{"id":69160,"date":"2023-12-05T04:36:07","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T04:36:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/?p=69160"},"modified":"2023-12-05T04:36:07","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T04:36:07","slug":"vigils-suranne-jones-gentleman-jack-meant-i-was-welcomed-as-an-ally-by-lgbtq-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/tv-movies\/vigils-suranne-jones-gentleman-jack-meant-i-was-welcomed-as-an-ally-by-lgbtq-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Vigils Suranne Jones – Gentleman Jack meant I was welcomed as an ally by LGBTQ+ community"},"content":{"rendered":"

Actress Suranne Jones has a history of playing powerhouse women, from Corrie\u2019s Karen McDonald, to scorned Gemma Foster in Doctor Foster, and brave Anne Lister in Gentleman Jack. Now, Suranne is back for series two of BBC thriller Vigil and reprises her role as DCI Amy Silva.<\/p>\n

In series one, Amy was plunged into deep waters as she led a murder investigation on a submarine. With scenes of overwhelming claustrophobia \u2013 particularly when Amy was trapped in a torpedo compartment \u2013 the show attracted over 13 million viewers.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s no wonder Suranne and the rest of the team were keen to return, even if they didn\u2019t know quite what was in store.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know what Vigil series two would look like because the first one was so wild and brilliant,\u201d explains Suranne. \u201cI like the fact that Amy and Kirsten\u2019s relationship is in the middle of such a big, boy-sy, thriller and that at the heart of it is the two of them. <\/p>\n

"Also, the scope of the show is so big compared to the last one \u2013 I wanted to go back. I was really interested to see where it went, and the fact that one of us was having a baby kind of helped.\u201d<\/p>\n

Suranne returns to the show with co-star and Game Of Thrones actress Rose Leslie, who plays Amy\u2019s romantic partner and colleague DI Kirsten Longacre.<\/p>\n

Amy and Kirsten as a couple have reached a new milestone as series two begins, and are having a baby \u2013 as a result of Rose and her real-life husband Kit Harington [Game Of Thrones\u2019 Jon Snow] expecting their second child at the time of filming. Instead of hiding the baby bump, it was written in.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI think being pregnant helped with the development of their relationship, I got a fast track on it \u2013 and now both my children have been on screen,\u201d laughs Rose, who was also privately pregnant during filming of the first series. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut I liked the idea that being pregnant meant that Kirsten had to stay home and be in Scotland and as a result that drew the characters apart in a very natural, organic way because there was no way she\u2019d be going to the Middle East. So coming from the premise, it helped for a reason as to why their relationship was going to be torn again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The six-part series kicks off in Scotland following multiple unexplained fatalities at a military facility. As a result, Amy and Kirsten have the tricky task of finding out what went wrong.<\/p>\n

They enter the hostile, closed ranks of the Air Force and must face the deadly warfare of the future. While Kirsten stays on home turf, Amy goes to the fictional city of Wudyan set in the Middle East, where the investigation continues.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Suranne and Rose hope to portray their onscreen relationship authentically as the series goes on. \u201cBefore we began filming Suranne and I wanted to make sure that within the writers\u2019 room there was an LGBTQ+ writer,\u201d says Rose.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that we were able to get across the relationship, these are two people in love and their sexuality in no way defines who they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough Gentleman Jack I found a community that was so open and wonderful and receptive and willing to share their experiences with me,\u201d continues Suranne. \u201cBy doing that particular job and then this one, I\u2019ve been very welcomed as an ally, and I take it very seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Vigil has strong female characters at its core, and joining Suranne and Rose for series two is Romola Garai, who plays Eliza Russell. Amy encounters her in Wudyan. \u201cEliza is stepping up into a role which is a considerable responsibility, and there\u2019s been this terrible tragedy on top of that which needs to be managed,\u201d reveals Romola. <\/p>\n

\u201cEliza grows into the role, but she has a slightly uncomfortable relationship with her power. She\u2019s also extremely good at her job. Suranne and I had a lot of fun playing these two extremely competent, intelligent women who are used to running things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amy has a momentous task on her hands and Suranne says she feels a lot like her counterpart in more ways than one.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a woman who wants to constantly prove herself \u2013 Amy and I share that,\u201d says Suranne. \u201cI have a child, I share that. I\u2019m constantly trying to balance my life and my career. I\u2019ve had issues with anxiety, which Amy has had, so there are a lot of things that I can relate to, and there\u2019s beauty in finding that in a character.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vigil series two begins on Sunday 10 December, 9pm, BBC One.<\/b><\/p>\n

The first three episodes of series two will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am, Sunday 10 December.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n