Sheridan Smith Opens Up About 'Constant Anxiety' from Demanding Role
BAFTA-nominated actress Sheridan Smith has candidly revealed that her portrayal of justice campaigner Ann Ming in the ITV drama I Fought The Law left her in a state of "constant anxiety" and professional burnout. The 44-year-old actress, who is tipped to win a BAFTA next month for her heartfelt performance, described the immense pressure she felt while embodying the real-life story of Ann Ming, who fought tirelessly for sixteen years to overturn the 800-year-old double jeopardy law and convict her daughter Julie Hogg's killer.
"When you play someone's real life you've got that massive pressure to do their story justice and I took that really seriously," Sheridan explained. "When I was playing Ann I wanted myself to feel how she felt but then you're living on your nerves throughout the whole job because the whole series she was trying to fight against the establishment. It was like a constant state of anxiety."
Finding Light Relief in New BBC Thriller
Following this emotionally draining experience, Sheridan found welcome relief when she was offered a role in the new BBC thriller The Cage, where she stars alongside her friend Michael Socha. The five-part series, written by The Responder creator Tony Schumacher, is set in a Liverpool casino and follows Sheridan's character Leanne as she discovers that Michael's character Matty is secretly plotting to rob the casino safe - mirroring her own intentions.
"This was way more fun," Sheridan beamed. "There were so many funny days and it was just more of a laugh. This role is layered and it's still amazing to play as an actress. It was definitely nice to just have a job that wasn't quite so intense. It was a bit of light relief."
A Departure into Gritty Territory
Despite her extensive career that has included winning a BAFTA for her role as Charmian Biggs in Mrs. Biggs and captivating audiences as campaigner Julie Bushby in The Moorside, Sheridan admits that The Cage represents her first foray into the gritty thriller genre.
"It does get quite violent," Sheridan acknowledged. "I've not really done any jobs where it's violent - I loved it. This is the closest I'll get to playing a gangster, but she's really just a single mum who's got herself in a right predicament. They're just a really bad Bonnie and Clyde. But it was great fun."
For co-star Michael Socha, who plays the troubled Matty, the violent elements were more familiar territory. "There is probably not an episode where Matty doesn't experience physical violence," he smiled. "There's always something cracking off for Matty. I'm a working-class actor, I'm like, 'Don't worry about it, guys. I've got this. No, I don't need stunt rehearsal. Just hit me.'"
On-Set Laughter and Challenges
Despite the dark themes of the series, Sheridan and Michael found themselves frequently corpsing on set, much to the occasional frustration of director Al Mackay. The pair share a similar sense of humor and struggled to maintain composure during serious scenes.
"I remember just laughing my head off all the time," Michael, 38, recalled. "Working with Smith I find that certain things that will get me and then I'll just ruin it for everybody."
Sheridan added: "Do you remember that scene where I couldn't get it together? I know there was a lot and it was actually a really serious moment and I think Al got a bit annoyed at me because the steadicam was moving as well and then they had to reset. It's really unfair on the crew but I had to just look at Michael in the face and every time, I just couldn't stop laughing."
Both actors jokingly blamed writer Tony Schumacher for including unexpected one-liners in tense scenes that triggered their laughter. "They let you off a couple [of takes]," Michael explained. "They're like, 'Yeah it's funny isn't it?' but by Take 26 when everyone wants to eat their lunch and I'm still cracking up..."
Intensive Liverpool Shoot
The Liverpool-based production followed an intense schedule, with cast members spending most evenings learning lines and rehearsing. While they did visit a casino to understand the late-night gambling atmosphere, social outings were limited due to the demanding workload.
"It was a bit more [being at] home or the hotel learning lines," Sheridan said. "We had a few trips to the casino but we didn't really go out, it was quite a tough schedule."
On their final day of filming, Sheridan and Michael commemorated their collaboration by getting matching tattoos, though neither is ready to reveal their new ink publicly. Michael laughed: "I can't get undressed. That's the golden rule. Not even for tattoos."
The Cage premieres on Sunday 26 April at 9pm on BBC One, offering viewers a tense thriller about two would-be criminals whose plans collide with dangerous consequences, while providing Sheridan Smith with a welcome change of pace from her previous emotionally taxing role.
