Interview with Wunmi Mosaku who plays DC Teri Darego

24 October 2017

 

Your new show is The End of the F***ing World. That’s certainly a title to grab the attention, isn’t it?

I love the title. I thought it was bold and I thought it was brilliant.

What’s the show about, and who do you play?

I would describe it as a dark coming of age story about two young kids who are finding themselves and their place in the world. I play Teri who is a policer officer who is investigating a murder. I would say she is independent, she’s a bit grumpy, hard and cold hearted sometimes. She’s a leader in a way but she’s not one of those leaders that you necessarily always want to follow.

What attracted you to the role?

I really loved the script and the role. I’d never been in a dark comedy before. I wanted to work with the cast and the director. It was the whole package, the whole thing. It’s something I’ve never done before and the style its shot in, even though it’s not period it feels period in a way.

The subject matter is seriously dark – did you have any misgivings about that?

I don’t want people to be inspired by it action wise but I don’t think I had any problems with it. When you read the comic, it’s just a dark comic and it’s cool to bring that to life.

It’s filmed in some very striking settings. Where did you shoot?

Most of the time it felt like we were filming at the end of the f***ing world. There weren’t many people around, there were dilapidated buildings. We were at the edge of the UK by the Isle of Sheppey. It was beautiful but we didn’t have to manipulate the areas for the shoot it very much felt like this is where they are. We didn’t need to change much to get the feel.

Although it’s set today, the whole thing has a sort of 70s feel to it. Was that intentional?

It was intentional. They style is really cool. They (James and Alyssa) want to get out; they don’t really fit in where they are from. That kind of 70’s feel in a modern day gives you that divorce of reality. It makes you feel like you’re misplaced because it is modern but it defiantly works for the two kids and their journey as they want to get out.

Your cop partner is played by Gemma Whelan – how did you enjoy working together?

She and I became bosom buddies, we shared a car every morning and night and it was like two and a half hours of the day in the car. It really helped our characters, they are always together. Even though Teri and Eunice don’t necessarily always get on those journeys really solidified our relationship and made working together a safe and fun environment. We just got on really well.

It’s based on a series of comic books. Did you read them?

I did, when I accepted the job I think I had only read up to episode 6, I hadn’t read 7 and 8 yet but then I read the whole comic book series. I don’t normally read graphic novels so I was shocked I thought it was going to be old school like POW, BOOM and all that stuff but it was a hand written, black and white comic and it was strangely beautiful in a way.

Did you do anything else in the way of research?

I watched the short film as well but it was quite straight forward.

Have you ever played a cop before?

I’ve played quite a few, I’ve just played a detective inspector, I’ve played the head of anti-terrorism and I played a PC in Vera many years ago. They are nothing like each other character wise but the practicality of being a police officer that all helped. Character wise no one is quite like Teri.

The leads, Alex and Jessica, are quite remarkable, aren’t they?

I didn’t have that many scenes with them so I didn’t get to work with them much really but when I did it was a big scene with lots of people in it but on set and on the make-up bus they were just lovely people. Alex is a sweetheart and him and Jess are such great leaders for the cast and crew. They were very sweet and got us all ice-creams. They are just good people and I don’t think anyone has a bad word to say about anyone on that shoot. It was a really lovely job. Alex and Jess were just great to have as the two leading the way. It was a delightful shoot.

The show has got a great cast, including some excellent cameos, doesn’t it?

Christine Bottomley and Navin Chowdhry were really fun to work with. I had worked with them before. It was lovely being on set with the baby twins, they were really happy babies to have on set; they were always sleeping so it was perfect. Steve Oram was really lovely it was great being all together on the dinner bus. I can honestly say everyone was amazing, it was just a great, fun, joyful job.