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Sweetpea Star Ella Purnell On The Show Exploring “Female rage”

Ella Purnell in Sweetpea

Image: © Sky UK

The latest novel to get a TV adaptation is C. J. Skuse's darkly comedic Sweetpea, with its many twists and turns sure to shock audiences when it premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW on October 10th. Another draw is its cast, starring Ella Purnell as the timid and overlooked Rhiannon who snaps after a particularly bad day.

It's a role that sees Purnell not only tackle comedic and dramatic scenes, but also navigate the tightrope of making sure audiences stick with Rhiannon as her taste for blood grows ever stronger. FILMHOUNDS sat down with Purnell who reflected on that challenge: “A show like this is very emotionally demanding and I think I underestimated the impact that was going to have on me.”

Whilst the show does get bloody in places as Rhiannon attempts to cover up her violent work, Purnell also discussed how Sweetpea is more than just a show about murder. “It's a story about finding your voice and being overlooked.. it's a story about female rage… if you take away the murder it's actually quite a sweet coming-of-age story.

You can watch her full interview below, where Purnell discusses her dual responsibilities as an actor and executive producer, violence on screen, and ditching the American accent for once.

Watch our video interview here: