Nicola Coughlan and Lydia West are again embracing the messiness of female friendship in season two of Big Mood, they usually’re delighted about it.
“It’s a little bit of a job reversal on this series,” the Bridgerton and Derry Girls star tells The Hollywood Reporter about creator Camilla Whitehill’s Channel 4 hit. She and West are catching us up over Zoom ahead of the six-parter’s Thursday, Apr. 16 release, available on Tubi within the U.S.
The Irish actress is referring to the lead duo, Maggie and Eddie, who’re continuing to determine life as two 30-something-year-olds in East London. Their absurd adventures remain speckled with moments of jolting sincerity — centering on Maggie’s bipolar disorder and Eddie’s unaddressed grief — slotting the “dark” into this dark comedy.
“Maggie’s trying really hard to be the stable one,” Coughlan says about her character on this installment, “and Eddie’s the one going through a crisis — not that she really realizes it.” Season two revolves across the pair, having not spoken for a 12 months after Eddie left for L.A. without Maggie, re-entering each other’s lives. Except Eddie’s come back with a friend in tow, Whitney (Hannah Onslow), whose ulterior motives are swiftly sussed out by everyone except Eddie.
“She is that this hippie, spiritual guru-TikTok influencer,” explains West. “But Eddie buys into her charm [and] a world which Eddie has never really seen before. And Eddie’s really vulnerable. Someone like that preys on the vulnerable.”
Luckily, she has Maggie searching for her. Even with distance — emotional and physical — between them, Coughlan and West’s onscreen chemistry is a protected bet. “There’s an actual warmth and ease between them,” says Lotte Beasley, executive producer at Dancing Ledge Productions. “They’re exceptional comic performers, but additionally they bring an emotional honesty that makes you root for Maggie and Eddie’s friendship, even when it’s at its most chaotic.”
Below, Coughlan and West dive into season two of Big Mood. They discuss the pressure of representing the bipolar community onscreen, their favorite British popular culture references and that downright perfect celebrity guest star episode: “It’s such a great trait when someone’s not afraid to take the entire piss out of themselves. And he just really went for that.”
Where can we pick up with Maggie and Eddie in season two?
LYDIA WEST We leave season one with Eddie catching a flight to L.A. without Maggie, and we see their exit, Eddie moving into the automobile. [In season two] we flash forward, we’re a 12 months later, and we’re at one in every of our friends’ weddings, and we’re each bridesmaids for this wedding. We haven’t spoken in a 12 months. Eddie is now off-grid, so she hasn’t got a phone. She’s not on social media or anything. No person really knows if Eddie’s going to show up. After which she does.
Has there been any personal growth for either of them that’s happened off-camera?
NICOLA COUGHLAN Yeah, I feel Maggie’s definitely trying her best. She’s attempting to do all of the proper things that you just’re alleged to do as a stable person. She’s doing yoga and Peloton and taking vitamins and doing all that stuff. [Laughs.] Just trying to raised herself. But I feel she’s gone [for] an extreme version of that, which I’m undecided may be very true to who she actually is. And she or he’s missed Eddie absolutely terribly, and, yeah, gets the shock of her life when she turns up at this wedding.
Lydia West in season two of ‘Big Mood.’
Courtesy of Channel 4
What do you’re thinking that fans can expect, Nicola?
COUGHLAN It’s a little bit of a job reversal on this series. I feel because Maggie’s trying really hard to be the stable one, and Eddie’s the one going through a crisis — not that she really realizes it. But then it’s the issue of Maggie trying to look really sane and really on top of all the things, and all the things just going absolutely horribly unsuitable at every turn. You actually feel for her. And it was interesting playing it, because, as I said, it was a job reversal. It was a unique thing from series one. It was interesting, those moments where the true Maggie would kind of peek out and have a go at Whitney. [Laughs.]
Whitney is such a great antagonist. What does Eddie see in her?
WEST When Eddie left, she hadn’t processed loads of her own pain and loads of grief and anger. She went to L.A., I feel, with this concept of just running away from all the things. After which she meets Whitney, who shows her the sunshine, so to talk. She is that this hippie, spiritual guru-TikTok influencer. But Eddie buys into her charm [and] a world which Eddie has never really seen before. And Eddie’s really vulnerable. Someone like that preys on the vulnerable, and Eddie really wants saving, so she’s found someone who can heal her without her having to do any of the work herself and confront anything that’s happening back at home. What Whitney offers her is that this latest life where she will be whoever she chooses to be. But then all of it comes crashing down when Whitney is exposed to her old life, and Eddie can’t really keep all the things up and manage each relationships with Maggie and with Whitney.
Nicola, what does Maggie hate a lot about Whitney? Such a joy to look at.
