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Umi Myers: Dope Girls Is As Punk As A Period Drama Can Get
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2 hours ago
With all six episodes streaming now on BBC iPlayer, we sat down with Umi Myers to talk all about Dope Girls
Streaming now on BBC iPlayer, Dope Girls whisks us back to Soho in 1918. War is over, and while the men rejoice the Armistice on the streets of London, the women resent their implied return to the kitchen. Instead, it’s time to explore Soho’s expanding illicit underground clubland, where Kate (Julianne Nicholson) is a single mother running a hedonistic club, irrevocably changing the life of bohemian dancer Billie Cassidy (Umi Myers). We sat down with Umi to hear all about it.
Interview: Umi Myers On Dope Girls
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Photography: David Reiss
Styling: Jenny Kennedy
Hair & Make-Up: Nohelia Reyes & Lizzie Checkley
Hi Umi, how’s life going at the moment?
Life’s good! I am a bit jittery at the moment, though: it’s always weird when you’ve been a part of a process with this small family of people and then it gets launched out into the world. But no, nerves and excitement do the same thing to the body, so I should just keep saying I’m excited. I’m excited! Let’s leave it there.
You can currently be seen in the BBC’s new drama Dope Girls – can you give us an elevator pitch for the show?
Soho, London. The year is 1918, the war that was supposed to end all wars is over and the men are returning home. There is anarchy, mayhem, grief and joy in the air. It feels like the birth of a new world – and amongst this chaos, we find our ‘Dope Girls’, each not content with going back to the way life was before, each pushing against the constraints of society, each trying to survive.
Do you remember your first thoughts when you read the script?
‘Please, God, let me be in this world.’ It felt so exciting. Such a new way to approach the genre. Polly and Alex’s writing was so punchy and in many ways felt really punk… As punk as a period drama can get.
You lead the series as Billie. How did it feel when you got the role?
I screamed and lay on the kitchen floor. I then experienced the quickest 360 from pure joy to sheer panic. I had auditioned in the summer, recalled the same week with our director Shannon, and then was left hanging for what felt like forever. I already felt so connected to the part, so ready for the possibilities of stepping into her shoes and wasn’t really prepared to let her pass me by, so it was such a relief to receive that call, but then I was hit with the reality of, well, ‘Umi, you got what you wanted… Can you do this? Where to start? The research? What even is my process?’ Etc etc. All the doubts and fears came rushing in. The internal critic.
How would you describe Billie?
Billie is hedonistic, chaotic, full of frenetic energy. Beyond just being the image of a bohemian dancer, she is at her core a true artist – pushing the boundaries and sensibilities of the time, dedicated to her art, desperate to express herself. All the pleasure and pain. She’s a survivor and this is where she finds her freedom. She’s also great fun.
What was it like playing her?
Billie is a whirlwind. She has moments of selfishness and vanity and she’s tricksty, so it can be so much fun to access that side. I support all her rights and wrongs! Billie is dealing with such an emotional upheaval with the arrival of Kate, that I had to learn how to allow her to drop her shields, to let her vulnerability through. I find that hard, in my day to day: to feel brave enough to express my sensitivities – so it was challenging to harness her at times. I guess I still need to remember it’s all a work in progress – as an actor, I mean.
I learned a lot from playing her, about process and bringing a character forward. But I still have more to learn, so, yes, I found moments difficult. The dances did get knackering, too, but I found so much freedom in those dances – no internal critic. I love her so much. I miss her.
Did you do anything special to prepare for the role?
Lots of dance! Lots of talking about dance. Before I started filming, I met with choreographer Javier De Frutos to talk about physicality, the history of modern dance and what drives this form of expression. That was super insightful and braced me for what the next five months would be like. Imogen Knight – our movement director, for whom I owe so much – doesn’t ‘impose’ choreography, so it’s a very collaborative process. We built the story of each dance together. We knew how each dance was reflective of Billie’s journey at that moment in the script. Micheal, who played Eddie (Billie’s best friend and collaborator) was instrumental in these discussions, too, and we decided that Billie and Eddie were closer to being performance artists than traditional dancers, so those were some of the references we looked at and brought into the room.
I also watched lots of interviews and archival footage. Billie is meant to be ahead of her time, so while I found so much inspiration in the life work and footage of the dance pioneers of the early 20th century (like Isadora Duncan, or a bit later like Martha Graham and the sensational Josophine Baker), I also looked at artists from the more modern day who I felt had an infinity to her punkness or her anti-establishment attitude. Pina Bausch, Sinade O’Connor’s infamous SNL performance, Marina Abramovic, Madonna, Eartha Kitt, NWA, Grace Jones, Lady Gaga in her blood-soaked leotard at the MTV awards, FKA Twigs. I watched their performances, watched their interviews, they were on my Billie playlist, I had their pictures up in my trailer. We also played the music of Peaches a lot on set too.
