Stay Close star Cush Jumbo says role proved "harder” than she thought it would be
The Harlan Coben adaptation arrives on Netflix on New Year's Eve.
Cush Jumbo (The Beast Must Die, Deadwater Fell) has said that her part in Netflix's Stay Close was more of a challenge than she initially anticipated.
Chatting to RadioTimes.com and other press about the upcoming Harlan Coben adaptation, Jumbo said: "Actually, it proved to be harder than I assumed it would be. I always find it really interesting to play a person in the past and in the present. And especially when you keep jumping between the two when you're shooting, because you get to not just bring your backstory, but you get to actually live a backstory, and then have the past affect the present, and the present the past.
"So it was just really fun. And it meant that I probably got to work with more of the actors, which is also really fun because you're spread out across the whole universe of the story. It is a challenge, because you're there a lot of the time, but it was really good fun."
Jumbo also had to learn the art of pole dancing for the series, which proved tricky at first, but now she can't get enough.
“It's really hard," she said. "I said to Harlan that I wanted to get it right. I hadn’t intended to just have my head superimposed on a really good body double, although maybe that might have been better [laughs]. But it was actually really fun. I got to learn at two different schools over three months.
"My legs were completely battered; it was not glamorous. I did a lot of falling down the pole before I started to look anywhere near good enough, but I love learning new skills. And now you can't get me down the high street without swinging around a lamppost. I love it. I want one in my new house actually. Once you understand how to get around it, it's quite addictive because you feel like you're flying or something, in your underwear."
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Jumbo plays a woman called Megan, who has a job and a family, and appears to lead a normal, happy life. But when a woman from her past, played by Sarah Parrish, appears with some shocking news, her life is turned on its head.
The Stay Close cast also includes James Nesbitt (Bloodlands), Richard Armitage (The Stranger) and comedian Eddie Izzard, among others.
Watch the trailer below.
Stay Close arrives on Netflix on Friday 31st December. Read our guide to the best series on Netflix, visit our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features, or find something to watch with our TV Guide.
Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
