Interview with Celine Buckens (Sapphire)

What drew you to this series?
I think the premise was really fresh. I felt that I hadn't seen the premise of someone coming into psychologist's office and then divulging something which leads the psychologist on a trail is not something I'd seen before. And then the fact that Anne-Marie Duff was playing it, because I just feel very honoured that I'm acting alongside her. It’s a series unlike any other. It sort of breaks the mould and I love how it brings actors together in each episode. It's really thrilling.

Suspect is a unique format, what are the challenges as an actor?
I think that two hander structure is really new and really different to the series, and it's falls somewhere between theatre and TV, which is really exciting.I'm lucky that we're filming chronologically, it's such a luxury with TV, you never get that. So I think we'll really be in the thick of it when filming because you don't have to hark back to like a month or two ago when you film the beginning of that scene.

Can you tell us something about Sapphire/Emma and how you researched your character?
Sapphire is a high-class escort and is quite savvy because she's had to be in her line of work, she knows how to defend herself. Her real name is Emma. I did a bit of research with some sex workers in London because the laws are so different in different countries that massively impacts on the experiences. So the ECP (English Collective of Prostitutes) were really helpful and connected me with a few people who I could ask some questions to and discuss the different kind of scenarios you might be in.  

Can you explain so far the relationship with Susannah and how it develops from your first encounter with her?
So the relationship at the beginning is, I think, is one of curiosity. I think she's very curious as to why a woman is there at the hotel. I think it's very rare for women to hire sex workers.   But then it becomes a relationship of not knowing whether to trust this woman because  of the things that Sapphire's witnessed, she's got nothing to rush to trust anyone. And then fundamentally, I think at the end it becomes a relationship of two women kind of having no choice but to trust one another.