Can you tell us about your hair, makeup and costumes?
The visual world of Dope Girls is strong. It’s punchy, like the script. The aesthetic is very eclectic, a mixture of textures and colour and light, period details with a modern flair. This was the combined genius of Sophie (our costume designer), Mirna (our hair and make-up designer and Sharree (our production designer). Mirna drew inspiration from the period, of course, but keeping in line with the ethos of our period drama, she used many modern references from fashion photography, paintings and musicians to build Billie’s look.
I had gold paint dripping down my face and intricate waves in my hair. Sophie made sure that Billie’s costume told the story of who she is and where she comes from; the idea of being almost draped and pinned into certain dresses, her theatricality – as if she has stolen pieces from a theatre’s costume box to wear in her everyday, the idea that she would have made her dance costumes herself. She had detailing in her costume design that expressed the fusion of cultures that Billie was exposed to in Soho, in the textiles, patterns, colour choice. One of the most amazing costumes is what I call the golden hedgehog, an amazing replica and homage to one of Josephine Baker’s costumes. I don’t think I will ever top that.
Any standout moments from filming?
So many moments. One involving a clam shell and a pearl that I won’t spoil. Watching Micheal perform as Eddie. There was also a day where me and Eilidh got completely hysterical over a scene involving a shepherd’s pie.
Any standout filming locations?
All of the set builds were insane. Sharree is forensic in her level of detail in world building. The idea that you can build the profile of each character by the possessions they surround themselves with. She made it such an immersive experience. You should have seen my face when I walked into Billie’s flat the first time; I wish I could really live there.
Who was your favourite person to work with on set?
The cast and crew were amazing. I loved our directors Shannon and Miranda: they both were so clear in their direction, so creative and kind, but also honest if things weren’t working. I trusted them completely. I loved working with our DOPs Annika and Carlos and our head camera man Justin. They all made me feel relaxed around the camera and I think their work is so beautiful. Although the very last thing I shot was a sequence that required me to have my eyes open under water staring straight into the eye of the camera, and Carlos kept being like ‘Umi, Umi, can you stop blinking as you first hit the water, and can you hold your breath, and can you stay in a straight line for the lens’ and I was like ‘Carlos, do you want to get into this cold bath and have a try?!’. I’ll give it to him, the shot is pretty great.
It’s all about the birth of London nightlife. Where do you think Billie would go on a night out in modern day London?
She’d start in a nice bar in Soho getting free drinks from her friends in all the right places and then she’d probably be found in the club FOLD dancing for 24 hours straight.
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Billie Cassidy (UMI MYERS) in Dope Girls. (© BBC/Bad Wolf/Kevin Baker)
You’ve also got Mārama coming up. Can you tell us a bit about that?
So Mārama is, in three words, a Māori gothic horror. It is the debut feature of Taratoa Stoppard who is both our amazing writer and director. The horror creeps in in a very slow and unsettling way.
It’s another period drama, this time further back in history in Victorian Britain. How did you prepare for that?
Yes, I’m always in a corset haha! My character, Peggy, is a maid in an English household, so of course I researched what the life of a Victorian maid might look like, her hours and duties. But I also tried to really build her backstory for myself, build her internal dialogue. For lots of the film, you’re trying to understand her allegiances – what’s going on behind her silent mask. She is a character where the interior world is so contained, there is so much she wishes to scream out but she’s not got the privilege or power of that expression. I wrote a diary as her, building up her memory and opinions. It can be such a messy and random process, but I have worked a few times with a wonderful teacher Victor Villar-Hauser and he has helped expand my imagination, helped me really think beyond the script. He poses tough questions but they are so helpful in my creative work.
What was filming like?
I loved working in New Zealand so much. It is such a beautiful country. I really miss it and all of my friends over there. I found filming in that environment to be deeply moving and also very grounding. The content of the film is heavy, using a classic horror structure to delve into the real horrors experienced by the Maori people during colonialism – yet that load was being honoured in a way I had never experienced before. We had a cleansing water outside of the studio that we could wash ourselves with at the end of each day, a ritual to help let go of the pain that was being explored on set. I do feel really proud to be a part of that story. It feels important. I cried at the table read and I feel privileged to have had that experience.
You’ve also starred in Bob Marley: One Love, Get Millie Black and more. But what has been your favourite project to date?
They all have a special place in my heart and all for different reasons. To play a real person in One Love – Cindy Breakspeare, with whom I am still very close too and who was so generous during that process – was daunting, but on a deeper level felt like such a personal achievement. Playing a Jamaican woman and being a part of Bob Marley’s legacy was so important to me and to my family.
Billie in Dope Girls as my first leading role, so that probably has been my favourite and I have had the most time with her. I was already such a huge fan of Shannon‘s work: her film Babyteeth is genuinely one of my favourite films. I think her vision and way of storytelling is so unique and so her. I feel so lucky that she trusted me to be a part of this project.
