Billie Piper on poisonous masculinity, elevating teenagers, and taking part in complicated characters: ‘I’ve been a lady at the edge – I’m now not scared of it!’

“I’ve had so many coffees, I feel hysterical,” says Billie Piper. The 42-year-old actor has arrange camp in a caff in Camden, London, whilst she finishes the general draft of a romcom she’s running on – a follow-up to her 2021 directorial debut, Rare Beasts. Piper shot to popularity at 15 as a pop big name, then transitioned into performing, turning into a family identify as Rose Tyler in Doctor Who. Since then, she’s carved out a distinct segment taking part in girls at verge of collapse (like Suzie Pickles in I Hate Suzie). Now, she’s in a position to do much less performing and extra paintings at the back of the scenes. Not that her on-screen profession is slowing down – she simply bagged her 5th Bafta nomination, for enjoying journalist Sam McAlister in Scoop, the dramatisation of the BBC Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew about Jeffrey Epstein. She may even seem within the Netflix mega-hit and Addams circle of relatives spin-off, Wednesday, later this 12 months.

You’re knowledgeable at taking part in a lady at the edge. What’s the name of the game?
I’ve observed it so much, I’ve been it, and I’m now not scared of it! You is usually a girl at the edge, but additionally be a soulful girl, a playful girl and a humorous girl. You can also be all the ones issues without delay.

What drew you to Scoop?
That interview was once one of the stunning issues I’ve observed on TV. I’d adopted the Epstein tale very intently, with massive rage – the dimensions, the dimensions, the privilege and the bullshitting, it’s simply too nerve-racking. So there was once a little of an awl to grind. Then, on best of that, I met Sam, and he or she’s a in reality bold girl.

You’ve stated one in every of your targets along with your paintings is to ‘lift the lid on what it means and what it costs to be female’. Do you assume that value is expanding or lowering?
Increasing. It looks like, in some ways, we’re going backwards. I wonder whether there’s a better hostility from guys in opposition to ladies. There’s indubitably an international to be had to males that violently rejects feminism or emancipation. It’s actually scary. Now that I’ve had a daughter, I will be able to see violence in opposition to girls extra obviously. It’s like I couldn’t see it for myself, which is alarming, and I’ve needed to do paintings reframing so much that I’d normalised in my lifestyles. It’s a effective steadiness: how can we stay girls secure whilst additionally nurturing boys, who’re dealing with problems, too?

How do you handle conversations about poisonous masculinity along with your youngsters?
Look, I haven’t were given this down pat, however with my daughter and sons with no matter they’re dealing with, it’s about listening, retaining your nerve once they say one thing that feels now not fairly proper, and figuring out they’ve to make errors. I will be able to’t imagine the pressures on them to have those political beliefs at all times. There’s such expectation for younger folks to get it proper straight away. And in the event that they don’t, they’re written off. When I used to be their age, I used to be simply, I don’t know, smoking cigarettes!

Secret Diary of a Call Girl – the sequence you and Lucy Prebble made about intercourse employee Belle de Jour – went up on Netflix final 12 months, 17 years after it first aired, and shot into the UK best 3 maximum seen. How do you are feeling about folks observing it once more?
I don’t know! It were given so severely panned when it got here out, and I used to be now not that deep into my performing profession, so I simply idea: “Well, everyone says it’s shit, so maybe it is.” I feel the fallout severely, despite the fact that it was once a numbers luck, made me really feel very inclined. It being on TV once more can’t be simple for my youngsters, as a result of there’s numerous intercourse. It makes me really feel a little fearful. Now I’ve a circle of relatives, it’s now not so simple as: “Oh, you just do a part, and everyone has to accept it’s a bit of acting.” Rightly or wrongly, it has repercussions.

Do you two have plans for an I Hate Suzie season 3?

I might like to do it once more, however I feel that I feel she wishes a little extra tale in her. So I feel the tale could be served higher from a little extra age, perhaps menopause, a couple of extra years off digital camera.

Does the speculation of being a task fashion sit down closely with you?

I don’t adore it. I’ve by no means preferred it. It feels too scary, and it doesn’t permit numerous room for error. And I actually struggled with that after I used to be an adolescent, as a singer, I simply hated that feeling. That’s been a little of a hangover for me.

You lately performed Cassandra in Kaos. Fans have been gutted when it was once cancelled after season one. Do you assume TV has transform extra ruthless with regards to what will get minimize? Do you are feeling the power of that as an actor?
I don’t really feel as though I’m conscious about that power, however there will have to be one thing talking to me, as a result of I don’t simply need to be an actor for rent to any extent further. It feels too scary. But then, you realize, what am I going into? Writing issues that still would possibly by no means get made? People need to make huge issues for numerous cash, after which the expectancy is that the ones numbers mirror that spend, and in the event that they don’t then they’re long past. It’s actually unhappy.

Tell us in regards to the romcom you’re running on.
If I watch 1990s romcoms now, I to find them onerous to grasp. They simply sit down another way. Even even though I like the ones motion pictures, it’s a time that felt so radically other from the sector we are living in now. So I’m looking to do one thing that feels unique to now, however nonetheless feels dreamy and hopeful.

How do you take care of creator’s block?
I panic! Luckily, I’m so inexperienced even the dangerous days appear achievable.

What have you ever watched this 12 months?
I’m any such snob round motion pictures, however with TV I’m totally other. I actually love fact TV, Kardashians and the senseless stuff. I simplest simply began observing Colin from Accounts.

The Bafta Television Awards with P&O Cruises is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 11 May at 7pm.

Watch this house …

Catch the whole lineup of our Bafta TV particular launching around the weekend and starring absolute best actor nominees David Tennant, Lennie James, Monica Dolan, Billie Piper, Richard Gadd, Marisa Abela and Sharon D Clarke

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