ACTRESS Olivia Colman has spoken about her role in BBC One’s The 7.39, which is set to begin on Monday, January 6.
Olivia plays the part of Maggie Matthews in the two-part romantic drama.
It follows the story of Maggie’s husband Carl and health club manager Sally Thorn, played by Epworth actress Sheridan Smith, who meet and start up a friendship on their daily commute.
Olivia discussed the role and the project in publicity material produced by the BBC and Carnival Films, which made the programme.
Tell us about Maggie and her life as Carl’s wife.
Maggie is not the main character but there is a lovely emotional journey that she goes through which is interesting to play. She is a very lovely woman and she loves her family. Maggie has a busy home life, she has two teenage children and she works as an occupational therapist. Carl, her husband, works hard and travels a lot on the train, as we find out. They have what looks like a very strong relationship and get on really well. They don’t have much time together or as much as they should have but they love each other and like each other’s little foibles.
Can you tell us a bit more about Carl and Maggie?
Maggie and Carl have been together for such a long time. In rehearsals we came up with a backstory that they met aged 19 at university. I think maybe in Carl’s head he didn’t have enough time to play the field, but there is no excuse! Carl and Maggie are
funny and great together. They have gotten into a rhythm of not necessarily listening, but still teasing each other and getting on – everything seems to be fine. Maggie is very happily married. Perhaps because they are such a great team, Carl took it for
granted and hadn’t realised that something so solid could be that fragile.
When do the cracks start to appear?
Quite late on Maggie becomes worried that there is something not right, but she puts it down to Carl being tired and disenchanted. Carl does start running out of the house a little too quickly and that arouses an even greater suspicion.
How does Maggie react when she finds out Carl has been cheating?
Maggie finds out her loving husband has been having an affair and is obviously angry. I don’t think anyone would react very well to that. She is hurt, upset and humiliated. She has to weigh up what has happened and where they are to go from there. There is something about Maggie that is really strong, she doesn’t think it’s worth losing him, they’re the actions of a warrior, she’s not giving up.
How did you find working with David Morrissey?
David Morrissey is lovely, we’ve never worked together before but we had met each other. It’s a treat to be working together; he’s a very nice man. The last two days of filming were particularly good. We were filming scenes of Carl getting in and out of
bed and I was genuinely fast asleep quite a lot of the time.
You’ve worked with John Alexander before?
John Alexander I love! We did Exile together a few years ago and he’s lovely. He’s a real actor’s director. It sounds a bit bonkers but he is very understanding and lets you get on with it. He understands when a take is good and doesn’t push to do it again – he doesn’t overkill as some people do. I can’t imagine anyone meeting him and not liking him, he’s a kind man with a lovely family and a strong Geordie accent. He is a real joy to be directed by.
How did you find working with Sheridan?
I love her! We only get one scene together and I see her with my husband. I’m really frosty with her.
Tell us a bit more about the story of The 7.39?
Something about falling in love on a train is a taboo. Neither Sally or Carl are free to fall in love with other people and this story shows the repercussions. Rather than just showing the couple and their love for each other, you see the hurt that is caused with the people at home, which I thought was interesting.
What was the appeal for you?
I like David’s writing, I read One Day last summer and was gripped by it. I like the way he has written this family, it feels very real and my character gets a cracking speech at the end of it!
What is the difference between this and other modern day love stories?
The difference between The 7.39 and other modern day love stories are the scenes you see at home; the fall out and repercussions of an affair. Also it’s not about teenagers or young twenty something’s falling in love. I think the reason Brief Encounter was taken into everybody’s heart was that it portrayed people in later life, people that had in theory already sorted out their lives, and yet still had this little
frisson with somebody else. That is what set Brief Encounter apart, and I think that’s what sets The 7.39 apart too.
How else is this story relatable?
I think if you have a job that doesn’t do it for you, it’s that boredom and repetitive lifestyle that people can relate to. That’s how those sorts of affairs come about; they make you feel attractive again so it is kind of understandable that it happens. The story sort of shows how you need to be aware of what you’ve got and appreciative of
each other and it is very beautifully written in that respect. David Nicholls is a wonderful writer, I did something of his years ago called Rescue Me and that was when I first became aware of him. I then read Understudy and of course, like the rest of the world, One Day and it nearly killed me, its beautiful. I have
read most of his books actually. David writes such beautiful, witty characters with a real emotional intelligence. The 7.39 is written so wonderfully because you can see why Sally and Carl love each
other and why they need each other in their lives. Carl and Maggie’s relationship has nothing wrong at home so it is sort of puzzling as to why Carl has the affair but its also why it’s interesting to watch.
It seems like Carl and Maggie have really got it made, but this shows that relationships are still fragile and can still be broken.
The 7.39 will be broadcast on BBC One at 9pm on Monday, January 6 and Tuesday, January 7.
