Welsh actress Alex Roach takes on a commanding role in the highly anticipated BBC thriller Nightsleeper. Known for her versatility and captivating screen presence, Roach steps into the spotlight once again, this time leading a gripping story set on an overnight sleeper train traveling from London to Glasgow. With her previous acclaimed performances in No Offence and Utopia, Roach brings a new depth and intensity to her character, as tensions rise and secrets unravel in this fast-paced, high-stakes series. Nightsleeper promises to be another standout moment in her already impressive career.
Photographer: Pip Bourdillon
Alex, you are about to star as Abby in BBC’s Nightsleeper with Joe Cole, can you tell us about your character and what viewers can expect from the show?
Nightsleeper is a real-time thriller about the attempted hacking of a sleeper train travelling from Glasgow to London and a government agency’s efforts to intervene. Two people who’ve never met, one on the train and one not, have to work together to save the lives of its passengers as the train hurtles towards what might literally be its final destination.
One of the most exciting things about this drama is that it’s set in real-time. I loved how real it felt when I first read it. You hope if something like this would happen in real life, then the people in charge would be completely ready for it and experienced. I loved that these characters are trying their best but they are flawed and you see them trying to work it out and sometimes they get it wrong. It felt very human, very real. And the race to save the people on the train becomes more and more tense as the show goes on.
It sounds like a fast paced action drama, what was the most exciting scene to film?
So, we shot the cyber office scenes completely separately from the guys on the train. We didn’t cross paths at all. Our studio was a huge warehouse in Glasgow with a huge screen showing the trains location in the center. The director, Jamie Magnus Stone, would encourage us to use the whole space and pace around with a steady cam following us. Having that freedom really helped us and we quickly found our group dynamic as workers in the office, a group that work really closely together. All the tech would be there on the big screen for us, it was so important for us to enter into the belief of this world quickly. The first scene I shot was a speech I make to the team from the balcony in Ep2. I was so nervous and worried about how to do it. I realised, just in time, that Abby would be feeling these nerves too. She’s never done this either. She has to stand up there and show herself to everyone as someone to trust, who’s going to lead them through this, and I had to do the same as Alex.
Your portrayal of DS Joy Freers in Channel 4’s “No Offence” was both compelling and dynamic. How did you approach developing this character, and what drew you to this role initially?
The tone of this show was a real challenge. One minute it’s a comedy with jokes and then it turns on a sixpence and it’s the darkest scene. I loved the challenge of that as an actor, it always kept you on your toes. Playing Joy was fun, she was always so careful and didn’t take risks but she still had this fire in her belly which I loved. She was extremely good at her job, much like Abby in Nightsleeper. If I could continue playing such smart women, then I’d be very happy.
You have just finished filming the lead role in Amazon’s psychological mystery thriller “Lazarus” opposite Sam Claflin and Bill Nighy. Can you give us a glimpse into what viewers can expect from this series and your character’s journey?
It’s an exciting project from Harlan Coban and Danny Brocklehurst. Lazarus follows a man who returns home after his father’s suicide and begins to have disturbing experiences that can’t be explained. He quickly becomes entangled in a series of cold-case murders as he grapples with the mystery of his father’s death and his sister’s murder 25 years ago. I play his sister Jenna, who has thrown herself into a spiritual practice after the death of her sister. When her brother returns home, she has to confront a lot of her own secrets and past. As with all Harlan’s work we can expect suspense and lots of twists and turns and surprises.
Photographer: Pip Bourdillon
In Channel 4’s “The Light in the Hall,” your performance alongside Iwan Rheon and Joanna Scanlan received high praise. How did you prepare for this role, and what was it like working with such a talented cast?
What attracted me to this project was the pull home to Wales. I played Cat and she goes back to her hometown to discover the truth of what happened to her friend who went missing years ago. In Welsh we have a word, ’hiraeth’ meaning a longing for the land. I’m always feeling hiraeth in some way for Wales but this meant I could go home, film really close to where I grew up, and throw myself into using the Welsh language again as we shot it bilingually. I love working with actors who are now friends, like Joanna and Iwan, as there’s a short hand between you and a trust that pins the scenes. Being in West Wales shooting this felt very special.
Your role as the young Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady” opposite Meryl Streep and Olivia Colman was highly notable. What was it like portraying such a significant historical figure, and how did you prepare for this challenging role?
I’d not long left drama school and was amazed when I got cast as Maggie. The whole experience was so inspiring, to share a role with one of my idols so early on in my career was a gift and it’s stayed with me all these years later. I worked closely with a very talented dialect coach, Jill McCullough, to find the voice of a younger Maggie. We all know what she sounded like later on in her life but I had more freedom as the younger version, before she was in the public eye.
With roles in productions like “Hunderby,” “Utopia,” and “Black Mirror,” you have showcased remarkable versatility. How do you choose your projects, and what type of characters do you find most fulfilling to portray?
I’ve always been very instinctual and usually can tell within 20 or so pages if the project is speaking to me. I love the challenge of working in different forms and genres but for me it’s always about the character. With Abby in Nightsleeper, I knew I had to play that part. Abby’s brave and incredibly smart, her knowledge of tech is amazing and that’s why she’s at this high level she’s at today. She’s also super instinctive and a good leader. But I really related to how human she is, how much self-doubt she has, it’s like a battle in her mind. She’s had to overcome a lot of doubt to be in that position, she’s a working-class kid from South Wales. She has a lot to prove in those offices. There’s a ton of pressure on her shoulders and I also enjoyed how much she enjoys that pressure.
You’re creating a global community for actors called ‘RESTING’. What inspired this initiative, and how do you envision it supporting actors in their craft and careers?
I set up RESTING with fellow actor Amy Wren, as we looked round the industry and saw actors struggling after the pandemic. Ourselves included. We wanted to bring the joy back into it. Selfishly, it was what I was craving at the time and I was curious if others were too. I craved community. To take classes with other actors, to play like we used to as kids with no pressure of booking a job. To open up the conversation around mental health in the industry, safety and wellbeing. To be around other actors who get it.
Photographer: Pip Bourdillon
Finally, can you tell us more about your current projects and any future plans or considerations you have? Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I think I’m waiting to have another Abby type feeling when I read a script, an instinctive feeling of I have to be the voice of this character. I’m developing my own work at the moment and that feels good and exciting.
Photographer: Pip Bourdillon https://www.instagram.com/pipbourdillon/?hl=en
Stylist: Harry Clements https://www.instagram.com/harryjwclements/?hl=en
Hair: Chad Maxwell https://www.instagram.com/chadmaxwellhair/?hl=en
Makeup: Min Sandhu https://www.instagram.com/minnie_mua/?hl=en
