The talented Eve Myles returns as Gwen Cooper in the Starz Original series Torchwood: Miracle Day. Fans who have kept up with the original series will be delighted to learn that Cooper will retain her salty edge as dutiful mom, warrior and defender of the human race.
A gifted actress who is up to the challenge of bringing Torchwood to American audiences, Myles has won Best Actress from the Welsh branch of the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) for her work in season one of Torchwood.
She has appeared in numerous television programs including Merlin, Doctor Who, Tales of Pleasure Beach and Soundproof. Her most recent work includes playing Maggy in the BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “Little Dorrit.”
In this insightful one-on-one interview, Myles reveals her thoughts about Torchwood, her role as Gwen, and how the popular British series will play on this side of the pond.
What drew you to the role of Gwen Cooper?
Eve Myles: I was in Doctor Who, and from that show, Russell Davies wrote the part of Gwen Cooper for me. When I read the script, I couldn’t believe my luck and I jumped on board as fast as I could.
Do you like the delicate balance of humor and drama in Torchwood? Do you find yourself tilting toward one or the other?
EM: I think it’s absolutely essential when you’re doing a show like this that you have both light and dark moments, because there’s some very heavy moments in this series. You have to be able to laugh sometimes. Because I just think it’s a more rounded show when you add the humor element. As an actor, playing with comedy is one of the hardest things to do. When you do get it right, it’s very rewarding. Gwen has become a very dry, very witty woman, and I absolutely love the one-liners she delivers.
Torchwood has become the highest-rated drama on BBC Three. Do you think it will connect with American audiences as strongly?
EM: It was news to us that it was the highest rated show. We didn’t realize that Torchwood had this huge cult following. It came from nowhere. I think that, with this new season, with such a fresh narrative and format, and that it’s now co-produced with an American company and BBC, that it’s got the best of both worlds. I think people will absolutely love it. I’m a little scared that it will get so big, that it may get a bit out of control. I just hope that people love it and enjoy it.
Will you adapt your character to American audiences, if at all?
EM: It’s quite funny, but as the characters go to Los Angeles, you see Gwen and Jack struggle with American culture and language, and things like driving on the wrong side of the road. It’s all very funny and brilliantly done. Gwen is supposed to be this earthy, strong warrior and yet she can’t figure out why fizzy lemonade is flat, or what the hell an ATM is. Just seeing this Welch girl survive a day in America is funny. She comes from a very honest place, and that makes her more endearing.
Gwen’s role is somewhat physical—lots of dodging bullets, leaping out of buildings, fighting men. How do you prepare for that?
EM: I have to be very careful playing this character because I do my own stunts. I have to make sure I’m not injured. I’ve had a grueling schedule–15 hours a day for seven months this year. Three months before starting the show and early this year, I worked with a physical trainer for three hours a day. Not to lose weight or rework my shape, but to make sure I had the strength to do the action scenes, to fight with a man and run 6 or 7 hours a day. I just needed to get that level of stamina built up. You should see me at the end of the day: I don’t look anything like Gwen Cooper. I look like a broken elf. Honest to God, I look like I’ve been hit by a truck most days. I walk off the set and tell myself, “I’m getting too old for this shit. This is hardcore. This girl is killing me.” But I still love every second of it.
Does Russell allow you some leeway with the character–in terms of dialog and story?
EM: Not at all. I get the script when it’s ready and I’ll get a heads-up as to what Jack and Gwen will be doing. But basically, it’s as much a surprise to me as when viewers see it for the first time. I think Russell enjoys having me jump off something or fight 50 men; that’s his sense of humor. He thinks it’s quite funny—“See if you can handle this, Myles.”
I know you can’t talk about future episodes, but where do you hope your relationship with Jack will go?
EM: I don’t know really. I hope they never get together. They can’t get together. I hope they grow. In this season, they form the best of partnerships. They become the best of friends and soul mates. You’ll get scenes where they’ll finish each other’s sentences. They’re like the terrible twins this year. It’s wonderful. It’s a relationship that I’ve never experienced in my personal or professional life. It’s a difficult kind of relationship because it’s a kind of love that hasn’t got a title yet. They have a lot of respect for each other.
Oswald Danes’s character is pretty powerful. Do you think Torchwood is sending a social message with the direction his character is going?
EM: I think there’s a lot of social messaging going on in this season. But it’s not in your face. It’s done so beautifully within the narrative that you can make something of it, or maybe not. It’s up to the viewer. We know that we have very intelligent fans that watch this show. Some shows tend to spoon-feed an audience, and there’s nothing more boring. We’ve stayed clear of that. We’ve allowed people to make up their own minds. So if someone wants to get something out of what we’re trying to do with that character, then great; but our first protocol is to make people think and emote. If we’re doing that, then great.
What do you think your dramatic theater experience brings to the role of Gwen?
EM: My theater work has all been with the Royal Shakespeare Company and with the National Theater Company in London. The only way it kind of influences me is that it’s given me stamina to play Gwen. In theater, you’re playing on stage three hours a night. And before that, you’ve got preparation, and you’ve got to have this high level of energy every night. So theater prepares you for whatever you want to do in this industry. It strengthens your backbone and gives you a bloody good work ethic.
How did you break into the business? What was you first paid acting job?
EM: I was working toward my degree in drama school and my degree in theater studies in English. In my second year, I auditioned for a part in a drama show and got it. From then on, I worked consistently. My first job was a dreadful pilot for BBC called Hang the DJ. I played a very naive chocolate-gorging secretary. On my first take with a live audience, I had to bite into this giant bar of chocolate and I cracked three back teeth. After that, one of the reviewers noted, “This little character is so funny, she winces in pain whenever she speaks.” The truth is, I was absolutely in agony.
What were you like in high school?
EM: Very naughty, with the attention span of a gnat. I was always up to something. But nothing that ever got me in trouble. I was always making the teachers laugh. There wasn’t a lot they could do with me, so they joined in half the time. I was a good kid, but not very serious unless it had something to do with drama, the theater or dance. I was very much into the arts.
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
