Jemima Rooper – Gold Digger

By starrymag | May 25, 2020

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you have worked on?

 

A) Post – “Gold Digger” I was mainly doing theatre – first was a production of Tennessee Williams’ Orpheus Descending playing Carol opposite Seth Numrich as Valentine. Hattie Morahan, who is an exceptional actress, played the lead lady called Lady. It’s a crazy piece and seldom done but has so much delicious darkness and poetry. We altered some aspects to help it work for today’s audience but it’s still quite a divider! I was also in Alice Birch’s [Blank] at the Donmar Warehouse, a new piece about the effect of our justice system on women. Again, no picnic but one of the more rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. And JUST before lockdown happened was due to start filming a US series…am crossing all of my body parts it can still happen. Feels like it will be a long time before anyone’s back in the theatre….

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for the series “Gold Digger” and about your character Della.

 

A) “Gold Digger” is essentially the story of a woman, a mother, a wife, who turns sixty years old and finds herself lost and feeling she has no agency in her life. Enter a young dashing man to sweep her off her feet! Or take all her money??? The show then deals with the fall out of this relationship on everyone around her. I play the middle child Della. She is a struggling standup comic with an alcohol problem who cannot get past a childhood trauma to have a functioning adult relationship, either romantic or with her family.

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

 

A) As soon as I read episode two and saw a couple of Della’s meaty scenes, I was desperate to play her. Marnie [Dickens] has written a brilliant ensemble of characters. It’s always a good sign when even the smaller characters are nuanced and interesting on the page. There’s one scene where Della goes round to her ex’s home, very drunk, and it’s so fantastically written – so drunk, so heartbroken, so excruciating and so funny. So relatable!

 

Q) What did you find challenging about portraying Della?

 

A) It was a joy to play Della. Probably the only challenge I had (which I LOVED, it has NEVER happened in my career EVER) was finishing on set having been her and then rushing to my other job at the time, which was playing Audrey in the musical Little Shop of Horrors. Polar opposite gigs!

 

Q) Were you familiar with any of your costars before working with them on this series?

 

A) Argh! This cast! So, I was a big fan of Julia Ormond. A big fan of Alex Jennings. A big fan of Julia Mackenzie who is a LEGEND. Huge fan of Nikki [Amuka-Bird]. Huge fan of Yasmine Akram. Familiar with all of them and their work. Then, there’s Ben [Barnes] and Seb [Armesto]. Seb, I have known since we acted together as twelve to thirteen year olds and we share a very close friend. In fact, Seb loathes me as I show anyone he’s ever met a photo of him aged twelve from this kids TV show we were in. It’s actually far more embarrassing for me but I have no shame.

Ben and I have also known each other for a while and share a very close pal. A little known fact about Ben Barnes: the BEST audience member if you’re in a show. The best. It was really nice getting to hang out more with him and Seb during the shoot. And amazing getting to know all the others.

 

Q) Was there someone(s) you were looking forward to or hoping to share a scene with?

 

A) I loved doing the family scenes when me, Seb and Yasmine were all together. Seb and Yas were very quickly like an old married couple and Yas would often have me howling. She’s a very funny lady.

 

Q) With such an intense subject matter, how did you shake off a long day of filming?

 

A) I had a pretty civilized schedule – if I’d been in all day every day like Julia, that decompression time is crucial. But on a heavy day I was either racing off to sing and dance in a camp extravaganza or go home to be mum. My son was three years old at the time and there’s nothing like a kid to snap you out of yourself! Probably a much healthier way to live as you just have to leave work at work.

 

Q) What were some of your favorite moments from filming?

 

A) Della and Patrick turn detective. The scenes with Seb and I in the car were the most fun to do. We invented (and pitched, no success) our spin off cop series.

 

Q) What do you think it is about “Gold Digger” that will make it a standout series?

 

A) It’s incredible to me how taboo an older woman with a younger man still is. That fact and also just having a woman at that stage in her life at the center of the story is still all too rare. I think “Gold Digger” manages to be both escapist and also brutally real. The legacy of trauma on a family provides the dark undertone to the unlikely romance.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the fan response you’ll receive from US audiences?

 

A) Ha! I’m quite pathetic on social media and feel like a grandma, but will be delighted with any (fan) response!

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of the work you do?

 

A) To Ben Barnes. Thank you for having the loudest cackle at my plays and for being so nice about my singing when you are way better.

Anyone else, my deepest thanks for knowing who the hell I am and please send letters to all directors telling them to hire me!