Alison Oliver and Sasha Lane star as ex-girlfriends and now best friends Frances and Bobbi, who meet older married couple Melissa and Nick, played by Jemima Kirke and Joe Alwyn, during a Dublin poetry night. The story follows their different relationships as their lives become intertwined.
What’s the central conversation of the series?
Alison Oliver: “What I took from the book was that you can’t really control (things)… so much for Frances is control and she realizes you can’t control who you love or how many people you love. You just love them and hope for the best. I think that’s a really interesting message and a journey that they all go on.”
Did you feel pressure to please fans of the book?
Joe Alwyn: “It’s nice to be a part of something… that people love so much, of course… there’s nerves in that you want to do justice to the book and characters that people care a lot about. But alongside that is an excitement and a privilege to be asked to be a part of (it) and that means a lot. You have to put those nerves aside, at least when making it.”
Sasha Lane: “It’s a show and it’s based on the book… they are two different things. You had real people acting these out, taking emotions that are written down or not even fully… it’s through Frances’ perspective and you’re writing in that way and then you put it into a show where you’re actually including these characters. It’s just a whole different thing.”
Were there any unexpected challenges during filming?
Jemima Kirke: “The challenge of being a mother and being an actor is one that’s not talked about very often, especially as a single mother. It’s actually not a thing. It’s not possible to be good at both. One thing is always lacking on one side… (the) most time I’ve spent away from my kids is probably six or seven weeks and the only other mothers I know who I know of that do that are army moms.”
