Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Kirk Newmann
We got to chat with actress Andrea Valls about her advice for aspiring actors and her role in the new BBC series Cheaters.
When did you discover your passion for comedy and after that how did you go about developing your comedic voice?
I’ve always enjoyed making people laugh… a natural people pleaser, I would always diffuse situations with comedy or make new friends in the playground by coming up with silly characters. At Drama School, however, I was certain I would be a wonderfully serious actress like my idols Dame Judi Dench or Meryl Streep. However, it was during a production of Chekhov’s Three Sisters (I know right, that well-known comedy…) that I discovered a real passion for comedy. I played the pretentious, social-climbing Natasha, and really gave her an edge of Sybil Faulty, another comedy inspiration I can attribute to hours of watching the classics with my father. I decided to pursue my passion at home, making sketches on my phone in between acting jobs and that is where I really found my comedic voice and style.
Tell our readers about Cheaters and what drew you to the project?
Cheaters is a hilarious and heartbreaking, millennial love story. Apart from the fact that it’s produced by the fantastic Clerkenwell Films, what drew me to the script was the refreshingly honest and modern take on relationships of people my age. I felt like I could recognize myself and my friends in this show.
Seeing as each episode is ten minutes long did you often shoot more than one episode in a week or was there anything unique about the filming process?
The filming process was much like any other, apart from the fact that we had to completely shut down production in March 2020! With just four weeks left to shoot, we were suspended for several months, and then filming after that was unrecognizable, with testing and masks and social distancing for all crew.
While reading about Cheaters I was reminded of the Phoebe Waller-Bridge series Crashing. Do you think there is a kinship between the two shows?
I think you’ll find the script to be just as quick and witty as Crashing and with stand-out performances from Josh McGuire, Susan Wokoma, Callie Cook, and Jack Fox, I’m sure it will have just as much success.
You’ll be seen taking on a completely different role in The Birth of Daniel F Harris. Although the projects cover different themes do you find any similarities between the role you play in Cheaters and the one you play in The Birth of Daniel F Harris?
Both characters have such a deep love for their family, that’s the biggest similarity. I really hope I can explore more about Sara in BODFH, fingers crossed for series two.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
I would say the best advice would be to keep going, find yourself something that can sustain you financially around acting work which you are also passionate about; so many actors quit acting because they can’t handle the instability. I found my work as a fitness coach helped keep me stable and optimistic which is the best place to be when auditioning.