk about.’
Do you still see each other?‘Yeah, we do. Lily’s one of my best friends, I meet up with the first and second generations a lot.’
It must be amazing to see everyone’s careers going in different directions.‘Yeah, we’re really supportive of each other and genuinely happy for each other. You don’t get that with many casts. I love seeing Nic [Hoult] on the side of buses.’
Did you know Effy had the potential to break out after the first two series?‘No, not at all. After the second one, we’d just got told it wasn’t coming back and my mum told me they’d called to say they were casting me as the lead in the third series. I was like, “Mum, you don’t have to say that to make me happy!” And I got into an argument with her, because I thought she was just trying to cheer me up. I didn’t really believe it was happening until I turned up to audition people for the third series!’
It’s always looked like a gruelling role to play.‘Yeah, but I like being pushed. Young actresses need those parts, and that’s why I wanted to return to “Skins”. It’s very rare for a TV show to give a young actress two hours to tell a story.’
'I didn’t really believe it was happening until I turned up to audition people for the third series!'
Was she a character you could learn from in the way she lived her life?‘Yeah – I got to rebel through her so I didn’t fuck my own life up! [laughs] I got to see how things could go and decide for myself that I didn’t want that. I’d rather keep things steady and focus on my career. “Skins” was never preachy, it never moralised. It just showed the different parts of being a teenager and let you decide for yourself. People really responded to that. Hopefully, I’ve turned out okay.’
So it was a cathartic role?‘Yeah.’
Where do you see Effy in ten years time?‘I don’t know and I don’t want to know. I like that she could go anywhere. You can’t put her in a box. She’s always going to shock you and do the opposite of what you expect.’
But if you got the call in ten years time, you’d be in?‘Probably. I’d be tempted!’
‘Skins Fire’, Mon July 1 & July 8, 10pm, E4.

 

Don´t miss this brand new interview of the cast for the mybliss magazine.

Sean Teale (who plays Nick), Sam Jackson (who plays Alex), Will Merrick (who plays Alo), Jessica Sula (who plays Grace) and Freya Mavor (who plays Mini) speak to the legendary RWD OFFICE CAM. When they’re not doing impressions of each other and revealing their bums the girls at the RWD shoot, the girls are trying to kiss each other…

Here is an interview with Alex and Will for the DigitalSpy website

We caught up with Jessica in the Roundview common room to quiz her about what we can expect when the show returns to our tellies next week.

Watch our video below to find out what she had to say about Grace and Rich, how Grace has changed, and whether this series can top the last...

The next series of Skins is back on UK screens on January 23 courtesy of Channel E4. Two of the key Characters, Franky Fitzgerald, played by Dakota Blue Richards and Mini McGuinness, played by Freya Mavor spoke to us a couple of weeks ago amidst a frantic last week of filming. Speculation is rife about what will happen to their characters in series six, and indeed whether the "Minky" boat will sail or sink. Both actresses gave their perspective on all things Skins, how their characters change and how they define the relationship between their characters.
AfterEllen.com: How has your day been, Freya?
Freya Mavor: I am having a day when I am eating food like there is no tomorrow so you’ve caught me when I’m in a post-lunch mood.
AE: How do you feel about finishing filming Skins 6 so soon?
FM: The whole process has been amazing, particularly in that you have the experience of being a character in a TV show and then you get to do it all over again. I think all of the actors have improved and have really come into their own in this series.
AE: After you finished Series 5, how quickly were you told about what would be happening to Mini in series 6?
FM: A lot of what is decided is open to change and throughout the filming process little bits are tweaked. But about two months before we start filming we’re all brought in and told the general story arc and then you have to get your head around that and get into character.
AE: In series 5 I think it would be fair to say that the perception of Mini as a character changed a lot from beginning to end. What did you think of her development?
FM: It’s funny because I never went up for the part of Mini, I went for Liv and Grace and it wasn’t until the final day that I was reading for Mini, got the part and went straight into filming a few days later. So I didn’t have time to process much about the character and I didn’t really have any prep as to why she was so malicious and nasty, but it was great as well because she’s so different to me so is very fun to play.

