EE: Sophie Thompson interview

[carmelina]

We've seen her abuse and torment young Ben Mitchell for just under five months now and this week, EastEnders' Stella Crawford meets her maker.

A lawyer by day, Stella continues to live her kooky life as if nothing is wrong. And despite the fact she's living with a disgruntled fiancé who is unsure of his feelings towards her, a soon-to-be stepson who hates her guts and the fact she's an iconic laughing stock in Walford - she remains adamant that nothing's going to prevent her from living the life she dreamed of as a child.

Unaware that his son Ben (Charlie Jones) has been suffering, Phil (Steve McFadden) is all ready to marry Stella until Ben stands up, stops the wedding and shouts the words "can somebody help me?"

In an unmissable week of EastEnders, Phil chases Stella to a factory rooftop where she plummets to her death, taking her troubled past with her. But did Phil push her? Or did Stella jump?

Digital Spy caught up with the actress behind Stella, Sophie Thompson, to chat about her character, wedding week and what other projects she currently has lined up.

Did you research your character?
"I don't think I did. No, I'm not sure I'd know how to!"

Did you not at any point feel disturbed by what you were acting?
"Well I think some bits were a bit harder than others. What was great was that Charlie [Jones] and I got on so well and we had a giggle about things. I think the best thing was that we felt so safe and comfortable with each other as actors. And obviously we knew that we were both just telling a story and it was far from real."

What's it been like working with Steve McFadden?
"He was lovely, so welcoming. And is was absolutely brilliant just to watch him work – he's such a professional. He's been with EastEnders for so long that he knows every crevice of the set! There'd be occasions where he'd be standing there and say 'Sophie… you're in the way of that shot' before the camera had even started rolling [laughs]. He's such a lovely, funny guy and I absolutely loved working with him."

Do you think you'll ever be able to shake off the Stella image?
"I hope so. But I think characters come and go just the same as stories that come and go - that's the nature of soaps. I don't really think of it like I'll be stuck with an image. Her story's been told and then everything moves on."

What's been the reaction to you on the streets? Have you had anyone shouting 'you psycho bitch' across the street?
"[Laughs] No, I haven't actually. I've been pleasantly surprised. Occasionally you get the odd kid laughing and pointing but it's not been unpleasant at all. I've been amazed by the amount of post you get up at Elstree and how thoughtful the correspondence is. It's really nice to read a letter and see how people become engaged and involved in the storylines and want to have a good yarn about them!"

What are Stella's real motives in life?
"I think it's a variety of things. I genuinely think she loves Phil. She just wants to belong. She's someone who's never fitted in anywhere and now she sees Phil as a real rock, someone with a status in a particular environment.

"She wants to be married because she wants to be somebody. Stella's had a troubled background and I think that has a huge impact on the way she is. As far as Ben's concerned, she sees him as an obstacle which she has to overcome to get what she wants.

"And the fact she doesn't understand unconditional love, the fact she's never experienced it, goes a long way in explaining why she's treating Ben the way she is. Ultimately, Ben's in her way and she realises that she has a hold over him and she'll use that power to get him out of the way and to get that ring on her finger she has longed for.

"Part of Stella believes that once she's down the aisle with the ring on her finger, everything will be alright. That happens in real life, doesn't it? You think that if you get to a certain point, everything that'd happened will be forgotten or swept away. But everything catches up with you, just like it does with Stella…"

And what about Stalla's sister? She's been mentioned in the storyline, but not really been explored. Is there more to come from that aspect?
"It's one of those threads in the story that's not followed up but throws the audience in a certain direction and makes them think certain things. Stella didn't kill her sister. I think it was obviously some awful accident - she was 10, her sister was four and she was blamed for it. I definitely think it's one element as to why she's in such a mess, but definitely not the sole element. Hopefully it's a complement to the story and adds an extra dimension to make people wonder 'just what did happen?'"

And what happens during your wedding week?
"It's quite frantic, tricky and stressful – just like it is in real life. In Stella's world, her wedding week is all about keeping Ben out of the way before he tries to stop it all from happening. Her motives become very simplistic in that she just hopes that Ben doesn't mess it up for her. And I think she's prepared to go to whatever lengths to stop him.

"Also, I think there are a lot of moments where viewers will be shouting at the television 'just listen to Ben!' So there's obviously going to be that build up of tension running alongside the preparations for the big day. It's a case of 'Is Phil going to find out in time?'

"I think it's lovely when stories are in people's imaginations, especially when viewers – like Steve [McFadden] was telling me the other day - are going up to him on the street and telling him not to marry Stella. I think it's fantastic."
So do you make it down the aisle?
"[Laughs] you'll just have to wait and see. Will she get to the end and go through with it all? Or will she only make it halfway. It's a great episode."

You don't make it to the wedding night, though...
"Now that I can agree with. Unfortunately she falls to her death before then. But will she have a wedding ring on?..."

Such a tease… What was it like filming the stunt? The pictures looked spectacular.
"[Laughs] I didn't actually do any of the stunt myself but I went pretty close to the edge! It would have been Lucy the stunt woman who was hanging off the edge of the building! There were two of us running around in wedding dresses that day!"

