Sheridan Smith, the acclaimed star of BBC One's gripping drama The Cage, has openly declared that her next major television role in ITV's forthcoming Australia-set thriller Two Birds represents the most significant 'gamble' of her entire career. The actress, aged 44, made this candid admission during a recent promotional event for The Cage in London, highlighting the stark contrast between her current project and the physically demanding challenges that lie ahead.
From Liverpool's Underworld to Australia's Outback
In The Cage, which premiered on Sunday, 26th April on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, Smith portrays Leanne, a single mother working at a casino controlled by a menacing local crime lord in Liverpool. Created by Tony Schumacher, the drama sees Leanne's desperate circumstances lead her to steal from the casino to save her home, only to discover her manager Matty, played by Michael Socha, is engaged in similar theft to fund a gambling addiction. Their actions draw the dangerous attention of casino owner Gary, portrayed by Barry Sloane, plunging them into perilous waters.
While The Cage has been praised as one of Smith's most compelling and emotionally charged performances to date, her attention is now firmly fixed on the upcoming six-part ITV series Two Birds. This production, set to film in Australia, will see Smith take on the role of PC Izzie Cornwell, a widowed British police officer investigating a murder in a small mining town in the Kalgoorlie area.
Intensive Preparation for a Demanding Role
Smith has revealed that preparing for this role has required an extraordinary level of commitment, including gun training, combat training, and learning to ride a motorbike, an endeavor that has already resulted in two falls. She has also adopted a rigorous diet regime and enrolled in an intensive bootcamp costing £2,350 to physically transform for the part. "I'm not very good at gambling, but probably the job I'm doing next is the most different to me," Smith teased at the launch event, before laughing and adding, "I shouldn't say that, I've not even started yet!"
The thriller, written by Helen FitzGerald of The Cry fame, follows Izzie as she attempts to chase away her grief by reconnecting with her sister in Australia and rebuilding trust with her twenty-year-old daughter, who is alarmed by her mother's recent destructive behavior. Assigned to investigate a murder alongside her new boss Matt, played by Stephen Peacocke, Izzie's case intensifies when the victim is linked to a notorious local crime family led by the formidable Mrs Baxter, portrayed by Judy Davis.
A Secret That Could Unravel Everything
An ITV synopsis details that the night before Izzie joins the case, a reckless last hurrah goes disastrously wrong, forcing her into a split-second decision with irreversible consequences. This secret becomes something she must desperately contain while navigating the fierce pressure exerted by Mrs Baxter to protect her family and obscure the truth. Smith described the project as "compelling," emphasizing its physical demands and the personal transformation required for the role.
As fans anticipate the conclusion of The Cage, Smith's revelation about Two Birds underscores her willingness to take creative risks and embrace challenging, diverse characters. This move from the gritty streets of Liverpool to the harsh landscapes of the Australian Outback marks a bold new chapter in her career, one that she herself labels as the ultimate professional gamble.
