Taj Atwal On New BBC Comedy, Daddy Issues

3 months ago

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You might recognise Taj Atwal from the likes of Line of Duty and Hullraisers – and her latest project is streaming now on BBC iPlayer. Here we chat to Taj about starring alongside Aimee Lou Wood and David Morrissey in Daddy Issues.

Interview: Taj Atwal

Taj Atwal, captured by her Daddy Issues’ co-star, Arian Nik

Hi Taj, how’s life going at the moment?

It’s been a pretty tricky year personally. A dear friend of mine passed away and I haven’t processed the grief yet. It comes in waves. I just want to talk about her all the time. Grief is so complicated. I’m thankful for the love surrounding me. Work wise, I have been so fortunate to be working on some real, meaningful projects that have challenged me (in a good way) as an actress and working with one of my dream writers.

You can currently be seen in Daddy Issues on BBC iPlayer – can you give us an elevator pitch for the show?

Gemma unexpectedly falls pregnant after joining the mile high club. With very little support or friends, she has to turn to her hapless father. They become housemates which opens up a whole host of hilarious drama.

You play Gemma’s friend Cherry – how would you describe her?

What you see is what you get. She won’t hold back on sharing her thoughts or opinions on pretty much anything (including fancying Gemma’s dad!). Like Gemma, she is a bit of a loner and was bullied by the same girls from school. She is a newly single mother after her husband cheated on her with a much younger woman (Cherry is only 24!). Gemma and Cherry very quickly become allies after their shared need of a night out.

What was it like playing her?

Really good fun. I’m not married, divorced nor have children, so it was interesting tapping into that journey of life. She is such a vivid character and was so much fun tapping back into that early 20s part of life where you don’t always think about the repercussions of your actions as much. It was quite liberating. I love the frankness of the way Cherry operates. I’m pretty similar in that way.

How did you get into character?

There were a few different script versions that came out and so she changed a little. But once the scripts were down, I got to unpick who she was and went from there. The right costume is super important to me in order to really step into the shoes of my character, quite literally. Thankfully we had a great costume designer and we went back and forth until we found the right looks. I knew I wanted her to feel different to Rana, who I played in Hullraisers; even though they are both pretty glamorous in their night out dress sense, Cherry is more youthful in choices what with her being 24.

What was the cast dynamic on set?

Just brilliant! Very supportive and warm. I’ve made some lifelong friends on this and had worked with Sharon (Rooney) and Sarah (Hadland) before, so it was nice to see and work together again in the same show.

Gemma (Aimee Lou Wood), Cherry (TAJ ATWAL) & Xander (ARIAN NIK) in Daddy Issues. © BBC/Fudge Park Productions/Matt Squire

You’re probably best known for starring in Hullraisers, which we love, but you’ve starred in lots of things across the board. What has been your favourite project to date?

Ooof… That is a tricky question. They’re all unique in their own way. Some came with big and sometimes painful lessons to learn, some were just pure joy and others that really challenged me as a person and as an actress. I can’t choose!

Any roles in the pipeline that you’re excited about? (If you’re allowed to tell us!)

I wish I could! Soon, hopefully. But this project is a dream come true as I’m working with a writing legend. A real ‘pinch me’ project.

We hear you’re also writing a film script – are you able to share any details on that?

I’m writing four, ha ha! I have a movie script in the works which is loosely semi-autobiographical, called Paradise Fields. It really questions, what is home? How do we create one when we don’t have one? Who is our home, where is our home, is it something tangible, like a house, but also a feeling and the people you love?

Have you always wanted to write as well as act?

I think as a child I was always writing stories, but I wouldn’t say that I always knew I wanted to do either acting or writing! It wasn’t until I was 17 that I really started to jot story ideas down that could actually form into something remotely tangible on screen. I wrote for theatre first, but always found that medium incredibly difficult. It did not come easy to me.

Who has been your favourite actor to work with in the past?

I’d say the cast I am working with now. They are older than me and have so much wisdom to pass on. I love receiving their advice and knowledge on how to do life when it’s throwing up a lot of contrast.

Which co-star did you learn the most from?

It wasn’t an actor but a director. That was Noreen Kershaw, whom I worked with on my first lead role pretty fresh out of drama school. I hadn’t learned anything useful about screen acting up until then and she really helped guide me.

What’s your dream role?

Playing a badass witch!

What’s a genre you’d like to do more of?

I love movies like The Fifth Element, The Matrix, District 9… So something dystopian and sci-if would be really interesting to be in.

Who is an actor, writer or director that you’d love to work with?

Andrea Arnold. Her work has had such a big impact on me.

Do you get to spend much time at home?

It’s all or nothing sometimes! I’m kind of here, there and everywhere at the moment, but I love it! I can’t be indoors for more than one day, so the lifestyle suits me down to a T.

Do you live in the town or the country? Which do you prefer?

I’m a city girl at the moment, but my heart is in the country in nature. I spent my formative years on quite a volatile council estate which doesn’t hold the best memories for me, but we had a huge garden attached to ours and my brother and I would spend every waking (and sleeping, in tents!) minute out there. Come rain, sun or snow. I never wanted to be indoors. It was like our own oasis out in the garden where our imaginations could run wild. We had a plum tree and we loved picking the ripe ones. I could eat one after the other and any of the rotten ones we’d just lob at each other, ha ha.

What’s your interior design style?

I have a home that was built in circa 1905–1910 and it has small stained-glass windows in the living room with tulips on! I’ve got the original fireplace as well. So in keeping with that era, I’ve got a very traditional kitchen with brass style handles and brass picture lights on the walls. But to balance it out, I have bright modern artwork in the living space. My bedroom has more traditional artwork such as oil paintings. I love a lot of the Soho House aesthetic, so I’ve gone quite similar to that in my bathroom. My guest room is super cosy and softly furnished; my friends who stay call it The Nook as there are steps down into the room.

How do you find balance in your personal and work lives?

I love dancing… A lot. So I go to some great places to do that. Anjunadeep is a favourite, especially in Finsbury Park, dancing under the trees. I love being out walking and hiking, and will always try to do that in whichever location I am filming in, if the area has suitable places. I spent a huge amount of time in Bulgaria a couple of years ago and climbed Vitosha, drove to waterfalls etc. I love being at work so I never feel like I need a huge break from it to be honest. I find it cathartic being on set. I feel safe in that environment because I know it so well and I know how to exist, as Taj Atwal, in that world.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Ha ha ha. Everything! Hairdresser, teacher, boxer, working with cars, racing cars, singer, the lot! Thankfully acting and writing were somewhere in there but not always at the forefront and not until my teenage years.

If you could give advice to your 15-year-old self, what would it be?

It’s okay to say no!

How can we all live a little bit better?

Hold space for each other.

Anything fun in the pipeline – professionally or personally?

I have four writing projects I definitely need to knuckle down on, finish this brilliant shoot I’m on and definitely get some exploring of the world in!