Corrie airs at 8.30pm on ITV1
How guilty is Brody feeling about his factory sabotage now he’s seeing the impact on Carla, the staff and Sally?
He feels really, really guilty. I think the worst thing about it is, how it’s affecting the whole street. I think he was kind of promised it wouldn’t cause such a big deal with the insurance covering it and obviously that’s turned out badly and the payout hasn’t happened. So I think it’s been a punch in the gut to him and a punch in the gut to everyone else on the street.
He feels especially guilty about Sally, she’s been like his mother this past year, now what he’s done is affecting her, she might lose her job around Christmas and that’s going to affect his sisters too if Sally isn’t bringing in an income, meaning no Christmas presents for his little sisters.
So I think it’s a horrible feeling seeing the consequences of his actions and the ripple effects from that. It’s sitting very heavily for Brody, he’s feeling awful about it and very guilty.
He threatens to tell Carla, do you think he’d go through with this or is he too scared of Idris?
I think it’s an overwhelming amount of emotion for him being stuck in the middle between Carla, Idris, Sally and his family. It’s a battle he wasn’t prepared for and I don’t know what he’s going to do. There’s so many times he wants to tell and expose Idris, but to do that he has to expose himself and there’s a lot of consequences that come with that.
He’s already been in a youth defender’s prison, so it’s very unlikely he’d come out of this well and he doesn’t want to end up back there. He’s worked so hard to get a better reputation on the street since he was released and obviously that opinion of him on the street would go down very quickly if the secret leaked. So I think he’s in this complete battle with himself for what to do. He wants to do something, but he’s stuck in this difficult situation.
When Idris insists that the staff will be ok once he owns the factory does he believe them?
I think he wants to believe and it’s a lot easier to be manipulated when you want something to be true. Brody’s kind of being told what he wants to be told. Obviously he’s not stupid, he has an inkling that it’s not going to happen but because he’s so guilty as it is, I think if he has this hope it relieves that a bit.
Is Brody starting to regret ever getting mixed up with Idris? What was it that first drew him to Idris?
Yes of course, at the forefront as a human being he just feels so guilty and he’s wondering why did I let myself do this again? But that’s probably one of Brody’s worst qualities, due to his dad, I think he’s really inclined to be drawn to a dominant man or a classic alpha male figure. He gets very closely attached to people like that because it feels like the relationship he had with his dad.
Then it’s a sad loop he gets stuck in like with his dad, then Kit, where he’s attracted to strong male figures. I think he then seeks their approval because he’s never really had that approval. So he tries so hard to make them proud, earn that ego boost for himself that he makes bad decisions.
He’s just in that loop seeking the love of a male figure which is why I think he’s so easily led. He’s also getting rewarded with a load of money, so he can look after his family more, he’s helping pay the bills at Sally and Tim’s, he’s helping out with his sisters and he’s getting all these things for not doing that much work. But it’s more that it’s eating away at his soul and his character. I think that’s why he’s stuck in this vicious cycle with Idris now, he feels like he doesn’t want to disappoint another person like he did with his dad.
Another complicating factor is Betsy, Brody’s been there supporting her since her stroke, he’s always had feelings for her, do you think there could be more between them at some point?
Yeah, I think it’s really nice, Brody has this confident exterior with girls, he’s always fancied her and when he first came in the show he was knocked back by her and that hurt his ego, but I think it’s a lot better for them in the long run that they’ve actually been friends first if something ever does happen. There’s a flirty undertone there but there’s also the fact that they are just two humans that get along. So I think it would be really nice if they start something from that friendship, I don’t think Brody’s ever had that before, where it’s not just been a romantic thing straightaway. I’d like to see it stem from something more.
We’ve also seen some beautiful scenes between Kit and Brody, how emotional did it feel doing the head shave scene?
That was a big one, it was hard because the first time I saw Jacob with his head shaved was on the day of doing the scene, so I think it felt so much more real. It’s the shock factor of seeing this guy you know so well be stripped back and so vulnerable. He was brilliant in those scenes because it didn’t really feel like you were acting at all. For Brody it was that uncomfortable air of you don’t really know what to say, but you want to make sure they’re okay. We just connected over that vulnerability and looked out for each other throughout.
Do you think Kit’s diagnosis has brought them closer as father and son?
Yeah, absolutely, we haven’t really seen Kit be vulnerable with Brody before. Even though they’ve had scenes where they’ve softened, had a laugh together and had a good time, there’s been nothing too deep. This is really exposing, to be so unwell shows someone’s vulnerable side, the fact that he’s so tired while he’s having the chemo and can’t push back on things so much. Brody can see a much more fragile Kit and I think being trusted with that is taking their relationship further.
