ACTING

Rising star

Meet Jacob Daniels, who features in a new Bristol-set drama

Last year writing partners Owen Lewis and George Harold Millman wrote a TV drama pilot and, after much crowdfunding to make filming possible, the project finally came to fruition. Set and filmed in Bristol, it is now ready for its first screening. Here, actor Jacob Daniels tells us a little more about the drama, his role and his life philosophy.

In new contemporary drama Jacob plays student Justin Square, I play Justin Adams, a Adams in the new drama

young student who is exploring

what it is to be independent and have your own power and choices –although he sometimes forgets that actions have consequences! I think we all have a bit of Justin in us, or have been through similar experiences –pushing boundaries, looking for new, exciting things, then having to handle the adult and very real, unexpected consequences of our actions.

The drama follows the lives of a group of uni students as they navigate their lives, exploring their friendships, relationships, political ideals and

morals as they each develop through their ‘coming of age’ years. It’s about that moment where teenagers leave the ‘restraints’ of living at home with parents, and begin to explore their newfound ‘freedom’. Whether for better or worse, we follow them as they develop into young adults, with all the passion and heartbreak that accompanies certain moments in life. We explore LGBTQ+ relationships, and see how different political beliefs can cause rifts in previously strong relationships. The characters attend our (fictitious) Bristol University and the themes of the show are often representative of many of the characteristics of Bristol as a city.

We have a premiere at the Watershed on 6 November at 10am. Tickets are available via EventBrite for anyone who would like to come along to support. The pilot episode introduces us to a large and diverse cast, and we learn about the world these characters inhabit and the stories that link them all together. Throughout 2020 we ran R&D sessions on the script, and then once lockdowns and regulations allowed, the cast was brought together and the pilot episode filmed over a three-week period in spring 2021 –following strict Covid protocols!

There is so much fantastic theatre and film being produced in Bristol. I love the fact that Bristol is a city of passionate and challenging creatives, and I really loveBristol Harbourside. You can go there and find all sorts of food and drink, and there is always entertainment of some kind; buskers, skateboarders, live performances, plus the general hustle and bustle of the harbour area.

I’ve always liked the idea of putting all my effort in to everything I do.

There’s the famous phrase ‘If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well’. But I find it’s broader than that –if you open it up to life itself, it becomes a matter of ‘If you’re going to do anything, give it all your attention and effort’. For me this includes work, socialising, hobbies, living day to day and so on. ■ • Follow Jacob on Twitter: @JacobDaniels_ or via @SQUARE_tvdrama

As seen on screen

Actor Rhianne Barreto talks learning curves, Christopher Walken, Merchant magic, and Stokes Croft’s Cafe Cuba

At just 23 years old, Rhianne Barreto has already made a big impression in the acting world, her previous roles including Sophie in American action drama Hanna in 2019 and Bekhal Mahmod for the ITV mini series Honour in 2020 which depicted the police investigation and revelations about police failings in the run-up to real-life disappearance and ‘honour killing’ of Banaz Mahmod. This autumn she’s back on our screens, playing Rani in The Outlaws. We took five with her to find out more about her time filming the show.

TBM: How was the experience of filming The Outlaws? What did you learn from it?

RB: It was phenomenal. We started pre-Covid and filmed two seasons back to back and we are still going. It spans such a vast amount of time that it’s tricky to consolidate all the memories into one paragraph. I had a blast and learnt a lot in regards to the technicalities of filming. We are on our 180th day so I feel like I’ve been through such a training ground for marks, eyelines and lenses etc.!

How was it to work with Stephen Merchant and Christopher Walken?

Inspiring really; two legends! Stephen’s character is pretty silly so it was fascinating seeing him go from being a powerhouse running the show –directing, acting and producing –to playing the complete opposite. Christopher Walken was just electric; super playful, and he just has this sparkle in his eye. I mean, he’s Christopher Walken! It’ll be fascinating for the audience to see a Hollywood legend being plonked in the middle of our story in Bristol.

What was the funniest or most memorable moment on set?

Once Christopher Walken (in the middle of a scene) walked through the door singing a rendition of Don’t Cha by The Pussycat Dolls –pretty iconic.

Can you tell us a bit more about your character, Rani?

The story begins with Rani as she’s been accepted into Oxford University but we soon learn she has a penchant for stealing. Rani’s a dichotomy in a lot of ways and she grows a lot throughout the series. She’s thrown into community service after being caught, and the show follows her in an Alice in Wonderland-esque way where she meets these characters in this new place, subsequently growing and learning.

Once Christopher Walken walked through the door singing a rendition of Don’t Cha by The Pussycat Dolls

Had you had much experience of Bristol before coming here to film?

such a social and buzzing city. I would’ve loved to have experienced it to its full!

Rhianne as Rani in The Outlaws. She found it fascinating to watch co-star Stephen Merchant go from being a powerhouse –directing and producing –to the complete opposite when he was in character

Image : Big Talk/BBC/Four Eyes/James Pardon

Where did you hang out after filming?

Clare [Perkins], Darren [Boyd], Gamba [Cole] and I frequented this place called Cafe Cuba after work. They do the most amazing mojitos and all the food is just divine. Such a great hang.

Which cast member did you hit it off with most?

Everyone, from the cast to the crew, was just incredibly friendly and funny. Any day you came into work, you knew you’d laugh a lot. Strangely, Gamba and I knew each other before. I distinctly remember helping him with a self-tape and manifesting us working with each other again in his car –little did we know! It’s been such a gorgeous experience working with such renowned actors –all of the cast of The Outlaws were people I admire from theatre, film and TV so I felt super lucky to meet and work with them.