Paddy Rowan spoke to the ECHO In an exclusive interview about his first role in Little Boy Blue, representing North Liverpool and working with Shaun Evans on Betrayal
Paddy Rowan spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview(Image: Liverpool Echo)
British television may be facing a crisis with working class representation in the arts at its lowest ever level, but Paddy Rowan is determined to force through change. The 27-year-old is part of a group of Liverpool actors making waves in the industry and proving where you come from should never determine the opportunities you are afforded.
The rising star’s career continues to go from strength to strength as tonight he adds to his blossoming CV with a role in new ITV drama, Betrayal. Against the backdrop of a class crisis in the arts, it’s refreshing to see L4 at the heartbeat of this espionage thriller as Paddy and the show’s star, Shaun Evans, both hail from parallel roads in North Liverpool.
Speaking ahead of the show’s arrival tonight at 9pm, Paddy told the ECHO in an exclusive interview: “I’m from County Road and Shaun is from City Road. It’s streets away so it was surreal getting to be on this project together.”
Shaun is one of the city’s finest exports as he has been a fixture on British film and television for the past 25 years with notable roles in huge shows such as Endeavour and Vigil. Paddy admires the versatility his co-star has shown throughout his career, but said the way Shaun has so convincingly acted outside of his accent made him question his roots.
He joked: “I’ll be honest, I thought he was a bit of a wool when I’d seen him on stuff. And then I got to meet him and I was having a laugh with him and he was proper giving me it back. I thought, ‘You know what, he’s a proper Scouser.'”
Shaun Evans, who was raised on City Road in Walton, is the lead star and producer of Betrayal(Image: Getty Images)
Shaun was the driving force for Betrayal as the This City Is Ours season two star also worked as an executive producer on the project. Paddy said it was an honour to see the 45-year-old in action and is grateful for the support he has shown him since filming finished. He added: “I genuinely mean this, but Shaun has been such a role model. He’s really championed me afterwards and kept in touch with me. He wanted to help me with stuff that’s going on. I really do look up to him as an actor because of the different things that he’s done.
“Seeing how he handled producing, as well as the acting, taught me a massive amount. Just how he is with people and finding that balance between having a laugh, doing amazing work and being nice to everyone. I don’t think anyone had a bad word to say about him. He’s such a lovely fella. I couldn’t praise him enough.”
The four part series lays bare the reality of being an MI5 officer as Shaun’s character, John Hughes, is trying to investigate a case while keeping his personal life intact. The show is set in Manchester, but parts of the production took place in Liverpool last year with one notable scene shot in Bootle Strand.
The two Scousers were keen to give back to their local community when filming in the city, as they know the importance of proving to the next generation that a career in acting is within reach. Paddy explained: “Shooting in Bootle Strand is mad for me. I went to Hillside School so I spoke to Shaun and asked, ‘Is there any chance we can get the kids to come down from my old school?’
“[After he gave the go ahead] I got in touch with my drama teacher and said, I’m shooting a new show. She brought kids down and they got to see a working set, watch some of the rushes, have a laugh with me and [co-star] Corrin Silva. It was surreal to be in that position to be able to do that so I feel really grateful for that.”
Paddy Rowan pictured in his Liverpool acting studio(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Paddy has now been acting for a decade but his story is even more incredible as he only entered the profession by chance. The Walton born actor was training in his boxing gym when the production crew of Little Boy Blue arrived to cast authentic Scouse voices in the hard-hitting drama based on the murder of Rhys Jones.
ITV held auditions at the Rotunda gym in Kirkdale as boxer Paul Smith Jr had already been cast in the production as Sean Mercer’s dad, Joseph McCormick. Paddy was apprehensive about putting himself forward but credits the boxer with giving him the confidence to try it out.
Paddy explained: “I remember walking into the room and feeling, ‘Do I want to do this? I have a lot to owe to Paul Smith because I remember him saying I should audition. I thought, ‘If Paul’s done it, he’s a big hard case, so maybe it’s alright me doing it as well.'”
Paddy is dyslexic and didn’t have any acting training so initially struggled with his lines, as he added: “I remember looking at the script and was falling over the words because that’s what I’m like.
“After I read it, I went, ‘So I’ve got to scare and intimidate him’. They said ‘Yeah, but we don’t want you to act.’ I just threw the script and I put it on them [for the audition]. I don’t know what came over me to do that. I ended up getting called back.”
Paddy was cast in the role as convicted killer Sean Mercer and said it was difficult that his first part was in something tackling such a traumatic part of the city’s history. However, he praised the way ITV and his co-stars looked after him during this time, as he said: “I was 17/18 and quite vulnerable.
“I didn’t understand the industry, how or why it worked. Stephen Graham, James Nelson-Joyce were all in the cast and they looked after me so much and really give me advice. Stephen and [casting director] Amy Hubbard helped me get an agent afterwards and put me in touch with some of the best agents in the country. I’m very lucky I’m still with my agent who I met then, Molly Cowan. I feel really lucky to have been surrounded by people like that who put me on the right path and the type of jobs you want to do.”
Paddy Rowan said it’s important to offer guidance so people can follow in his footsteps(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Paddy is now determined to pay it forward and show the same generosity he was afforded to the next generation. Despite only being 27 himself, the G’wed star has developed mature views on the industry that has put him in good stead. In his interview with the ECHO, he preaches the importance of not getting too carried away with the highs of landing a role or too down by the rejections, something he has learned the hard way.
To impart this wisdom, Paddy has set up Zope acting studio with his close friends including Bobby Schofield, starring as Neil Aspinall in the upcoming Beatles films, This City Is Ours’ Shaun Fagan and Jack McLoughlin. All the founders hail from Liverpool and Paddy said supporting fellow up and coming creatives from the city is part and parcel of the Scouse identity.
He added: “I look now and I remember the chats people had with me 10 years ago when I very first started. That has stayed with me and helped me when I needed it. [Where I am now has] not come by chance, it’s come from advice I’ve had from other people. When I see someone who is similar to myself, it is my duty to think, ‘Someone told me this, so I’m going to tell you.’ It’s a Scouse thing. 100%.”
It’s all go for Paddy as next up is a Netflix show called Legends before he reprises his collaboration with Baby Brother director Michael J Long for a new film shot in Liverpool called Crack’d. Paddy is taking what he has learned from Shaun for Betrayal on board as he is producing the independent film and is looking forward to what comes next as he continues to fly the flag for North Liverpool.
He said: “It’s all hands on deck at the moment getting things into pre production for that so we’re cracking on and set to start filming [Crack’d] in early March. I’m really happy that I can continue to tell stories because that’s the nuts and bolts of it. This is why we’re in in it, to tell stories and make people feel something.” Betrayal is on ITV tonight at 9pm