Hollyoaks: Who Shot Mercedes? Liam | The Lover

28 October 2019

What is Liam’s motivation for shooting Mercedes?

They’ve had a very off and on intense relationship for the last 6 – 7 months and Mercedes has very definitely decided that it’s over, she’s done this to him before. He’s seemingly at her beck and call and Liam is usually not the kind of guy to let that happen. She’s aborted a baby that could have been Sylver’s, it could have been Liam’s, so there are lots of reasons why, in Liam’s mind, shooting her would remove him of a problem.

What has Liam and Mercedes’ relationship been like this year?

Liam and Mercedes’ relationship this year has been incredibly toxic. I think at points they’ve both felt genuine things for the other person, but ultimately it’s been incredibly destructive for them and their families and the people who love them.  They’ve used each other in a very unhealthy way, almost like the way some people use drugs – to escape their problems. For Liam, it started off in that way and then it became a potential retribution, it became a chance to make up for the loss of Eva and the family he could have had (his pregnant girlfriend Eva was killed by Grace). There was a potential that him and Mercedes could have started a family together and he believes that would have made him happy, it would have solved a lot of the darkness in his character. But she’s always chosen Sylver over him and always let him down, and he’s always been happy to be at her beck and call and come back when she’s asked him to, but I think she might have pushed him too far.

What has it been like working so closely with Jen (Metcalfe) in your first year?

It’s been great, she’s one of my all-time favourite people to work with. She’s so generous and kind and she’s brilliant. I mean she’s had thirteen years to work on herself and work on her craft and she knows what to do to give what is needed. She knows what this work and this world needs and it’s quite specific. I had to adapt myself to it. It’s not like any other job, it requires a certain skill to do it, and she has it.

How fun is it to play a baddie?

It’s the most fun. I don’t envy people like David who plays Sylver or Adam who plays Brody - the good characters who self-sacrifice. Liam’s innately selfish, he does what he wants and of course being allowed to do that in a safe environment is fun.

If you could play any other TV character, who would it be and why?

Jesse in Breaking Bad, I mean what an incredible character that was. In some respects, he’s similar to Liam, that’s quite a good parallel. I would have liked to be in Band of Brothers for sure. Also, The Sopranos although I’m probably not Italian enough for that.

What have been your best and funniest moments filming so far?

Working with Greg [Finnegan, who plays James], ‘corpsing’ happens every single time. He’s innately funny - he’s got funny bones, even when he’s not trying to be funny he is. When you’re on set and you’ve already ruined a couple of takes because you’re laughing it becomes even funnier because you shouldn’t laugh. I did quite a comedy fall with Tam [Tamara Wall, who plays Grace] where I slipped on a carpet and I probably flew a meter in the air and then I slipped. That was quite amusing.