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As anyone whos worked in an office knows, operating by the book can quickly be misconstrued for callousness.
The characters I play are all about truth and love, Niles adds.
Shes comfortable, and shes confident in what shes doing.
(Hint: Its not on a bike.)
What about you?[Laughs.]
I love watching the World Cup.
I love watching the Euros.
Im not an old faithful, but I have followed it.
Just the skill of it, its wonderful.
You mention hooliganism which, with the European final and subsequent racial abuse, is hot on our minds.
So there is that side.
I do think things are changing, and the love and passion people have.
I mean, I follow Ian Wright on social media.
I read elsewhere that you and Jason discussed Sharon at length when you first came onboard.
So I was like, how do you angle that?
Kindness doesnt always have to be out-and-out positive on face value.
[Jasons] a wonderful storyteller.
Thats how she operates.
One of my fears is that she would come across as cold.
Theres a reclusiveness that underpins Sharon, I think.
Where do you think that comes from?
Is it an active choice?I dont think so.
And she just says, nothing that I care to share about at work.
I think she must love people, and its challenging work.
Shes intelligent enough that she could have gone and worked somewhere else.
You dont necessarily have to work in football, you know.
And shes made that choice, whatever repercussions or challenges shes come against.
How do you think that develops as the series goes on?I dont think shes an anti-Ted.
She thinks hes intelligent.
Shes just not interested in the frills and decorations hes putting up.
Shes interested in whats going on beyond that, and she sees him for that.
Episode eight opens with a conversation between Sharon andhertherapist.
Do you think its important we see a more vulnerable side to her?Absolutely.
I did sometimes say to Jason, does she seem a bit hard?
I dont want her to come across as hard, I dont want people to just … you know.
And you see such range, and so many different sides to her, its amazing.
She just doesnt give too much away that isnt necessary for the work at hand.
Shes not there to be a friend, really.
I think she just tries to do the best she can.
She says it on the first day: Are you good at your job?
She says shes twice as good as Ted.Yeah, which is a great line.
And you have to back that up.
Which is not me.
Were both in London, and you wouldnt catch me on a bike here.
Im too much of a coward.No way, I wouldnt be cycling, no.
And how you recover, its really important.
That accident really knocks her for six.
When someone enters the room with her, shes kind of building an idea.
And shes building an idea of Ted.
She doesnt think that who she is, and her position, has anything to do with that.
Its just her on a professional level.
I feel like people always start one way and they come out another way, so.
Whatre you listening to at the moment?Im listening to a bit of Cleo Sol.
I listen to a lot of old stuff as well.
Im a hip-hop head.
I like the old-school hip-hop.
Not to put you on the spot, but one favorite artist?Oh my gosh!
I was listening to De La Soul because, obviously, theres lots of stuff happening with them.
But theres just too many, I think.
