“She’s supportive and doesn’t judge any of them.”
Siobhan Finneran has given a further insight into her character on BBC One drama Time.
In the second season, all the action takes place in a women’s prison, with new and returning cast members.
Finneran returns to the show as Marie-Louise, a prison chaplain, who she felt “privileged” to portray.
Ahead of the show’s second season, Finneran told the BBC that although she felt she couldn’t say she “enjoyed the filming process” due to its content, it was something she felt “honoured” to be a part of.
She explained: “I’ve just felt very privileged and very honoured to be part of this cast, although you can’t say you’ve enjoyed the filming process because the content is really quite dense and brutal. For me, being able to sit and watch the performances has been really quite breath-taking and brilliant.”
The actress said her character is “that little glimmer of hope” for some of the inmates.
Time season 2 takes place inside Carlingford Prison, and is told through the lens of three women whilst portraying the life of those inside a women’s prison.
The BBC drama is centred around Orla, Abi and Kelsey, played by Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance and Bella Ramsey respectively.
In the first episode of Time season 2, viewers are introduced to the core trio and learn that Orla (Jodie Whittaker) is serving six months for “fiddling leecy”, Kelsey (Bella Ramsey) is inside for drug offences and Abi (Tamara Lawrance) is serving a life sentence for the murder of her sister-in-law.
Elsewhere in the episode, Marie-Louise (Siobhan Finneran), encourages prisoner Abi to open up about something that happened to her.
“Have you ever tried to tell anyone why you did it, not even tried?” she asks. “If you’d do that, you’d be in control, wouldn’t you? You’d be in control of that truth.”
Describing her character in further detail, Finneran said: “She’s supportive and doesn’t judge any of them. She offers a little bit of help when she can, and hopefully encourages them to tell their stories because she understands that, in some way, this may go towards them healing.”
Time season 2 premieres on BBC One on Sunday 29th October at 9pm. Season 1 is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
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