And what did it feel like when you filmed your final scene?
"It was such an interesting week altogether to be honest. We were out on location and when you're out, you're always under pressure - it gets quite insense at times. It's nice because everyone really wants to make it work and it's a lovely feeling when everyone has a common aim.

"It was such an enjoyable few days out at the hotel where the wedding was meant to be and when you've been at Borehamwood for weeks, it's bizarre being out!

"The one thing that I did find quite odd was that there were a couple of weddings going on while we were filming! I thought they'd be a bit mad with us, but they were actually quite good about it all."

What other projects have you got coming up?
"It's been so lovely. Usually you finish a job and you're unemployed for ages – that's what happens to me anyway. But I went straight into a job doing a film called 'Morris: The Life With Bells on' so I'm Morris dancing at the moment. From Walford to Wiltshire in just a couple of weeks. It's been a real tonic rushing around after playing such a grim character for so many weeks.

"And just today I've returned from Florence after filming the television version of 'A Room With A View'. So I'm back in a corset again. It's great!"

Thanks for chatting with us, Sophie!

Don't miss Phil and Stella's wedding - EastEnders all this week.


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[11antoniacourt]

Thanks Carmelina. I enjoyed that. She's a good actress because she's made us really dislike Stells.

[faceless]

TOO SCARY FOR MY KIDS
Exclusive by Beth Neil 18/07/2007
www.mirror.co.uk


SHE'S the most sinister woman on TV and inspires dread among parents and children. As EastEnders' mad Stella, actress Sophie Thompson has been at the centre of one of the soap's most chilling storylines. And now she's worried about how it will affect the rest of her career. "Panto's definitely off the agenda!" she laughs. "I'd scare the kids out the theatre."

She might not be far wrong. Fans of the BBC1 soap have been gripped by Stella Crawford's 10-month reign of terror over little Ben Mitchell. Now, as bonkers Stella prepares to marry Ben's dad Phil in tomorrow's episode, it looks like she's about to get her grisly comeuppance... "It has been tough keeping the ending a secret," says Sophie, 44. "I nearly blurt it all out and then stop. I don't want to ruin it for everyone."

When the plot kicked off in September, Sophie - sister of Oscar winner Emma Thompson - steeled herself for a public backlash. Her storylines have seen her watching as bullies beat up Ben, pouring water on him as he slept to make him believe he'd wet the bed, locking him in a garage and reducing him to an emotional wreck. However, Sophie has been surprised by the support viewers have shown her. "Most people who come up to me have said how much they've been gripped by the storyline and have congratulated us on what we're doing," she says. "We're highlighting an issue which doesn't get discussed as much as it should do."

Mum-of-two Sophie, married for 12 years to actor and writer Richard Lumsden, hasn't allowed the harrowing scripts to impact on her life away from the cameras, despite the fact that, at 10, her eldest boy Ernie is the same age as Ben. Nevertheless, she's not keen on the thought of either Ernie or seven-year-old Walter watching Mummy being so cruel.

"It's a little dark for them," she says. "So they haven't been watching it. It's scary enough reading Grimms' fairytales, let alone having your own mother giving you nightmares. But I'm not a method actress who stays in character off-screen. I take my costume off and I'm Sophie. And on set, our way of dealing with disturbing scenes was to have a giggle. Someone would ask what I was doing that day and I'd go: 'Ooh, well. I've got to be a loon and burn Ben with a spoon. And you?' Working with Steve McFadden, who plays Phil, was fabulous. And Charlie Jones, who plays Ben, is a little star who'll go far. We've said that one day we'll do a sitcom together - something completely different."

In the show, Ben sussed out Stella from the start. "He always felt threatened," says Sophie. "He had an instinct. The scriptwriters worked closely with the NSPCC on the story and I think that it has been handled very sensitively."

Sipping on a decaf coffee, looking achingly ordinary and 10 years younger than she does on screen, Sophie may not be as famous as big sister Emma but her varied CV makes impressive reading. She is still adored for her role as Lydia, the insatiable second bride in Four Weddings And A Funeral, has just finished a comedy with Derek Jacobi, and is currently filming a TV version of A Room With A View. Tomorrow, she'll be tuning in with the rest of the nation to watch the drama unfold in Albert Square. "Ten months has just flown by," she smiles. "But I'm going to miss playing such a baddie and being part of the show. I'm so proud of it."

IF you're concerned about a child, call the NSPCC National Child Protection Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit their website at www.nspcc.org.uk EastEnders is on at 7.30pm, Thursday and 8pm, Friday, BBC1.

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[eefanincan]

Great reads.... thanks to both of you for posting

[pirtybirdy]

Yes, thank you both. Is it just me, or has their been a rash of child abuse here in America lately? Every time I turn around I hear another new sickening story in the news? There's nothing worse than hearing a story where an innocent kid is killed or abused. If anything, the Stella story helps people keep an eye out for kids who may be in a helpless situation.

[Skylace]

[eefanincan]