I think what’s made this father/son discovery storyline so realistic is that it’s such a complicated thing. It wasn’t black and white, like you’re my dad so that means we have to love each other instantly because you’ve never been in my life. I think it’s been confusing for both of them because there’s so many social obligations that you feel you have to follow. But I think they’ve both been quite open about that, about disliking each other at first, then to being mates and finally to Brody calling him dad.
That’s really huge for Brody, to not call Mick his dad. He basically tells Kit I need you not to die because I’ve only just started to get to know you. That was a really lovely scene.
Is he scared he might lose Kit after only just finding him?
Yes, I think that’s why it’s such a beautiful relationship, because you don’t really appreciate something until there’s the risk it could be taken away. I think it’s nice that it’s made them come closer because it’s making Brody think, wow, my biological father could be gone and how do I feel about that? It’s kind of sped up that process for him and made him really assess how he feels and the love for a dad he’s never had before.
It’s becoming more of a safe relationship for them both. I think they’re both quite similar and they’re both not willing to let someone in if they don’t think they’re actually a good person. At first neither thought they were the person they are, they were both quite guarded at first but now those walls are coming down.
Are you enjoying having this whole, extended family?
Yeah, I’m super lucky. I’m working with Corrie legends like Sally who’ve been here for 40 years. So to be a part of a foster family with Sally and Tim is like a dream. They’re just the sweetest people and also they really know what they’re doing, they’re such gifted actors. So to be able to learn from them, I’ve just been like a sponge, trying to take in as much information off them as possible. I know it’s so cliche but you do sometimes feel like a family. You spend hours upon hours together, have lunch with them every day, find out about their life, they find out about yours.
I think that’s what makes it good TV because it becomes like real life. I’ve also got my two little sisters that I love to bits. One minute we’re all crying, the next minute one’s dropped into the splits, they’re brilliant. I’ve also got Jane (Hazelgrove) who’s done hundreds of TV and theatre jobs. We’re always talking about how she and Sue Devaney used to live together in a flat in London when they’d be doing all these things.
Then there’s Jacob and the time we spend with Gemma and Chesney. I think I’ve been really, really blessed that I’ve come into such a big show with awesome connections to so many people. I think it’s helped me to really get stuck in and there’s so many dynamics for me to explore as an actor and as a character.
Carla faces ruin (Pictures: ITV)
You’ve been on the show for 18 months now. Do you like how Brody has become involved with more and more character groups, with his family, but also the Connor-Swains, Idris?
I’ve been involved with everything, it’s amazing. I’m even getting to work with Debbie’s Angels at the moment with really big characters. I’m just trying to learn from them because they’re so good at what they do. And then I’ve got this younger dynamic working with Sydney and honestly she’s justy incredible. She just popped a tear on rehearsal the other day, I mean like no one does that, cries in the block.
I think to see all these great actors do what they do and make what we do, which in reality is this beautiful show for people to watch, is the biggest blessing. The next thing over the past 18 months has been the people, it’s just been amazing.
Is there anyone you’d like to work with more?
Obviously Sue Devaney because she’s amazing, you never know what she’s going to do next. I always say that acting is like a tennis match. If they hit it onto the left court, you have to be ready to hit it on the left, but they also might hit on the right and you have to be prepared for that. You can’t ever be expecting what someone is going to do and I think the greatest actors are always like that. They always have a little twinkle. I love that in Sue and also in David who plays Roy, it’s all in the eyes and that’s why they’re so brilliant. I’d love to work with David more.
We’ve seen Brody make mistakes, get involved with the wrong people, some dodgy dealings, but do you think he’s a good guy at heart?
I think so, yes, I really do. I think he’s got a really big heart and that’s what I like about him. I think he’s so passionate that he really feels everything. I always stand by that I’d rather feel everything than nothing and I think Brody’s like that.
He’s upset Idris, he’s hurt the whole street and he’s absolutely devastated by that. But then the next day he’ll be laughing so hard with his sisters and then he’ll have a chat with Sally and he’ll just ask for a hug. It can be really simple, but I think he is just so vulnerable and no one really expects him to be because he has such bravado.
Everyone knows a Brody, a loveable lad but he’s always the one who’s in trouble or he’s always the idiot who’s ended up involved in something. I think he’s relatable in that way, he’s so full of life and that’s why he’s so fun to watch and to play. I think he is a beautiful person and a beautiful soul, but he also does multiple idiotic things.
Catch up on ITVX, and for classic visits to Corrie, these episodes air weekdays on ITV3 as well as on YouTube.