AE: Because of that, did you create your own backstory for Mini?
FM: I was given hints about what her family life was like and with any character you have to fill in the gaps otherwise they lack credibility. I am at the point now where I understand Mini; I know why she’s being a bitch without resenting her actions.
AE: Did you watch Skins before appearing in the series?
FM: I’ve watched all of it, so from when I was quite young, which is weird. I’ve been a massive fan because it was the first of its kind to deal with issues on such a gritty level. It was a massive shock when it came out and I suppose it still is.
AE: The difference with this series seems to be that the characters don’t seem as defined as the last generation of Skins, they seem a lot more carefree maybe?
FM: I think that was a deliberate move by the writers because Skins before did become quite sinister and quite intense. Particularly in Series 4 when there was a lot of hard issues being thrown into the mix. I think that they wanted to bring back a more child-like, adolescence feel to it. So it has more of a first time feel and a sense of discovery with characters - dealing with first loves and confusion over their sexuality for instance.
AE: What did you think of "Naomily" from the previous generation?
FM: I thought it was a fantastic storyline and obviously it was so successful with the audience. I think it was really perfect for that time because it showed true lesbian romance that hadn’t really been portrayed in such a meaningful way. Essentially it was just a love story about two people falling in love but the fact it was two girls just made it really and they were certainly the couple of that generation.
AE: Mini and Franky have now been defined, as "Minky" but their relationship is very different than "Naomily"’s because it’s more ambiguous and not everyone is rooting for them it seems.
FM: With the whole "Minky" storyline it is more infatuation than actual lust. They are both intrigued by one another because they see a lot of their own traits within each other, but at the same time they express themselves in completely polar-opposite ways. In the next series they are a lot more merged and you can see the influence they’ve had on each other. Franky especially – and I think a lot of people will be quite shocked – she is not the androgynous, outsider she was. She is a lot more feminine and sexy and this is due to the impact they have had on each other both mentally and physically.

AE: How much of Franky’s new feminine ways do you think is down to Mini’s influence?
FM: Certainly in part, but I think Franky has come into her own. She brings everyone together in Series 5 really and in Series 6 she has a stable group of friends that allows her to explore and experiment. Mini still has her bitchy, hard front but it has been stripped back because of Franky’s influence.
AE: Because of the influence they have over one another do you think they would work as a couple?
FM: Personally, I don’t because they need each other as a rock and they seek guidance from one another more than anything. Their friendship is explored massively in this series and there’s an episode that purely focuses around their relationship. In series 6 they both go through such crazy storylines that at points show that their relationship is too intense and poisonous to be anything more.
AE: Is what happens to "Minky" what you would have liked to happen?
FM: I am really proud of it. I think it’s a really interesting portrayal of an unconventional friendship. The effort by everyone in making this and the whole series has been immense and I think everyone feels really proud of what we’ve done with Series 6.
AE: We previously interviewed Kat Prescott and Lily Loveless and they told me that they were besieged with fan mail and people telling them their roles in Skins had helped them come out – have you had anything like that?
FM: I think because the story of Franky and Mini is not a love story in terms of a relationship it’s much more subtle and hidden than that so the impact hasn’t been the same. I haven’t had people telling me that I’ve helped them come out, but we’ve had people come up to us routing for the relationship to happen. And there’s been a lot of activity on the Internet by fans whom are on the "Minky" boat, shall we say.
AE: Where are you going to leave Mini when series 6 finishes?
FM: I don’t know it’s hard not to feel nostalgic and disappointed that there is no kind of end and you have to let your character go. It’s hard to think they are just fictional when I have been that character for such a long time.
AE: After you’ve finished filming what is next for you?
FM: I’m having a break for a few weeks because it’s been non-stop for six months. I think I might go to Paris for a few months, I’ve always wanted to go and I have a friend who has a one bedroom flat there so although it’ll be tight it’ll also be an experience.


