Interview with Jay Lycurgo (Charlie)
Category: Press Pack ArticleWere you a fan of the genre beforehand?
Oh yeah. I like horror and zombies are really fun. I love the Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead… All the Deads! This reminds me of Shaun of the Dead in that it’s a dark comedy, although it keeps you surprised – even watching it, I was getting jump scares. I also love a human element. Trauma is a great foundation for drama, and when you have a traumatised character, all of a sudden they become three dimensional.
How does Charlie fit into the story?
Charlie is the leader. The group is like a modern-day Scooby Doo gang with Charlie as Fred, but Charlie is more of a tormented, traumatised teenage boy. He lost his dad and now has an abusive stepdad (Robert James-Collier) and a manipulated mother (T’Nia Miller). He’s the middle child of two sisters – I’ve got two sisters as well, so I loved that dynamic – but his older sister Billy (Ava Hinds-Jones) has gone into the army and his younger sister Maisy (Ellie-Mae Siame) really needs someone to look up to. His mum is lost in her lustful relationship, so Charlie really wants to take care of the group. Steff (Lewis Gribben) is jealous of him being so calm, cool and collected. He’s the closest to a conventional hero in the group.
How would you describe his relationships with Steff and Kelly (Buket Komur)?
It's very complicated – a love triangle. They’re the sort of relationships that Charlie would look back on in ten years and think: I wonder what happened to them? I don't think he really knows where he stands, but that's the same for every teenager. He and Steff are such a dynamic duo and Charlie really cares for him, but wants him to step up. He wants to push him, but it comes to a point where Charlie’s getting a bit tired of it. And he does really like Kelly, but it’s a toxic relationship and they shouldn’t really be together, although they are trying.
Were there aspects of Charlie you could relate to?
Oh yeah, 100 percent. I was in a really lost place and felt very low about life when I went into playing Charlie, so I leant into that side of it. We all have that part of us where we feel very blunt and low, but we still have to show this version of ourselves where we’re all excited and happy. We're all human and we struggle. Because Charlie's been through so much and is still going through so much, he shuts down. That’s my defence mechanism at times as well, but it’s Charlie's state all the time. So it was very relatable and quite settling to be in it. A bit exhausting as well.
Did playing Charlie help you work through it?
Yeah, every role gets you to that next point, that next chapter in your life. I'm grateful for Charlie and the great thing about the show is that he improves. We get taught as men to shut down and have these walls up, so there was something really nice in his progression through the show: the weight is lifted, he's not as harsh and pessimistic any more.
What were you picking up from working with TV icons like Robert Lindsay (playing Morgan), Sue Johnston (playing Cecily) and Anita Dobson (playing Janine)?
Experience and getting comfortable in front of that camera, believing in that instinct. Sue and Anita are brilliant characters, their energy is insane. Anita was always dancing! They really shed some light.
How did you go on with the improvisation?
I love it so much. It was so intense on set, so many scenes in a day, and Ben would often encourage us to go off-script. On the first day, we did five scenes in a row for the house party with no cutting, like theatre. Then he’d say, “All right, off script, just see what happens.” It's terrifying when he says it, but as soon as he says “Action!”, the whole anxiety just lifts. I just feel super confident with improv now, which I didn’t think I ever would. But Lewis is the best at it.
How would you get on in a zombie apocalypse?
I think I’d survive. I'm on the third floor of an apartment building, so I’d just lock up things. I'm not really stocked up and I'm guessing Uber Eats wouldn’t be working, but I just bought a guitar yesterday so I could use that. I’ve got a few knives in the kitchen... I’d be better than Lewis and Buket, although Viola would be pretty good.