"To be able to show off what it really is to be in Belfast now is something I think the world needs to see. So that there isn't this hangover, this residue of the negative images and stories that people have heard in the past."
Belfast-born and bred actress Roisin Gallagher first came to my attention earlier this year in The Dry on ITVX, with a superb turn as recovering alcoholic Shiv Sheridan, who returns to Dublin after years of partying in London, sober and full of good intentions. But being back with her family makes staying on ‘the dry’ much harder than she expected.
And now she's back on our screens in her second leading role on television, this time alongside Johnny Flynn in Sky Atlantic's new comedy-drama The Lovers, in which she plays Janet, a bad-tempered, hilarious, Belfast supermarket worker who couldn’t give a shit about anything much at all.
So when Seamus, a handsome, self-centred, political broadcaster with what looks to be a perfect London life and a celebrity girlfriend, unexpectedly drops into Janet’s world (literally over the wall and into her backyard) they instantly clash and yet also find themselves inextricably drawn to each other.
Set in Belfast, The Lovers is a sexy, funny, fight-y love story about two people who appear to be utterly wrong for each other, yet may just be utterly right.
I recently caught up with Roisin Gallagher, to discuss the positive portrayal of Belfast in The Lovers, what it was like filming in Belfast and why this story isn't your typical predictable rom-com.
How would you best describe The Lovers?
I would describe The Lovers as a romantic comedy-drama, which sort of covers all bases. I do think it's a mixture of all those things and I say this about so many things, but sometimes it's great to not feel like it has to fit into a box of "This is what this is. So this is how you're going to feel after watching this."
I think it's surprising in so many ways, because of David Ireland's writing. So there's something in there for everybody because of that as well.
How did you feel when you first read the script? Because this isn't a predictable love story, is it?
It's not, no. And absolutely that part of the appeal. The fact that the two lovers are not... you know, there are certain rom-coms where you could probably switch off halfway or go away for half an hour, come back, and you haven't missed anything.
As you say, there's a predictability and a pattern generally to rom-coms, but not with The Lovers. And it's exciting to play those twists and turns.
Who is Janet? How would you best describe her?
So Janet is the salt of the earth. She is very witty. A very mouthy woman with no filter. I think she becomes quite lovable and I love her because she, you know, just says what she thinks. She knows what she wants and doesn't apologise for it.
We see her go through a number of emotions, often within the same episode, which is true to life. She's completely three-dimensional, isn't she?
She is. There's a reality to that as well. It's exactly as you say, that's sort of life. I think David does that so brilliantly. He really writes the reality of the dichotomy of human nature.
Are you similar to Janet in any way? Or is there are there parts of Janet's character you wish you were a bit more like?
I would love to be able to say what I thought without worrying about the consequences. I think it would be much more entertaining for me. I love that she has an authenticity that is fairly unshakable, you know, despite the fact she's going through a lot with her mental health and experience with poor mental health, she still has a foundation and a knowledge of who she is that is that's quite unshakable. I feel that's very impressive.
And she gets through life with humour, doesn't she?
She does. I mean, it's a certain type of humour as well, isn't it? It's quite dark. It's so enjoyable to have those jokes and stories that Janet tells to get a rise out of people and to connect with people in her own unique way.
How would you describe Janet and Seamus' relationship and how they came to be?
I remember doing some rehearsals with Johnny (Flynn) and Justin (Martin) the director and Justin described it so wonderfully by saying that they're two aliens meeting each other. And that idea of on the surface not recognising culture or class.
Day-to-day life for these two people is so massively different and yet there's something so inextricably linked between them, that is on a cellular level. It's on a chemical level. It's love. It's an instant thing, I think. That is what's so interesting about these two people.
So watching them, following them as the audience, navigating, trying to get through anything together is where the humour comes in. It's hilarious.
A story like this requires great chemistry between its two leads, which The Lovers has. How did you achieve that with Johnny?
We got on really well. Which always helps. And we became really good friends and he's such a fantastic actor. He's such an incredible talent. And, you know, I think when you're lucky enough to get to work with someone like Johnny Flynn, it makes it easier to do your job.
Why do you think audiences enjoy watching love stories on television?
Escapism, for one. I love watching love stories because they remind me of the connections I have in my real life with the people that I love. And there's just so much in this story particularly, that is so real, that isn't the airy fairy bubblegum kind of love story.
I really think this story asks people to reflect on their own capacity for love and the lovers that they have had or might like to have in their future. It's a fascinating thing.
Belfast plays a huge role in The Lovers. You're from West Belfast, you filmed in East Belfast, how much does it mean to you to be involved in something that portrays Belfast in a much more positive light than usual?
I'm so grateful to David Ireland for telling this story and having it in Belfast and it was a real honour and a privilege to film in Belfast. I love all of Belfast, every single part of it, north, south, east and west.
To be able to show off what it really is to be in Belfast now is something I think the world needs to see. So that there isn't this hangover, this residue of the negative images and stories that people have heard in the past.
It's a place of so much beauty and natural beauty and great character and the show really brings that out, I think.
What was it like filming in Belfast?
So handy! It was amazing getting to share the experience with the people of your city as you were doing it. Chatting to people when we were filming some of the scenes. People in Belfast are so friendly, so they'd be coming up to us and chatting and asking us what it was. That was really special.
Any memorable moments on set?
We filmed a scene in quite an iconic area of Belfast, in the Cathedral quarter, in the evening time and it's just outside the Duke of York pub and it was so beautifully shot that I just remember spending that chunk of that filming just looking around and everything feeling alive and vital and vibrant and poetic.
There was writing on the walls and portraits of artists who've come from Belfast and it was just really, really special.
Without giving anything away, do you think viewers will be satisfied by the way The Lovers ends?
I think they will feel satisfied and I also think it reflects the reality of life. So there's no lovely ribbon to tie around all of them. I think by the time we get to the end of episode six, we'll have invested and care so much for these people that, you know, we don't want for them to just ride off into the sunset.
I have to mention The Dry. What a wonderful series that was. For that to have been your first leading role on television must have felt special.
If I'm being really honest, The Dry was a total game-changer for me. Again, another incredible complex, meaty, real person to explore and play with and get to go on this incredible journey through.
I feel so lucky that I've got to be a part of the creation of Shiv and Janet. And at this point in my career. I really hope neither of them are finished yet. We've just finished filming season two of The Dry. It's in the can! It'll be out next year.
Two incredible first roles. What else would you like to achieve in your career?
I would love to write. I would love to create more theatre. I just want to keep going in the space of making and telling stories. Just keep going, really!
The Lovers starts Thursday at 9pm on Sky Atlantic