AE: How are things, Dakota?Dakota Blue Richards: I’m all right. It’s our last week on set at the moment so things are pretty hectic.
AE: In Series 5 I think it would be fair to say that Franky is a very ambiguous character, how was the character defined to you when you first got the part?
DBR: They didn’t tell me a whole lot because they didn’t have a clear idea before she was cast. I knew she was going to be ambiguous, androgynous, have an unusual path and for it to be unclear as to what she wanted out of life. 
AE: Were you told a lot about her backstory, some of it seems very dark?
DBR: Skins doesn’t like to do big backstories because they like to do things in the here and now. I knew that she had a lot of different people look after her and subsequently suffered when forming relationships but the writers go on develop it.
AE: In Series 5, did you know the whole story arc between her and Mini beforehand or was it a surprise?
DBR: It was a complete surprise. Skins develop things as they go along and it depends on how on how things are going on set. Originally Mini and Franky were going to be enemies and not make up. However because there was an interesting dynamic between the two characters they decided to play on that in a different way but it wasn’t ever on the cards initially.
AE: Franky has been defined, as a gender queer character would you agree with that?
DBR: One of the things that I was told very early on is that Franky doesn’t want to be a girl and that’s not to say that she wants to be a boy or that she wants to be anything at all actually. She just wants to be — and most people don’t understand that. Most people are threatened by it and that’s the position that Mini takes at the beginning.
As the series developed she came out of her shell a lot more and that’s definitely something that happens in this series. Right at the beginning of this series [Series 6] she (Franky) blossoms overnight and is very comfortable with herself — her body and herself — which is something that she wasn’t at all before. And I think that’s a consequence of having found love in some ways. Not necessarily love in a romantic sense, although that has been a part of it but she has a lot of people around her that want to show her love. In Series 6, Franky wants to be herself and although she has become more styled and girlie she isn’t defined by this, she is defined simply who she is.

AE: Speaking to Freya earlier, she spoke about how Franky and Mini had, had an influence on one another and one of these influences was her new feminine look – would you agree with this? 
DBR: I think it’s interesting she said this but I wouldn’t necessarily agree. I think whatever Franky does comes from within and what Mini has done is made her comfortable being whoever she wants to be – whether it’s a girl, a boy or something in the middle.
AE: Does Franky feel like a different character to play in this series?
DBR: It’s been quite nice for me this series because the way that Franky’s clothing and her style has changed is a representation of her opening up and becoming more herself which is something she hadn’t allowed herself to do in Series 5. You can see in this series that her look changes with her mood. For instance, she dresses more feminine when she feels loved and dresses differently when she’s in a sexually dominant relationship.
AE: What can you me tell me about how Franky and Mini’s relationship develops in series 6?
DBR: Mini and Franky are very comfortable hating each other because they do actually understand each other and from that understanding comes a deep trust and a love. There are points in the series when they clash but that’s only because they care for each other so deeply. In episode 9 Mini is asked whether she is there to look after Franky or is Franky there to look after her? She replies, "neither, we are here to look after each other." I think this sums up what their relationship is all about.
AE: Is Franky and Mini’s relationship in Series 6 what you would have expected to happen after how it was left in Series 5?
DBR: It’s actually better because I was worried that the writers would aim for something that was very commercial because of the demand by some fans for "Minky" to happen and the actual storyline that they’ve created is beautiful. Mini and Franky are never going to just have sex because it’s not sexual, it’s much deeper than that and I hope all the fans appreciate it for not being predictable.
AE: What reaction have you had to playing Franky?
DBR: Very positive because I think a lot of people felt that they could really feel like they could connect to her. That’s why I wanted this role because I wanted to play someone that was relatable and that people could take something away from.
AE: What are your plans post-Skins?
DBR: I’ve got my A-level exams to do in January and in the summer so I’ll be focusing on that but beyond that I’m not really sure. I’m 18 in April so although a daunting prospect I want to move out and do things on my own, although I’ll probably be back home most weekends!

The 17-year-old actress – who plays troubled Franky Fitzgerald in the hit E4 teen drama – got away without appearing in any of the controversial show's trademark frisky scenes in her first series in January.
But she gets four sex sessions in just one episode of the new run, which begins next month.
She says: "I did think I'd got off quite lightly in my first series, then this time I was quite excited that Franky got to be in a relationship and have some fun.
"But with the first sex scene I freaked out a bit. I thought I'd have a panic attack because I might do it wrong and I thought, 'What if it looks really bad?'
"I was scared it wouldn't look realistic. But everyone was so nice about it and laid back and after the first one it became quite fun. It is quite easy having a laugh doing it. Later I realised it was nothing to worry about."
But Dakota Blue says her gran won't see her character go through a huge sexual awakening.
She says: "My family and friends haven't seen it yet. I told my nan she can't watch it. I don't ever want her to see it. She said, 'I don't really want to watch it anyway.' She said she'd watch the other episodes – but not mine."
Dakota Blue adds: "It's not just the sex in my episode that is quite explicit – there is a lot of violence as well in terms of what is going on emotionally. It gets quite dark towards the end and I don't really want Nan to see it."

 Dakota Blue, who first came to prominence as a child star in the 2007 Hollywood movie The Golden Compass, is loving her time in the risqué Skins.
She says: "A lot of people don't realise it was me in The Golden Compass as I have changed a lot – I have grown up.
"I'd like to think my acting has developed and changed since then too. But I love doing this. I love acting in really tense situations."

