In My Skin

Jo Hartley interview

Jo Hartley talks about taking on the challenge of playing Trina in In My Skin, a character who is bipolar.

What stood out for you when you read the script?

It was refreshingly honest and brave; sharp witted, explosive, moving and original. The characters just jumped off the page. I was transported into Bethan's world immediately and felt intuitively connected to Trina. A heartwarming and complex journey between mother and daughter.

Why did you want to be involved in the series?

Many reasons; the story felt relevant, I knew it would be a challenge for me as an actor, which was scary but simultaneously exciting. I saw it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Great team, Nerys is a fantastic producer, so supportive. Kayleigh's wonderful script, [director] Lucy was super enthusiastic pre audition, so I sensed really good vibes. Great cast. Everyone just seemed so emotionally invested and excited.

What was it like playing Trina?

It was a gift, an education in some respects, I learned a lot. I found myself empathising more with people who have to live with bipolar. There's a duty of care, so I worked hard on prep. Some days were mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting, but we laughed a lot too.

I felt loved and supported throughout the process and was given a safe environment to work in. From an actors point of view, it was an opportunity to transform, completely let go and experience a new way of performing, cathartic. Whilst being aware of the sensitive nature of the topic and my responsibilities; I also had to fully let go of all expectations, including my own and trust my higher power would work through me to deliver the best performance possible. The prep was in place, so all I had to do was get out of the way, essentially.

And what was the biggest challenge in taking on the role?

Finding Trina's authenticity, the characters truth and a version of bipolar, which is pretty incomprehensible if you've never experienced hyper mania or an episode. The challenge was not to overperform or cover a whole spectrum of bipolar. Just to allow myself to investigate the complexities, layers, sensations and emotions of the character, becoming the best version of Trina, I could possibly be.

How did you get into character for the role?

It was an intimate process. Confidence and imagination were crucial. It was a physical, emotionally and spiritually demanding experience; extensive discussions with Kayleigh and Lucy, asking questions, creating a back story, discovering who Trina is, what motivates her, then allowing some of those real-life elements we'd discussed, to inform my performance.

Preparation was key; learning lines thoroughly, using all five senses; emotional recall, breath work, body scanning, sensation, visualisation, physical movement. I used every distraction on set to my advantage. Hair and make-up was a huge part.

Music: I created a playlist. New Order and Hildur Guõnadóttir helped; her music is powerful.

Research: movies, YouTube clips, observing real life behaviour. I have a good friend who's bi-polar, so we spent time together. Camilla Leach, from Bipolar UK, talked me through all the different stages of bipolar, as every case is unique. Lucy and I came up with a scale of one to five, which we used on set for performance, that represented the level of mania or hypomania.
I created image boards. This allowed me to be in the scene physically with Gabby, whilst remaining mentally detached from her, so I had a separate narrative running through the scene. We used Improvisation, although scripted, Kayleigh and Lucy encouraged me to come off book, be spontaneous, keep things fluid, real. I just tried things that were alien to me. Played about with ideas, acted, listened then re-act, I followed intuition.

Environment: on Lucy's request, I remained isolated from everyone and stayed in character most of the time throughout, I do believe that enhanced my performance. The crew on this job were so kind and supportive, everyone was.

Did it feel different playing a real life character from a true story rather than a fictional character?

Yes, it did. There's a responsibility and duty of care. So, whilst Trina is based on a real-life person, we always wanted her to become a character in her own right, not a direct impersonation of Kayleigh's mum, so we made the choice not to meet. I didn't even see a photo of her until after we'd finished shooting, so I was completely free to make Trina her own woman.

One thing that was important for me; was showing an honest portrayal of what it looked like to suffer with bi-polar, in an accurate way, not just for Kayleigh's mum, but for all people living with the illness. Letting go of the fears helped, as it blocks creativity.

Describe your character in three words.

Vulnerable, kind and unpredictable.

What was it like acting alongside Gabrielle Creevy and Rhodri Meilir?

They're both brilliant actors, so I felt grateful to go on this journey with them. I couldn't have done it without their support, love and kindness. They gave me the freedom to do what I needed to do.

Gabby and I worked closely together before the shoot. We became very close, she's invested, a phenomenal young actor. There was a lot of trust, a short hand, we just clicked, so it made it much easier. They listen, are present on set, not thinking of their next line, which is engaging, they were with me every step. I could feel we all had the same intention: to serve a beautifully written script.

Rhodri and I were kept apart most of the time, but we did do some backstory work, as we had quite grueling scenes together. He's amazing, scary in this, but the nicest guy in the world, so I'm sure it was a stretch for him to play Dilwyn. He's adorable.

What kind of person do you think will enjoy the series?

I believe In My Skin will appeal to everyone. It's a story about being human, growing up and the challenges we all face in our relationships, it covers mental illness, youth, sexuality, dreams, desires. I think we just all hope people will connect with it. Our aim was to tell the most truthful version of this story we possibly could and just maybe, someone out there can identify and no longer feel alone.