Eve Hewson on The Perfect Couple, Bad Sisters and why she almost quit acting

Your full name is Memphis Eve Sunny Day Iris Hewson. Did you like it as a kid?
When I was young I was annoyed – I didn’t understand that being different was cool. I keep asking my parents where the Memphis comes from. They say, ‘You were conceived in Memphis’, or ‘It’s because you came out with a bunch of hair, looking like Elvis’. I don’t think they know themselves, to be honest.

Did your dad give you any advice about navigating stardom?
I’ve gotten so much advice my whole life, it’s been wonderful. Someone once said to me that no matter who you are, if you get mega-famous, you’re going to be very weird for about seven years. You’ll start to think everything you do is important, and it’s something you have to watch out for.

And have you?
I haven’t really hit that kind of stardom yet! I’m not J-Lo. When I get there, I’ll let you know.

The Perfect Couple has a stellar cast — Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning — and you’re the lead! Was that daunting?
Not really. I want to be the lead! That’s what I’m here to do. I really liked the idea of playing an outsider, coming into the family and seeing these crazy people through her eyes. My character, Amelia, is quite honest, but the rest of the cast had such a good time dressing up and being awful.

How would you describe the series?
It lives in its own weird world. It’s kind of its own genre – a drama, but also funny – with the whole cast giving these amazing performances. I think people are going to eat it up. It’s a really fun, wild ride.

What was it like having Nicole Kidman as a prospective mother-in-law?
It was incredible. I had no idea she was even part of the show. My agents kept talking about this Nicole person, and I was like, ‘Nicole who?’ When she came on to set, we all got so giddy. It’s amazing to watch someone like that work. She’s been doing it for so long, but she’s constantly pushing herself.

The series opens with a choreographed dance routine on the beach. Tell us about that…
We got an email saying, ‘You need to learn this dance over Christmas’. Everyone was going, ‘What’s this? I’m calling my agent!’ But we got to have a dance lesson with Dua Lipa’s choreographer. We were so close by then, and it ended up being the last scene we filmed, on the beach in the sunshine, with everyone just smiling. Our own Mamma Mia! moment.

Behind Her Eyes was a huge hit, with a twist that involved (spoiler alert) astral projection. Have you tried it?
Oh yeah, we all did a course. No joke. You know that feeling when you’re just about to go to sleep, and you feel like you’re falling? If you catch that moment and then sit up, that’s what astral projection is.

You’ve just wrapped the second series of Bad Sisters. Do you feel a genuine kinship with Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle and Sarah Greene?
We actually are like sisters. I just spent my whole weekend with them, and there is a sisters’ WhatsApp group. We’re very close.

You considered giving up acting at one point. Why was that?
I had a bad experience on a film and I thought: what’s the point of this? I don’t want to put myself in a position where I’m being constantly treated like shit. I think most actors have moments like that. It’s a love-hate relationship with the job.

The Perfect Couple will stream on Netflix from Thursday, 5th September. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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