 Each Skins cast makes only two series, with a question mark still hanging over whether the show will be back after the next series.

But Dakota Blue is fine about leaving Franky behind and says: "I am looking forward to being able to go home and get some sleep and try to get my A-levels.
"I am doing them in January, then more in June but I have done very little work for them. I am hopefully going to get time to cram for them over the holiday."

Source

Here is an interview with Freya for the RWDmag. In this interview, she talks  about Skins and their expectations for 2012. Click on the pic below to read the interview.

Here is an interview with Sean Teale for the TNS website.

TNS: So Sean, how did you first get involved with Skins?

Sean Teale: Well, it all started when an agent, who just happened to be in the audience, approached me after a school play I was in during my final year at school. I started doing some work with the agency and then a couple of months later I was told about the audition for Skins!

TNS: Was it intimidating going to audition for a show as big as Skins?

ST: Not really to be honest, it was such a big deal that I didn’t think I really stood a chance. So I just went along like it was any other audition, but then I found myself being called back to Bristol to do more auditions and read-throughs and rehearsals and then eventually, eight weeks later, I got the part! It was surreal.

TNS: That sounds like something from a movie! Were you a fan of the show before you got a role in it?

ST: Definitely. I was a big fan of the show, especially the first generation (Series 1 and 2). I think because at the time, there was nothing like it really, it was gritty and hard-hitting and it took the country by storm.

TNS: The nature of the show (which follows a group of teenagers through their college years) means that the cast is replaced every two years. Was there a sense of pressure or responsibility having to take the reigns as part of the third generation of characters?

ST: Yes, to be honest with you. There is a huge amount of pressure and expectation that comes with the show, especially when it comes to your looks. The last group of actors was known for being particularly good-looking, and so of course it is going to be daunting going into an environment like that.

TNS: How did you cope with that pressure?

ST: As cheesy as it sounds, I just had to believe in myself. I am massively self-conscious, as most actors are, but I also had the self-belief and the confidence that I could bring something different to the show. I was excited by the project, and knew that I would learn a huge amount from it, so I just tried to focus on that instead.

TNS: Skins is known for introducing relatively unknown or first-time actors to television audiences, so I imagine that the rest of the cast would have been in a similar position to you. What was it like meeting the other members of the cast for the first time?

ST: Filming on a TV show is the sort of situation where you are all thrown together, and spend so much time together that you just have to get on really. But we are so lucky in the fact that there are no forced friendships, we just all genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Seb [Sebastian De Souza] who plays my brother Matty on the show has become one of my best friends.

TNS: And how about any other on-set relationships? Any behind-the-scenes gossip you can tell us about?

ST: Unfortunately there isn’t! I’m sorry! We all just spend too much time together, so we try and keep it clean with each other.

TNS: The last series of the show faced some criticism, with some people saying that it had become soft, or lost its edge. What do you have to say to those people about this new season?

ST: I would just say that this series is an entirely different beast to the last one. The last season focused on introducing the characters, building their relationships, and this year everything gets pushed and put to the test. It is what people know, love and expect from Skins, but there is just more of it. It is more extreme, and more edgy. We are doing things that have never been done on Skins before, maybe even never been done on TV before!

TNS: Is there anything that you can share with us?

ST: Unfortunately I cant talk about so many of the incredible things that are part of this new series, I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait and watch it. But it will be really amazing; we are all really excited about it. Its like the last season on heat, lets put it that way! Anyone who didn’t give season five a chance really need to give this one a go, it’s something special.

TNS: And finally, how is your Christmas shopping going?

ST: I haven’t done any actually! We wrap on December 23rd, so I should probably start soon.

Series six of Skins airs in early 2012 on E4

Here is an interview with Kaya for the Digital Spy, where she talks about the Skins Movie.Watch the video bellow.

 Here is an interview with Seb for THESUPERSUPER magazine.

