FANS loved Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates in the award-winning period drama, Downton Abbey.
When it comes to acting, versatility is Froggatt’s default setting. She is at home on the big and small screen, with a wonderful array of projects under her belt.
Of course, her most popular role being in Downton Abbey.
She says, “It was an amazing experience and wonderful adventure.”
On slipping into the skin of Bates for several seasons, she admits, “I loved that she had such a kind heart and strength of character.”
Back to her latest project, she has been cast as Laura Nielson in Liar.
Peeling back the layers of her character, she says, “Laura is a strong, intelligent woman with a good career. Her life is in a good place.
“She is someone who is used to being respected and listened too.
“When she goes on a date with a respected surgeon, her life takes a very different turn.”
And that’s the premise of the show, which stars Ioan Gruffudd as Andrew Earlham, a renowned surgeon whose son Luke is a pupil at the school where Laura teaches.
Zoe Tapper plays Katy Sutcliffe (Laura’s older sister), who is having an affair with Tom Bailey (Warren Brown). He is Laura’s ex.
Then there’s Liam Sutcliffe (Richie Campbell), Kate’s unsuspecting husband.
DI Vanessa Harmon (Shelley Conn) and DS Rory Maxwell (Danny Webb) are tasked with looking into the rape allegation, which has serious ramifications for many people.
On acting alongside Gruffudd, she says, “I hadn’t worked with Ioan before but we worked together really well. We both felt passionate about the project and wanted to do our best work.”
What’s the strong-suit of this suspense mini-series?
“Liar is a very twisty thriller with an intelligence behind it. It throws up a lot of interesting questions about our society and our judgement of others.”
There’s no rest for Froggatt after this show. She has three movies coming out this year: A Crooked Somebody, Mary Shelley and One Last Thing.
Viewers will enjoy the emotional psychology at play in this series, where the upsets, deception and lies threaten to derail the truth.
Liar airs on BBC First (DStv Channel 119) on Wednesday at 8pm.