Elen Rhys, 35, and Julian Looman, 34, join forces to lead brand-new daytime series, The Mallorca Files. A cop drama set on the island, it centres around Detective Miranda Blake (played by Rhys) and her German counterpart Max Winter (Looman). The result is sunny, feelgood TV, the duo tell Gemma Dunn.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE MALLORCA FILES?
E: It's great writing. Dan's [Sefton] scripts have everything. They interweave drama, comedy and action; they tick all the boxes. It's such an exciting project - and the character of Miranda is so complex. She softens a little as the series goes on so there's a lovely arc, but I was gleaming throughout all the scripts I was reading. I just knew that it would be such a good duo and dynamic to play.
J: I really liked the Moonlighting aspect. These are not only crime stories, but they are also about an ongoing relationship. That's something the audience will really warm to. You see Max and Miranda's relationship develop, and you don't know where it's going. It's also this entirely cosmopolitan show, so I was interested to work with people from different nations and to get together and make this thing in Mallorca.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR CHARACTERS, DETECTIVE MAX WINTER AND DETECTIVE MIRANDA BLAKE.
J: Max has been on the island for three years now and the island has got a different way of treating things - it's very slowed down on the island... and then British Miranda comes along.
E: [Miranda] is obsessed with work, and her fight for justice annoys her bosses. She can't let things lie. I could identify with her at once. I knew immediately I could play her. [As for the duo], they have completely different schools of thought when it comes to policing, they couldn't be any more different, so that's always going to make for interesting drama, banter and conflict.
HOW DOES THEIR RELATIONSHIP DEVELOP AS THE SERIES PROGRESSES?E: From Miranda's point of view, with any sort of partnership, over time they develop trust and a friendship develops - and some affection. But it does take time because at first Miranda resists it completely. They also complement each other very well and they both become stronger by working together, even though she would hate to admit it. Each episode gives you a bit more information about them and leaves you wanting more.
IS THERE AN ELEMENT OF 'WILL THEY, WON'T THEY?'?
E: Definitely. The beauty of this situation is that obstacles are constantly in their way. If they did get together, the show would be over! Viewers will want them to be together, but they're not. Seeing Miranda and Max grow towards each other will bring people back to The Mallorca Files week after week. Do they fall in love? You'll have to watch to find out!
J: It's the reward you get if you watch from episode one to episode 10. I think audiences will get very emotionally attached to these two characters.
HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP OFF CAMERA, THEN?J: It is important. We've seen each other more than our partners, our families, so if you hate that person it would not be much fun. From my point of view, I'm really lucky to have a partner like Elen because it's my first English experience and to have a Welsh [actor] leading you... it's just great.
E: We're not just in every scene together, it's a double act. So we rely on each other for more technical things, even setting up jokes and timing, so like Julian was saying, we're so lucky. He's such a nice guy and there hasn't been any ego involved. He helps me to be funny and it's just a really healthy, encouraging relationship work-wise.
TELL US ABOUT SHOOTING IN THE SUNNY CLIMES OF MALLORCA.
E: I had been before and worked there, actually. There's a lot of preconceptions with Mallorca and hopefully this will help broaden people's ideas. As you can see it is an incredible island; you've got the mountains and amazing beaches and the vibrant city, it's got so much to offer and of course we get access to the best locations on a job like this. Every day we say 'wow' about 100 times.
J: The cool thing about the island is it's so different, so you have the mountains and then you have the vineyards, the beaches. And Palma is a very cultural city, you don't have to miss anything.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE TONE OF THE SHOW?
E: It's sunny and feelgood; it's really easy watching. We're not setting out to make an intense crime drama. I hope that at the end of each episode of The Mallorca Files, people will have a broad smile on their faces!
J: I really enjoy dark crime stories, but this is very different from that. This is light, sunny and easy watching without losing its sense of sophistication. It has a retro feel - but in a good way. It's also a very diverse show that covers so many different genres from a Western and Heat to The French Connection, Ocean's 11 and The Hangover. At different times, it can be funny and sincere and even sometimes quite dark. I think that makes it really absorbing to watch.
FINALLY, WHAT MAKES THIS STAND OUT FROM MORE RUN-OF-THE-MILL DETECTIVE DRAMAS?
J: There are a lot of crime stories where the two main detectives are slightly at odds with each other, but this one is very different. It freshens up the genre. The dust has been brushed off the detective drama. One of the main differences is that in The Mallorca Files the island is the third protagonist; it adds so much to the show. It'll also really make people watch in the UK. People will switch it on and say, 'I want a 45-minute vacation in my living room' - and that's exactly what they'll get!
Mallorca Files starts on BBC One on Monday, 2.15pm.
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