The Bafta-nominated drama series Misfits returns to E4 this month, so what better time than now to catch up with the cast of the series to find out more.

The Bafta-nominated drama series Misfits returns to E4 this month, so what better time than now to catch up with the cast of the series to find out more.

The eight hour long episodes sees a new member of the cast added to the already established line up. Joseph Gilgun, most famous for his roles in This Is England ’86, Emmerdale and Coronation Street, will be seen enrolling for community service as new guy Rudy.

E4 say, “New kid on the block Rudy gets a rude awakening in his first few days of community service, learning that with the keys to the infamous locker room comes a great deal of running and screaming and, in some instances, killing. But that really is the least of his worries. More pressing is just how to keep his secret superpower…well…secret. And just how super is it? As in is it one from the A- List?”

He lines up alongside Misfits resident delinquents Bafta award winner Lauren Socha, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Antonia Thomas and Iwan Rheon. The gang are also back with their all-new powers. So just how did that trade-off with Seth the superpower dealer, go down? You would hope that at least one of them has a power approaching something halfway useful. You would hope… Is Simon any closer to fulfilling his destiny as Superhoodie? And when does he learn to do all that nifty parkour?

With Seth still trading powers, zombies on the loose, havoc being wreaked with events from the past and even more havoc being wreaked in the present, things haven’t got any quieter for our gang…

What’s it like to be back shooting again?

“It’s good, it feels like we were never really gone. Everything’s still the same. It feels like home – except we’ve got the new kid on the block, Joseph Gilgun.” Says Lauren Socha with Iwan Rheon adding, “It’s really nice. It’s kind of like a little family now. A really weird little family. It’s very different this year without Robert, but it’s put a different spin on things. It gives the show new life to have a different character. It’s been really great.”

Does it feel different from when you all turned up for the first day of shooting on series one?

”Yeah, I suppose we’re a lot more relaxed. I think I’m more confident – the first year was pretty nerve-racking, now it’s much less so. We’ve got most of the same crew, so we’re a lot more relaxed and confident.” Nathan Stewart-Jarrett says.

Now you’re on series three, do you think you all feel a bit more comfortable in your roles?

“Yeah”, Iwan says, continuing, “And you have more confidence as well, from the show’s success. It does help, because before, we had no idea what it was going to be like. But now we know what we’re doing. It really helps turning up to work having a strong idea of the character, having seen them develop over the previous two series.”

Do you all socialise and go out together when you’re filming as well?

“Yeah, we do.” Says Antonia Thomas, adding, “We get on really well. I think everybody probably says that [in showbiz] but we actually do. We’re like a strange, dysfunctional family. We hang out way too much. It’s really nice, we’ve definitely made friends for life.”

Joseph Gilgun, you’re the new kid on the block. How are you settling in?

“I’m settling in well, it’s nice. The rest of the cast are really sweet.”

So when you’re coming into something like Misfits, do you sit down and watch the last two series?

“Yeah, I’d have been a moron to come in and not watch any of it. And I got completely addicted. It was like The Sopranos. It sort of ruins your life a little bit. You don’t leave the house, you just have to keep watching the episodes. Arrested Development, that’s another one. It’s completely addictive, one episode of that and you’ve got to watch them all. It was very similar with Misfits – I started watching, and that was it. And I love the comic book genre. I love all of that stuff.” Says Joesph.

You’ve had to do quite a lot of sex scenes playing Alisha. You’ve done them with both Nathan [who plays Curtis] and Iwan [who plays Simon]. Is that quite weird, having to film those scenes with your mates?

“D’you know what? It’s actually easier doing it with somebody you know.” Says Antonia, adding, “I think I found, in the first series, when Alisha was trying out her power, it was much harder to do. I remember a day when they got in three models, and they were like ‘Okay, now you have to pretend to have sex with all of these three for this big montage,’ and it was so awkward, because I didn’t know them. Before the scenes, I was going ‘So, what’s your name? Tell me a bit about you,’ because it felt so strange, whereas doing it with the boys, I know them so well, and we’re good mates, and we just have a laugh. The whole thing is awkward, but it makes it less awkward when you know someone.”

Iwan, what’s been your favourite part of Simon’s storyline to date?

“I think it has to be the future stuff. As an actor you get this part and initially, he’s very shy and introverted. And then to have the opportunity to play the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of personality and where he is as an individual; to go from two or three to ten is a really interesting thing to get to do.”

Robert’s left. Are you all missing him, or has he been consigned to the dustbin of history?

Nathan Laughs, adding, “It was weird at first. Obviously it was the five of us, and it brought a lot of energy. But Joe’s great! [Sarcastically] He’s so quiet, so subtle.”

“He’s a very interesting person to meet!” Iwan says of Joesph, continuing, “He’s really brought a different edge to Misfits, with his energy. When I heard he was playing the part I was really chuffed, because I think he’s a brilliant actor. It’s been just so great to get to work with him – he’s insane.”

Series one and two of Misfits are now available to a US audience. Are you excited about that?

“Yeah, really excited! In this country, you can relate to all the characters, everyone knows someone who’s a bit like one of the characters. In America, it’s a completely different world, so it’s really exciting to see what they think of it. It’s really cool, people there seem to really enjoy watching it.” Says Lauren.

None of you are allowed to tell us what your new superpower is?

“Nope! It’s very funny, though.” Says Lauren, while Antonia adds, “It’s so much better than my last power, which was just rubbish. It’s really useful, and I get to use it a lot. And it’s not embarrassing at all this time, which is nice.”

“I’d like to be able to turn into a cup of tea. I’d turn into a cup of tea, a flying cup of tea. With a cape.” Adds Joseph.

Joseph, You play Rudy. What’s his story?

”He’s a bit of a rough diamond, really. He just tries to shag everything and everyone. He’s rude and obnoxious and arrogant, but he’s also quite sweet. He doesn’t go out of his way to hurt people’s feelings, I don’t think. He’s just an idiot, a massive idiot. I think he’s actually slightly sociopathic. He doesn’t seem to gauge people’s thoughts or feelings very well at all. But I don’t think he intentionally sets out to hurt anyone.”

What secrets can you let us into about the new series?

”Lots is in store for Alisha.” Says Antonia, continuing, “At the end of the second series, Alisha and Simon were very much an item, and so there’s much more of that to come out. Series three, for Alisha, follows the ins and outs of their relationship, and the way they cope with the fact that Simon needs to become Superhoodie and fulfil his destiny, that kind of thing. That’s difficult, because it means he’s got to go back in time again and leave her.”

How has being in Misfits changed your life?

“I guess first of all, it’s getting recognised on the street. But people are really nice. Work-wise, it’s given us all a bit more profile. To have the opportunity to work on a show like this is great, where the dramatic aspirations are so high that you really get pushed all the time. And it’s quite a heavy schedule, so you constantly have to be on your toes. Nothing’s easy, which is great – as an actor, you have to learn your trade. It’s been great for me.” Says Iwan.

Misfits, series three, E4