According to Deadline, Ella Purnell (Fallout, Yellowjacket) was barely able to stomach her role in the Starz and Sky series Sweetpea. The actress discussed her character, Rhiannon Lewis, in the series and admitted that starring on the show did “take a toll” on her mentally.
“People think I must be really messed up, but I swear I’m a happy, well-adjusted human!” Purnell told The Guardian. “I can’t do horror films. I don’t really love watching too much gore, or any supernatural things. I’m not even really a big sci-fi person. And I’m not a gamer. So I don’t know how any of this has happened!”
As per Deadline, the six-episode series sees Purnell play the role of Rhiannon, a day-to-day quiet wallflower who gets an infatuation and taste for murder. The series is a prequel to C.J. Skuse’s (Dead Head, Thorn in My Side) book series. Throughout the series, viewers will see Rhiannon’s taste for murder increase more during the six episodes. Purnell has said that the novel version of her character is much more “snarky and definitely a lot more evil.”
Purnell said, “She starts to feel more powerful and then obviously the more power you feel, the more power you exude – people read that energy. If you take away the murder, it’s quite a sweet coming-of-age story.”
During the filming of the series, Purnell recalled some embarrassing moments on set. She stated that while filming the first murder, she had to stab a rubber dummy that sprayed out blood for a continuous five-minute shot. “After the first minute, I closed my eyes so I couldn’t see anybody, and just went in,” she explained.
Purnell also explained that she had to prioritize self-care while making the show,“because otherwise it could lead you down some dark paths. The job’s not worth your mental health.”
Sweetpea premieres on Starz and Sky on October 10.