Post by Jen on Jun 6, 2010 14:36:01 GMT -5
**Ian talks about playing Paul in "The Children"**
As the proud father of a baby girl, Ian Puleston-Davies says he could understand the pressures and dilemmas faced by every parent in The Children.
He plays the role of Paul, a gregarious radio presenter whose little girl, Emily, is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
“The catastrophe that happens in this story is every parent’s worst nightmare. We all think we are good parents, and that self obsession with being a good parent can ironically go against the well being of a child,” says Ian.
“Paul is a good dad to Emily, but he has his head in the clouds. He has the added pressure of a new baby and a new life with his girlfriend after breaking up with Emily’s mother. There is a complete explosion of interests.
“Being a parent made me understand Paul’s failings and successes as a parent. If I had not had my daughter Maggie I wouldn’t have had as much insight into the character.
“In the 18 months Maggie has been around it has made me realise my selfishness at the times I thought I was being selfless.”
Ian says he was attracted to the role because he wanted to explore what provokes someone to kill a child.
“We read daily about children being mistreated and killed, and I always have had a knee jerk reaction of immediate condemnation. But there are excuses and reasons. In no way am I condoning it. I just wanted to understand it.
Ian admits that his reaction to child murder is much more acute now he has a daughter of his own.
“I have always been able to condemn a person who kills a child, but what I am able to feel now since being a dad is the pain that the sufferers must go through. That upsets me enormously.
“This is not a drama about Ian Brady or Myra Hindley. You think they are a million miles from me. But what is brilliant about this drama is that it really gets under your skin, and makes you feel threatened that you could quite conceivably go quite far down that journey. When you see the arguments, they are so dangerously close to what any of us are capable of".
As the proud father of a baby girl, Ian Puleston-Davies says he could understand the pressures and dilemmas faced by every parent in The Children.
He plays the role of Paul, a gregarious radio presenter whose little girl, Emily, is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
“The catastrophe that happens in this story is every parent’s worst nightmare. We all think we are good parents, and that self obsession with being a good parent can ironically go against the well being of a child,” says Ian.
“Paul is a good dad to Emily, but he has his head in the clouds. He has the added pressure of a new baby and a new life with his girlfriend after breaking up with Emily’s mother. There is a complete explosion of interests.
“Being a parent made me understand Paul’s failings and successes as a parent. If I had not had my daughter Maggie I wouldn’t have had as much insight into the character.
“In the 18 months Maggie has been around it has made me realise my selfishness at the times I thought I was being selfless.”
Ian says he was attracted to the role because he wanted to explore what provokes someone to kill a child.
“We read daily about children being mistreated and killed, and I always have had a knee jerk reaction of immediate condemnation. But there are excuses and reasons. In no way am I condoning it. I just wanted to understand it.
Ian admits that his reaction to child murder is much more acute now he has a daughter of his own.
“I have always been able to condemn a person who kills a child, but what I am able to feel now since being a dad is the pain that the sufferers must go through. That upsets me enormously.
“This is not a drama about Ian Brady or Myra Hindley. You think they are a million miles from me. But what is brilliant about this drama is that it really gets under your skin, and makes you feel threatened that you could quite conceivably go quite far down that journey. When you see the arguments, they are so dangerously close to what any of us are capable of".