Any roles in the pipeline that you’re excited about? (If you’re allowed to tell us!)
Manifesting a few. Ask me again in a couple of months. Life of a jobbing actor.
Who has been your favourite actor to work with in the past?
I’ve been so lucky to work with the people I have and all the ensembles I have been a part of, so this feels unfair. I’m still in the group chat with the actors from my very first job out of drama school and hold so much love for all the little families that I have worked with.
Working alongside Kingsley Ben-Adir was, for me, eye-opening. Getting to observe him and witnessing the level of insight, introspection and care he had when coming onto set each day and stepping into Bob’s shoes. It was no small task, and he approached it with such bravery. He fought for Bob, he loved Bob, he was so detailed… And then to be in the moment, to be so open and present and kind whilst under all that pressure. He taught me a lot. He might not know that, but watching him work and the moments where we got to work together has had a lasting impact on me.
Which co-star did you learn the most from?
I have a really special relationship with all of my fellow Dope Girls. Each one of them gave me so much love and generosity, and we kept each other sane during the tougher moments of filming. I learnt from each one of them: how to trust yourself, how to investigate the text in a deeper way, to be open and adaptable. Just watching them approach all this work, their intelligence and insight. To be on a set that was so female led was a dream, and we found so much joy together in exploring these characters who had all these conflicting desires, messy histories and were morally grey. We really bonded and I love them all so much. I feel so proud to be cast alongside them.
What’s your dream role?
It would be exciting to be ready and deserving of some of the great classic roles one day – in, like, the next 10 plus years, haha! Blanche, Hedda Galbler, Lady M, Medea, Cleopatra. I also want to be Wonder Woman. My outfit’s in the cupboard waiting.
What’s a genre you’d like to do more of?
There’s not one genre that I would rather do over any others. I would love to do a stripped back contemporary drama as much as something heightened and avant garde. It’s about the material and people I would collaborate with.
Who is an actor, writer or director you’d love to work with?
Sandra Huller. Honestly, I’ll do whatever, just sit opposite her and watch her and hope to be a better actor through osmosis. Sean Baker or Lynn Ramsey, maybe because I’ve been watching their work recently and just feel so inspired. I’m also really excited by younger up and coming directors like Lula Carmoon, Savannah Leaf and Raine Allen Miller… Hoard, Earth Mumma and Rye Lane were some of my favourite films of the last few years.
If you could give advice to your 15-year-old self, what would it be?
Listen to mum more, her advice is the best. And remember: it is about the process, not the final product. There is lots to be found in the moments where you think it has all fallen apart. And stop crying over him, there will be others.
How can we all live a little bit better?
I’m in my 20s trying to figure it out! All I know is that it’s good to put everything into the right perspective, to be kind to one another, to remember our place in the universe and never take it for granted. These three bits of writing help articulate what I feel: ‘When I am among the trees’ by Mary Oliver; ‘A Pale Blue Dot’ speech by Carl Sagan; ‘Desiderata’ by Max Ehrmann.
Also, get 8 hours of sleep.
Anything fun in the pipeline – professionally or personally?
I’ve had some auditions that really excite me, so as always I am hoping to land one of them. But hey, I’ve experienced the rejection and unpredictability of this industry enough to know nothing is given… So keep your fingers crossed for me!
But yeah, mostly I’m just hoping to be in a room again. You’re always hoping this isn’t your last job, basically. Theatre, television, film, all of it. I just love acting so much. I love the community, I love the fear it gives me and I’ve still got so much to try and do.
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Photography: David Reiss
Styling: Jenny Kennedy
Hair & Make-Up: Nohelia Reyes & Lizzie Checkley
Umi Myers Recommends…
I’m currently watching… The My Brilliant Friend series on HBO (the books by Elena Ferrante were my obsession last year; couldn’t put them down and now I must go learn Italian!).
What I’m reading… I, Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
The last thing I watched (and loved) was… Anora by Sean Baker .I have a talent crush on Mikey Maddison. I also watched Lynn Ramsey’s debut feature film Ratcatcher the other day; heavy but so beautiful.
What I’m most looking forward to seeing… The Cowboy Carter World Tour, and The Brutalist.
Favourite film of all time… Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke or the original West Side Story.
Favourite song of all time… ‘Redemption Song’ by Bob Marley
Band/singer I always have on repeat… Currently Doechii and Kendrick Lamar. Often Bob Marley or Hozier. Always Beyonce.
My ultimate cultural recommendation… Books for Cooks in Notting Hill. It’s run by a wonderful Frenchman called Eric. He’ll be annoyed I’ve let the secret out. Bisous.
WATCH
Umi Myers stars as Billie Cassidy in Dope Girls. All six episodes are streaming now on BBC iPlayer.