Coronation Street actor Emrhys Cooper has spoken about how his parents' real-life experience with a cult helped him prepare for his role as sinister guru Rowan Cunliffe. The 39-year-old, who joined the ITV soap in March, said his family's trauma made the part especially meaningful.
Cooper told The Mirror that his parents were drawn into a London-based cult 22 years ago under the guise of wellness and fitness. He described the character as 'nuanced' with a 'fun duality', explaining: 'On one hand he wants to help and heal, but on the other hand he wants to take advantage.'
The actor revealed that his father, Christopher, provided insight into the cult's workings, which helped him portray Rowan. 'I've consulted with my dad on this character as he has a lot of insight and it's been really good to talk about it,' Cooper said. 'There was quite a lot of resentment, and I just never knew what happened, so it's been quite healing.'
Cooper grew up in Totnes with parents who were 'new age hippies' with an open-minded attitude. His mother, Raphaela, suffered a severe stroke after a holistic doctor advised her to stop taking blood pressure medication, leaving her paralysed. The actor believes it could have been avoided had she continued her prescription.
The couple also encountered a group that became more sinister after asking for money and attempting to engage them in 'bizarre sexual exercises'. Cooper said his parents 'cottoned on that this exercise programme was not all it was cracked up to be' and left 'relatively unscathed'. He hopes his storyline will raise awareness about how cults operate, warning: 'Take it very seriously, it's not a joke, some people join cults and never come out.'
