Recently graduating from the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Drama School, Michelle Fox went on to film the lead role in ground-breaking new BBC Three series Overshadowed, from Kay Mellor. Telling the story of an Irish vlogger who’s battling against anorexia whilst filming every aspect of her life, the haunting yet funny series will soon be available, with Irish television newcomers Eva O’Connor and Hildegard Ryan having written the series.
Michelle Fox in Overshadowed / Credit: BBC
We got the opportunity to chat to Michelle all about the show, why she decided to get involved and what tips she has for anybody who’s looking to make it in the brutal industry of acting. Read on to find out what she had to say!
What can you tell us about your new series Overshadowed and the character that you play?
Overshadowed is an eight-part short form series following a 17-year-old fun-loving girl named Imogene, as she decides to start filming herself every day. All is not as it seems though as my character struggles to keep a hold of her life and sanity when anorexia takes over. It’s a really intimate portrayal of a young girl battling through this nightmare.
What was it about this series that drew you to joining the cast?
I thought the storyline was really interesting and I wanted the chance to delve into the world of Imogene. The concept of the YouTube style episodes was intriguing as well and I haven’t seen anything on television like this before, so I wanted to be a part of it.
As you mention the show deals with anorexia; how important do you think it is for subjects such as this one to gain attention?
I think it’s important to show how fast an eating disorder can take a hold of someone without them realising and it can be an ongoing battle. No one on the team wanted this subject matter to be glamourized, and I think Overshadowed shows the stark reality of a mental health crisis. We also wanted to show how mental health issues can be so controlling that the person themselves is powerless to what is happening to them.
Shot in a series of vlogs, the series is quite an innovative one; can you tell us a little bit about the filming process and how it differed to previous work?
It was a new experience for everyone on the team including Alex Veitch, our DOP. Alex and myself worked closely as many of the shots were handheld. There were scenes where Alex was running backwards through the woods and walking upstairs backwards holding a heavy camera whilst the boom and sound people tried to duck and dive out of the way. It was challenging but very exciting!
The series was written by Eva O’Connor and Hildegard Ryan; did you work with them on the set? How were they to work with?
Eva also played the character of Ana so we filmed nearly all of our scenes together, which meant both Hildegard and her were always there to answer my niggling questions. Hildegard and Eva were amazing throughout and it was a lovely experience working with so many great women, including producer Sian Palfrey and, of course, Kay Meloor.
You recently graduated from the Bristol Old Vic drama school; what can you tell us about that experience?
I loved BOVTS. The training I received really put my head in gear for the road ahead. I’m a big fan of stage combat also and was delighted to be fighting with swords and daggers every week. Some of the friends I made there are for life and that was really important to me.
Do you have any advice or tips for those who may wish to study drama and make their way into this business?
I graduated from Drama School last year and although I’m still finding my feet, it really gave me the opportunity to get my foot in the door of the business and I’d recommend the training to anyone. Also, keeping a level head on your shoulders and being ready for knock backs. There can be many and knowing how to take them in your stride is crucial.
Are there any shows currently on TV you’d love to be a part of?
I love sci-fi TV series/films and would love to be a part of anything that deals with travelling through space. Probably because I’m re-watching the series Firefly at the moment!
-
Overshadowed will land as a box set on BBC Three from Sunday October 1.