INTERVIEW FROM SUPERSUPER

One day I (@GFTOY) was sitting in my favourite Cafè feeling sorry for myself as I was on my own. The only thing that could’ve made my experience better was If I was sharing my thoughts with a handsome man… I needed a man… I needed Matty from Skins! I found him and I now love him! Here’s the verdict!
GFOTY: Hi! How are you?
SEBDS: Very well! I love your hair…
GFOTY: Thanks! Your hair is so Princey [royalty not the guy who sings]. If you didn’t act what would you do?
SEBDS: I’d like to be a writer… I write a lot. I write songs and play the piano badly, so maybe that. What If no one ever gives a job?!
GFOTY: You can play piano at our wedding! … :) You come across as a serious dark horse, how do you show someone that you’re into them?
SEBDS: I have zero game. I’m so unlucky in love as Christians are in expecting the second coming. They’ve been expecting it for thousands of years and It’s yet to come… that’s like romance and me.
GFOTY: “You must be tired cause you’ve been running through my head all day” usaully works well as a chat up line, people *cough* are really into that you know? - has that worked on you before?
SEBDS: HAS IT EVER! What are you wearing for Halloween? Tell me what I should wear and I’ll wear it…
GFOTY: No. You tell me what I should wear and then we can match!
SEBDS: Your hair [It’s greeny] is already ready for Halloween and you look like you wear black a lot.
GFOTY: I wear my fair share…
SEBDS: Why don’t you spray cobwebs all over yourself and maybe I’ll be Dracula?
GFOTY: You’re so bossy! I think you’ll look good as Dracula… Do you watch ‘Friends’?
SEBDS: Of course!
GFOTY: HEAVEN! Talking about Heaven, wich we were, what do you think Heaven looks like?
SEBDS: Heaven would be a beautiful island with wonderful sunsets, you’d be there, and there’s be a really good cafè on it, so I didn’t have to cook. It would be nice If you were there, you’re fun I see that immediately.
GFTOY: Can you cook?
SEBDS: I can cook anything. It’s just a question of how good It is when I’ve cooked it. Sometimes it turns out great and sometimes It doesn’t. I can cook though.
GFOTY: Imagine you’re on ‘Take Me Out’ and Paddy McGuinness is the presenter. What’s your trick to make the girls keep their lights on?
SEBDS: I’d probably read some Shakespeare, something incredibly romantic. I’m also incredibly good at plane spotting. I could recite to them the fleets of every airline in the Western Hemisphere….
GFOTY: My light is kept on! Why do you think that cats are so incredible? I love cats…
SEBDS: My cat passed away.
GFOTY: Oh, I’m sorry… Mine has as well…
SEBDS: But thanks so much for reminding me… What happened with your cat?
GFOTY: My ex-boyfriend bought it for me for Christmas last year and…
SEBDS: And It’s died already?! What did you feed it? This isn’t a date! This is counseling!
GFOTY: It had cat aids. I took it to the vet and they put in an a cage and injected it. It was realle sad. Oh well, It’s fine, he’s in heaven. He was white and had two different coloured eyes like David Bowie. I call it Furgus with a ‘U’ for fur…
SEBDS: Oh that’s sweet. My cats were called Zebra and Cappuccino and looked like that [points to his cappuccino]…
GFOTY: You’re drinking them in spirit! RIP though… One last question… Why do you always leave your wet towel on the bed?
SEBDS: I didn’t with you this morning! Why lie?! I thought we were having a nice date! I don’t see my towels as a real entity. I clean up my clothes but my towel just stays on the bed and I subsequently get a wet bed when I go to sleep wich is horribly unpleasant. Ohw…

Here is some pics and an interview with Kaya at the BFI London Film Festival 2011  .Click on the pics to see the entire album.

Here is an interview with the skins cast by the guardian.

Find out more about Skins' Laya Lewis, Jessica Sula, Alex Arnold and Sean Teale as they put the Guardian's fiendish questions to each other - and come up with some unpredictable answers.

And more scans of the cast in More magazine... you can also read the interview in the scans...just click in the images to see the photos in a bigger size.


 Because you´re lovely ;)

As usual Digital spy published a new interview, now with Will.

It's time to find out more about Alo in this week's episode of Skins! You might think that he's just a drug-smoking slacker and, well, you'd be right. But we're about to find out a lot more about him! His mum's fed up of him wasting his time at college, so she decides that he should quit to work on the family farm instead. That probably won't go down too well... We rang up Will Merrick, who plays Alo, to find out more about the episode (there might be a couple of small spoilers!).

Can you give us an overview of the episode?
"Alo has started partying a lot more and he's started to go out and enjoy himself and that's how the episode really starts, with him having a lot of fun and not really taking any notice of responsibilities or school or anything, just really being a classic teen. And at this point his mum decides that her son should leave college because it's not even worth him being there, because he's not really doing anything. She's decided that it's his obligation to work on the farm with his dad - because they live on a farm just outside Bristol - and it's his duty and his responsibility to help his dad with the family business."