COUGHLAN Before I answer, I actually have to say we actually love Hannah. She was such a stunning addition, and he or she’s such a improbable actor. It was really funny because I’d been working along with her for perhaps two weeks, and began talking about This Is Going to Hurt. And I didn’t really even know it was her in it, because she’s really transformative and just has probably the most gorgeous energy. She’s so talented. But I feel it’s really difficult for Maggie, since you sort of realize how codependent Maggie and Eddie were as friends. [There’s] the belief that Maggie doesn’t really like anyone apart from Eddie, not truly. So to have someone are available and take your person away, it’s very painful. But then also, like I said, loads of her true character feels quite repressed this series, because she’s really attempting to bite her tongue and be chill and go together with it. Nevertheless it causes her a terrific deal of frustration. It’s a boiling pot, and the lid goes to come back off at one point or one other.
Discuss with me about playing a personality with bipolar disorder, and the messy candidness of it.
COUGHLAN Yeah, Lydia and I speak about this often. I mean, it’s great how much conversations around mental health have opened up within the last 10 years, but that sort of only applies to depression and anxiety. Those have grow to be societally acceptable, whereas people have an actual misunderstanding of bipolar disorder or simply don’t have any understanding of it in any way. It’s an incredibly tricky disorder. It’s incredibly tricky to live with, incredibly difficult to medicate. And likewise, I feel this show delves into how difficult it is usually to be the friend of somebody with bipolar disorder since it’s not Maggie’s fault that she let Eddie down in the primary series. But you see that it’s all connected to her mental health and the complications of that and the boundaries of a friendship, when you may go, “Actually, you weren’t there for me.” But I feel it’s great that it deals with it through the lens of comedy, because then it doesn’t feel like we’re attempting to hammer home a lesson and the way you ought to be. It’s just going, “Well, here it’s, and look how tricky it may be.”
It’s that intersection of all the above plus female friendships, being in your 30s and never knowing what you would like out of life. And coping with family dynamics as well. It was so satisfying seeing Maggie have it out along with her dad.
COUGHLAN I actually love that episode. I loved shooting with Robert Lindsay as well. Because nobody exists in a bubble. I at all times think seeing people’s family dynamics is such a gap up as to who they are surely. And also you see a lot of why Maggie is the way in which she is. If you meet her dad, you realize how similar they’re, even the bits that she perhaps doesn’t realize are so similar.
Have either of you had conversations with Camilla about what she hopes people take away from this season?
WEST There’s quite a bit this season. I like the theme of opening up. It involves a head in the ultimate episode. The season is increase to this one point, they usually finally have an honest conversation with one another that they’ve been avoiding for therefore long… There are suppressed emotions that Eddie hasn’t ever explained to Maggie and vice versa. Just having this honest conversation between friends slash lovers, because it truly is a loving relationship. It’s platonic, [but] just seeing what that may do and the facility of opening up and the facility of honest conversations. I’m willing the entire season only for them to speak and sit down and say what they’re considering. A lot of season two is just suppressed emotions and suppressed conversations and friendships, but then it comes out in little bits. In episode one, Eddie is trying so hard not to attach with Maggie, but there’s just these moments where they slip into their old dynamic, and it’s so beautiful. It’s just so real for them.
It’s a terrific example of how a friendship breakup will be just as gut-wrenching as a romantic one. Perhaps we will all draw on personal experience in that regard.
COUGHLAN Definitely. I feel that’s one other big theme — the difficulties of attempting to grow as an individual in your 30s, and the way that will be really difficult in friendships. Because someone will go, “Well, I’ve fucking known you endlessly.” I feel [Eddie and Maggie] are each attempting to grow in quite extreme ways which can be away from who they honestly are. They’ve perhaps gone too far. But additionally, [it’s about] the issue in not letting one another do this, and the way essential it’s to try this. And realistically, long-term friendships, you’ve gotten to simply accept that change and growth. Nevertheless it’s tough. It’s tough in any respect.
How has it been balancing the lightness and darkness of Big Mood? Your comedic timing is so great. Do you enjoy it, or should get within the zone for it?
COUGHLAN It’s within the script, isn’t it?
WEST Yeah, I find it’s within the script. Camilla writes so naturally and so conversationally that even the jokes are… That’s their way of talking to one another. It’s just their references, the popular culture references and all the things. The comedy slides off that actually well. Moreover, we’re battling with such heavy topics, and doing it in a funny way does make it more palatable. So I personally go into work without feeling [heavy]. If it was a drama, I’d feel quite a bit more heavy, and I’d carry it quite a bit more with me. Nevertheless it’s quite easy to slide out and in of it, since you’re talking about a very serious topic, but you’re in the midst of a sauna. It’s ridiculous, which really helps. Since it is de facto sad. It’s really emotional. If you consider what Maggie went through in season one, coping with lithium poisoning… What was interesting for me, watching it, was seeing the results of lithium poisoning, because I didn’t film those scenes with Nic. I saw it as a viewer. I used to be like, “Woah. It’s so hard.” It’s so nuanced, and hard to even diagnose. In order that felt really heavy, but then mixed with real silliness makes it more bearable.
It was an actual education. Was it the identical for you Nicola?
