EastEnders actor Pierre Counihan-Moullier, who portrays Oscar Branning, has teased the dramatic fallout as his character's secret double life with twins Jasmine and Josh is finally exposed. Fans have watched Oscar secretly dating Jasmine while also becoming intimate with her twin brother Josh. Despite attempts to distance himself from Josh, Oscar is caught out next week.
Oscar's Guilt and Confusion
Speaking about the storyline, Counihan-Moullier said: "It's a lot. He's doing a classic Oscar and believes he's in control, yet the more he gets involved, the worse it becomes, and he keeps making the wrong decisions in typical Branning fashion. He thinks he can fix everything, but can't admit he's messed up, as he's always been afraid of becoming like his dad and hurting people. He doesn't want to face that he's done exactly that, so this week he's trying to put things right."
The actor elaborated on Oscar's guilt: "He does feel guilty and beats himself up about it, but you can't control who you have feelings for. He's never been in a long enough relationship to work out if he's scared of commitment, as he's always moved quickly from one person to another. Now, instead of one person he could commit to, he's found two, and they just happen to be twins. It's awful timing and a completely new situation for him, developing strong feelings for two people."
Avoiding a Choice
When asked whether Oscar is genuinely confused or avoiding a decision, Counihan-Moullier replied: "He's both avoiding the decision and genuinely confused. Deep down, he knows he must do something he's never done before: make a mature choice and think about what's right for himself. He's following his instincts, but they're leading him somewhere that could cause pain, so he avoids it. Growing up in the fallout of Max's bad decisions has shaped him. On some level, he still craves his dad's love and attention, so whether consciously or not, he slips into being like him. At the same time, he doesn't want to be like his dad because he's seen the damage it causes. That's why he's so shocked to find himself in a classic Max Branning situation, when he always meant to avoid it."
The Twins' Backstory
Josh reveals to Oscar the circumstances behind why he and Jasmine were separated as children. Counihan-Moullier explained: "As the birthday approaches, Oscar sees how stressed Jasmine is, and hearing the truth helps him understand her behaviour. It makes him feel immediately guilty - he's learned about this trauma, yet he's with Josh, lying."
When Oscar brings this up with Jasmine, she slaps him. The actor noted: "He's surprised! Even though he knows Jasmine can be impulsive, it still catches him off guard because he's seen how much she's changed. Since leaving prison, she's been more vulnerable and less volatile. So, he expects that version of her, but when he clumsily raises the subject, the old Jasmine resurfaces."
Caught Out by Kat
Oscar and Josh are caught out by Kat. Counihan-Moullier said: "Oscar doesn't handle confrontation well, and this is the worst-case scenario. It's a low point for him. Despite trying to justify what's happened, Kat isn't buying it, which increases the pressure. He's terrified of what she'll do next as he doesn't want to hurt Jasmine and dreads facing her when she finds out. Everything he's tried to avoid comes crashing down."
As for what viewers can expect as things unravel, he added: "It's a wake-up call that forces him to make a mature decision - he can't bury his head in the sand anymore. In Walford, secrets never stay hidden for long and now Kat knows, it's only a matter of time before everything comes out."
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