We haven't seen much of Alo yet - were you pleased to explore him more in this episode?
"Yeah. Him and Rich are really out of this love triangle that's going on, and Rich had his episode so you'd see more of him. But Alo at this point isn't really in any of the dramas, he's not really in any of the relationships, so he's quite an outsider in the series. And you get to see really what Alo's home life is like and what he's up to when all this is going on and his own problems and challenges and things he's got to deal with. So I loved it, I thought it was great. Up to that point I hadn't had a chance to explore Alo that much. It's always good to get to a character's roots because it's our environment that informs us so you get to see Alo's parents and his home and it helps you understand the character more."

How does Alo get on with his parents?
"Not too well! He's definitely a classic teenager, where he doesn't feel like he needs them and he feels like he's quite old enough to make his own decisions and live his own life now. It seems that before this they haven't had much discipline and he's done more or less what he's wanted. But now they've become very parenting so there's quite a tension, especially between Alo and his mum."

Do you think it's a realistic portrayal of parents and teenagers and their relationships?
"Yeah, I think it is, in the way of the complete lack of understanding for each other's opinions and views. They have completely different views and neither one understands or even tries to understand the other. There's no effort, there's just the pride and arrogance and the fact that their view is right and they're not even going to try to understand the other. You know when people have an argument but they're not even really talking about the same thing because they're not listening to each other? I think it really shows that."

Alo's mum seems awful - do you think she's justified in her behaviour towards Alo?
"I think she is justified. No, I think she's very unfair and I don't think she really understands Alo. She forgets the fact that he's still only 17 - he's just turned 17. He's just doing what every teenager did and he's just enjoying his life. The theme of the episode is growing up and she expects him to be an adult now. There are issues with his dad and his mum is worried about his dad, so she expects Alo to step up and be a man and take responsibility, which is a completely fair thing to ask. But she doesn't really listen to him, which is the problem. She makes no effort to compromise and I think that's where the war begins."

How does Alo and Rich's friendship change in this episode?
"Alo is very much dealing with these things on his own and then right at the end it all becomes too much and he goes to his safety net, which is Rich. And the guy that he could always rely on and the guy that was always there - up to this point it's been very much Alo and Rich against the world, they've been best friends for a long time and they're always there for one another - and Alo needs him and he doesn't get the response he expects when he asks for help because Rich has sort of moved on. It's a great scene because we see Rich has come out of this pride-driven, won't compromise [attitude] and has actually found happiness, and he's got a girlfriend and that's what he's really thinking about. That's quite a difficult scene because Alo wants to tell him all these things that are wrong and everything that's gone wrong but doesn't want to burst his bubble because he sees how happy Rich is."

There are quite a few emotional scenes in your episode, but it's got a lot of humour too. Did you like the funny side?
"Yeah, I loved it. That's what Alo's about and he's always been one of the funny characters. I think it's great because Skins can get very intense and a lot of the storylines are very deep and dealing with real hardships. So I see it as a sort of breath of humour halfway through the series to take it a bit easier and go a bit lighter - even though it does come crumbling down as it always does! I think Skins does humour really well so I think it's great."

You have an over-the-top masturbation scene in your episode - was that quite embarrassing to film?
"Not really! I don't exactly know why. I remember asking myself at the time, 'Why am I so relaxed with this? This is worrying'. I love that scene, I think it's great. It's classic Alo. He can't do anything normally - not even have a w**k normally. It has to be a little bit different and he has to be a little bit more adventurous. It's all a lot of fun to him. But no, I didn't find it embarrassing. It's a natural occurrence in a teenage boy's life and a lot of people shy away from it, but at the end of the day everyone's doing it! I think it's good to get that taboo out there."

There's a flour and egg fight in this episode - what was it like filming that?
"That was a lot of fun. It was a bitch to get out because we had to film a scene from earlier on in the episode afterwards. So we had this massive fight - I don't know if you've ever been caked with flour and eggs and milk, the milk was probably the worst - and it's quite difficult to get out of the face and the hair, so that took quite a while. So continuity was a mess! But it was great fun. They just really let us go and let us do whatever we wanted and I think that's probably why it looked so good."

Do you think the group are coming together more now?
"Yeah, definitely. The group really come together in Alo's episode. It's one of the first episodes where we see everyone partying together happily. That's built up throughout the series and as you'll see in the last episode, everyone's very united. Everyone really comes together."