COUGHLAN Definitely. I mean, I actually have known a pair of individuals prior to now with bipolar disorder, and it’s an incredibly misunderstood thing. However the feedback we’ve gotten has been amazing. People going, “My friend’s mum is a psychologist, and he or she said it’s probably the most real depiction [she’s] ever seen of bipolar on television.” And that’s really amazing. Because we never, ever got down to make a show that was like, “You’ve got to learn what that is like. We’re really attempting to teach you a lesson here.” All you would like [for] anything you ever make… You only hope it makes people feel something, whether that’s to laugh or cry or connect with it or anything. The show has done that.
What is perhaps a misconception about your characters? Or was there anything about them that you just desired to play up more this season?
COUGHLAN I definitely found it a challenge, since it felt like Maggie was attempting to not be Maggie. So it was weird, among the scenes. That’s the thing I like about playing her. In season one, she was so straight up and honest. And this time, she’s attempting to be a greater version of herself. She’s really holding it in. Eventually, the true Maggie, it’s got to come back out sooner or later. But that was a very interesting challenge. Also, her trying to not be herself, she’s throwing out all the great parts of herself, in addition to the difficult parts. Human beings, we’ve got all of it occurring. You’ve got to simply accept all of it.
WEST I at all times thought [Eddie and Maggie] were really cool, but it surely’s weird because on this season we now have numerous flashbacks. And doing the flashbacks validated how I at all times felt in regards to the characters. They’ve their style. Seeing the way it transformed from 2011 to present day was really fun and really validating. It was really fun to have the ability to play with hair and makeup and costume looks, and see where they got here from, how they met, what sort of friends they’ve, what sort of events they used to do. It gives them somewhat little bit of history you may peek into.
Nicola Coughlan, Hannah Onslow and Lydia West in ‘Big Mood.’
Courtesy of Channel 4
What do you’re thinking that the opposite one has in common with their character?
COUGHLAN I feel Lyds is cooler than she thinks she is, because I feel she really knows who she is and doesn’t should try.
WEST That’s crazy, your perception. Because I like that you’re thinking that that, but I feel I try so hard.
COUGHLAN It doesn’t come across in any respect. You seem so sure in who you’re.
WEST Perhaps I’m now, but…
COUGHLAN If you first meet Eddie, I’m like, “Yeah, you’re so sure of who you’re and what you would like.” And never in the identical way that she is, but by way of the life that you just’ve chosen and wish to live, you’re really ten toes down, and I actually love that about you. Despite the fact that Eddie’s life is different.
WEST I feel you’re that too.
COUGHLAN Aw, thanks.
I like the British popular culture references on this show. There’s turkey teeth, a mention of Jamie Laing’s podcast, the London sauna hype. Do you guys have a favourite?
COUGHLAN Oh gosh, the sauna one does make me laugh simply because of how Eamon Farren said it. And we were really badly giggling that day on set. We just really, really struggled to get through the take. So I feel that one due to that reason.
WEST There’s a funny line that actually stands out for me, which is definitely missed. It’s in episode one. It’s the maid of honor, Marina [Bye]’s character, Flopsy, asking for those who can cut all of the Nazis out of the photographs. And also you say, “Yeah, that one took a protracted time.”
COUGHLAN [Laughs.] Oh yeah, that’s good.
WEST It’s really, really funny.
And I desired to ask about filming with Rupert Everett…
COUGHLAN [Shakes head.] It was a dream. Lydia had worked with Rupert before. You’ll be able to do the lead into it, since it’s very funny.
WEST I worked with Rupert just a few years ago. He messaged me saying, “Darling, are you in a Bad Mood?” I used to be like, “Oh no, I’m actually okay.” But he’s like, “The show. Bad Mood.” I used to be like, “Oh, no, Big Mood! Yeah, Nicola and I!” And he was like, “Okay, I’m gonna do it.” He’s just hilarious and he’s down for…
COUGHLAN All the way down to mess around! He got here in and just had so many great ideas, and his physical comedy is so good. It’s such a great trait when someone’s not afraid to take the entire piss out of themselves. And he just really went for that. I adored working with him. I actually, really loved it.
Do either of you’ve gotten a dream celebrity cameo for Big Mood?
COUGHLAN I feel because Camilla and I each just met her at SNL UK, Tina Fey. 30 Rock is each of our favourite shows. We got to check with her about it afterwards, which was beyond a dream, [with] Robert Carlock, one in every of the co-creators. It was heaven.
WEST Camilla could be a dream cameo, and he or she was actually in season one.
Which scene?
WEST She was in the thin scarf craft fair.
COUGHLAN Eddie’s mum’s scarfs.
WEST She was Disgruntled Scarf Buyer. She’s in it for five seconds and he or she’s amazing. [Laughs.]
COUGHLAN Because she trained as an actor! That’s how Camilla and I met. We went to drama school together. She’s a excellent actor, but she doesn’t need to do it. [Laughs.]
She needs to put in writing herself into season three in some way. Do you realize if she has plans for one more season? Wouldn’t it be a no brainer for you two?
COUGHLAN I mean, no clue. You never really know with things like this. But additionally, one in every of the nicest things in regards to the show is that we’ve all grow to be real friends afterwards. And we kept saying recently [that] it’d be so nice to hang around and never be at work. All of us must have an occasion where it’s not work-related! It’s a very great group of individuals.