Eddie Marsan and Rose Ayling-Ellis instantly clicked while working together on the BBC’s gripping new thriller, Reunion, although Eddie was quite surprised by one of Rose’s quirks.
In this tense four-part series, Eddie Marsan plays Stephen, a former detective with a protective streak, while Rose Ayling-Ellis portrays Miri, a young woman who comes back from university to the shocking news that her father Ray’s killer, Daniel Brennan (played by Matthew Gurney), has been released from jail. The show also stars Anne-Marie Duff as Christine, Miri’s mother, who is left grappling with the reasons behind her husband’s murder.
Despite the heavy narrative, Rose Ayling-Ellis kept spirits high on set with her sense of humour. Eddie Marsan was particularly taken aback by her directness. “She’s so funny,” he remarks. “But whenever she communicates with you, she looks you dead in the eye – even if she’s pulling your leg!”.
The Strictly Come Dancing champ, who dazzled audiences in 2021, opens up about the challenges of being part of the small deaf community. However, when it came to casting for Reunion on BBC One, Rose had an immediate hunch about who should take the lead role – she’s known Matthew Gurney for years after the pair first met at a workshop.
Reunion is proving to be an aptly named drama for its stars, especially for the 30 year old Rose who cherished the chance to perform with her fellow deaf actors. For Eddie, aged 56, Reunion meant reconnecting with a longstanding pal, as he reveals: “I love working with Anne-Marie. She’s a very old friend of mine.”
For Matthew, the series marks a turning point in his career – it’s his debut as a lead in a significant TV production, and it represents more than just a personal achievement.
“As deaf people, we rarely get opportunities like this,” he declares, “I’ve been waiting for this for a very, very long time. It’s about time we show what we can do.”
Yet, initially, he had reservations about his character, Daniel. “When I first read the script, I wasn’t sure about him,” admits Matthew, “I didn’t know if he was a good guy or a bad guy.”
This complex moral question lies at the heart of the show, as Daniel isn’t just any character – he’s the one responsible for killing Christine’s husband, Ray, and shattering their family.
But despite the sombre nature of his role, Matthew felt instantly at home on set. “Deafness is a spectrum,” he explains, “I’m a sign language actor, so from day one, it went really well. I didn’t feel excluded. It’s so easy when you’ve got the right access.”
The presence of an interpreter on set ensured clear communication for everyone involved, fostering a truly inclusive bilingual environment.
One of Daniel’s most significant hurdles after being released is rebuilding a relationship with his daughter, Carly. Lara Peake, known from the series How to Have Sex, plays Carly, who is understandably cautious around the father she hardly recognises.
Matthew comments that Carly isn’t exactly open-armed: “She’s not welcoming,” and acknowledges the gap in their relationship, “Daniel still sees her as a little girl, but she’s grown up without him. He has to meet her for the first time again.”
Lara hints at a complex dynamic between father and daughter, explaining, “She still wants to believe he’s not the monster everyone says he is, so she allows room for redemption,”.
Creating that bond on screen was challenging. Their initial shoot was an emotionally charged scene in a cemetery. Lara recalls, “It was one of the most important moments in the series,” while Matthew confesses, “That was really hard because we’d only known each other for a month. But then everything fit into place. We built our relationship from there.”
Eddie found an unexpected perk in the filming process, thanks to his family life with Anne-Marie. He revealed, “We have teenage children,” referring to their shared parenting experiences, “So filming was decompressing.” Anne-Marie has a 15 year old son from her previous marriage to James McAvoy, and Eddie is a dad to four kids.
Matthew now sees the series as a rallying cry for change within the entertainment world. He asserts, “If there are opportunities with access, lots of us are going to thrive,” lamenting past barriers, “But we haven’t had that. I’m hoping Reunion will change the game.”