Sarah Kameela Impey: ‘The Vera Crew Are Like A Family’

Vera returns to ITV1 for its fourteenth and final series tomorrow night. We sat down with Sarah Kameela Impey – who plays pathologist Dr Paula Bennett – to get the inside scoop.

Interview: Sarah Kameela Impey On Vera

(L-R) JON MORRISON as DC Kenny Lockhart, SARAH KAMEELA IMPEY as Dr Paula Bennett, BRENDA BLETHYN as Vera Stanhope, RILEY JONES as DC Mark Edwards and DAVID LEON as DI Joe Ashworth in Vera Series 14. (Silverprint Pictures/ITV)

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

Hi, it’s going well. Just busy with seeing friends and family, buying presents and getting a workshop for a play in before Christmas. 

You are about to return to our screens in the final series of Vera – can you give us an elevator pitch for the series?

Watch Vera do what she does best, for the last time ever. With intricate cases and possible promotions her relationships with everyone around her are changing and deepening. Will these complex murders be the end of her, and what does the future look like for DCI Stanhope?

You play Dr Paula Bennett – how would you describe her?

Paula is a workaholic, so fascinated by her craft that she prides herself in knowing it all factually and not theoretically. She hates guesses and works very tightly with the evidence. She is inspired by Vera but also in slight competition with her, wanting to be friendly but having to be professional.

What is Paula’s character arc like this series

Vera is showing more trust in Paula’s ability and their relationship takes some interesting turns. A few more pleases and thank yous from Vera is boosting her ego, but it’s nice to see throughout that they can still square up to each other when they need to. 

Did you do anything special to get into character?

My brother Dr Matthew Impey helped me tremendously. He gave me some inside scoops about forensic pathologists’ traits and demeanours, so I picked a few of those for Paula. The hazmat suit and scrubs help with the character, and then I just have to remember, especially in the morgue, that it’s like her bedroom – she owns the space and is completely at home there.

How does it feel to be saying goodbye to the show – and the character?

Even though I have only been a part of the show for three years out of the 14, the Vera crew are like a family and I will really miss the wonderful atmosphere they created. I will miss Paula too, but not the really long medical phrases she comes out with. I was allowed to keep her skull mug which currently has a cascading plant in it. 

Any standout moments from filming this final series?

There was an amazing moment when filming the murder site in [series 14] episode one, where part of the bank started to sink – the part where all the forensic SA’s happened to be – so we had to improvise to match previous takes. My last scene with the forensic SA’s was really emotional; some of them have been in the show since the beginning. We had our own little family and during our breaks we were creating Vera the musical.

What was your favourite location that was used for filming?

It has to be Holy Island. It is such a magical place, only becoming an island for part of the day. We saw a few seals there while we were filming by the coast.

Who was your favourite person to work with on set?

The cast are incredible but watching Brenda Blethyn is a masterclass every moment. Not only does she know the script back to back and can tell if something doesn’t match up with what was previously shot, she has so much fun in between the takes that it keeps us all going on long days. I was starstruck for my first few scenes with her.

What’s something you learned on Vera that you’ll carry forward?

Always keep playing. We rehearse the scenes several times so that the blocking really comes from the characters and we all want the same thing: a great shot. Also that I really am not squeamish. I had to put my face quite close to some very real looking injuries and dead bodies.

BRENDA BLETHYN as DCI Vera Stanhope and SARAH KAMEELA IMPEY as DR Paula Bennett in Vera series 14. (Silverprint Pictures/ITV)

You’ve also starred in We Are Lady Parts – can you tell us a bit about that?

I play the lead singer of an all female Muslim punk band called Lady Parts and we are searching for a new lead guitarist. It’s an anarchic and powerful look into the complex lives of muslim women and is a comedic raucous celebration of sisterhood. The second series came out this May in which the songs, storylines and cameos will blow your mind!

Do you think series 3 is on the cards?

I have everything possible crossed.

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

Since the strike, the industry hasn’t quite recovered in terms of work being made or even auditions coming out, so it’s been very quiet for me. Watch this space though – I have high hopes for 2025.

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

In the second series of Lady Parts – spoiler alert! – I got to work with my idol Meera Syal. I have watched Meera since I was tiny. Goodness gracious me, she changed the face of the TV I was watching, and from there her career has gone from strength to strength. Then suddenly she is in front of me, acting with me, harmonising with me in the breaks. I will never forget it.

Which co-star did you learn the most from?

I have learnt so much from every co-star, but Anjana Vasan’s comedic timing and constant experimental nature as well as her deep connection to the text inspired me endlessly.

What’s your dream role?

The little brown girl answer is every role we are yet to see a brown face in, every genre where we are missing. I am also manifesting a lead role in an epic fantasy series or film. I love fantasy and sci fi so please, if you are reading this, cast me!

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

Fantasy and sci-fi. I also wouldn’t say no to a rom-com.

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

The Wachowski sisters, Lana and Lilly. I love everything they do and was totally obsessed with Sense 8. Also Denis Villeneuve whose vision for Dune was inspired. 

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

I always make sure that I rest when I can so I don’t burn out. I meditate and do yoga and sound baths to keep myself regulated. When I am not working, I catch up with all my friends and family as much as possible. I have always believed in having a personal life. If I need a holiday, I will take one, as I don’t want to look back and only see work. I love adventures and I feel like more life experience makes me a better actor.

How can we all live a little bit better?

Be kind and loving to yourself. With social media, it is so easy to fall into a pattern of comparison. Take breaks and set little goals for yourself each day. Practice gratitude for everything you already have.

Anything fun in the pipeline – professionally or personally?

It’s my dad’s 80th birthday coming up as well as my parents 55th wedding anniversary so there are many celebrations on the horizon. 

Sarah Kameela Impey Recommends…

I’m currently watching… Rivals

What I’m reading…  House of flame and shadow by Sarah j Maas

The last thing I watched (and loved) was… Shogun

What I’m most looking forward to seeing… Wicked

Favourite film of all time….  That’s so hard but in terms of lasting effect Labyrinth – she was also called Sarah!

Favourite song of all time…  Time after time, mainly as it’s in Strictly Ballroom.

Band/singer I always have on repeat…. The Cavemen – saw them live this year and Wow

My ultimate cultural recommendation….  Watch and visit any show or art exhibition from a different culture to your own. Knowledge creates understanding and togetherness.

Cultural guilty pleasure… Love is Blind on Netflix and couples therapy on BBC

WATCH

Sarah Kameela Impey stars in Vera series 14, airing on ITV1 and STV at 8pm on 1 and 2 January 2025, followed by companion documentary Vera: Farewell Pet, on 3 January at 9 pm. Catch up on ITVX.