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| Ellise Chappell as Morwenna in Poldark S3 Photo: FarFarAwaySite |
For Ellise Chappell returning to the role of Morwenna
Whitworth, in the new series of Poldark felt completely different to joining
the show last year.
‘Coming back in the disparate headspace Morwenna is in now
and looking at everything with a new lens was entirely new because she is in
such a very different place at the beginning of this series than she was when
she entered the show in series three.
'It is interesting that certain locations mean different
things to her now. Cornwall, for example, at the beginning of series three is
about freedom and independence for Morwenna and it represents this idea of
exploration and an enjoyment of life whereas in series four that open space
comes to represent more of an escape for her. Coming back and coming at it all
from a completely different angle was really interesting.’
With her character in a completely new and uneasy place in
her life, Ellise explains how agreeable it was to return to the drama and to
her friends.
‘This was the first time I had ever returned to the same show
or to the same cast and crew. It felt so nice because I didn’t have the nerves
I had at the beginning when I was the new girl. I was fortunate to form
wonderful friendships on series three and to come back and be able to hang out
with everyone again and go for dinner all the time was so great. It is like a
family and so coming back has felt very comfortable.’
Ellise explains where we find Morwenna at the offset of the
new series.
‘Morwenna has just found out about this relationship that
her husband, Ossie (Christian Brassington), has had with her sister and she
thought she could use this information against him and hoped it would keep him
away from her but that doesn’t work. So in that moment where he is advancing
towards her she is in complete desperation, which is why she makes this
terrifying threat against her son, knowing that he is the most important thing
to Ossie.
'She has reached such a point of despair that she needs to
ensure that Ossie believes that she will do this. So when we find Morwenna at
the start of the new series she is still on edge and is deeply unhappy but she
has this threat which acts like a shield between her and Ossie, allowing her to
be a little bit bolder. Having that there, even though it is an awful thing to
do, provides Morwenna with a small sense of security and control over her own
situation which is pretty upsetting when you realise she has to go to those
lengths to feel that way.’
However, a terrifying new character joins the fold this
series and takes away the small amount of control Morwenna had over her own
life.
‘Ossie’s formidable mother, Lady Whitworth (Rebecca Front)
arrives in Cornwall and she is a fearsome woman. She psychologically abuses
Morwenna; she has this control over Morwenna in a way that is difficult to see.
She is a very powerful, scary woman who ends up gaining control over aspects of
Morwenna’s life that she has so desperately tried to keep for herself, her son
being the main one.’
Ellise reveals what it was like to work alongside Rebecca
and Christian and how they cope with some of the difficult moments.
‘It has been a dream to work with Rebecca Front, having
watched her on TV for so long it was really exciting but also nerve wracking.
She is so lovely and so kind. With Christian and Rebecca you could not find two
people who are further from the characters they play. Christian is amazing, I
could not have hoped for a better partner to work with on those types of scenes
because he is so generous and sensitive, giving and open and those qualities
made it so much easier. Filming those kinds of scenes was very uncomfortable
and upsetting but to do it with Christian made everything so much easier. Apart
from all of that, he is such a funny and nice person so at the end of the day
we’ll go for a drink and get out of that headspace which is really useful.’
Watching Morwenna suffer at the hands of her husband, it is
no wonder that audiences have fallen in love with the forbidden romance between
Morwenna and Drake Carne (Harry Richardson).
‘What I have been hearing from series three is that people
really like Morwenna and Drake together and are rooting for them to be together
which is wonderful. They are so pure, it is as simple as they love each other
and want to be together and the fact that they can’t is not down to them, it is
down to other forces pulling them apart.
'At the end of series three we see that Drake has left
Morwenna the winter primroses and she has said ‘wherever you are, know that I
love you’, so in that moment you can’t help but believe that there is still
hope for the two of them as it is clear they still care for each other and have
not forgotten one another. However, in those times and in that circumstance
Morwenna is a married woman and there is no way out of it. The light for her is
the notion that Drake still thinks of her and that he may still love her and
for her that is important enough to keep her going. But there is always room
for hope.’
Ellise discloses the reasons why she enjoys playing this
difficult role and what it has taught her as an actress.
‘Morwenna goes on such a transformative journey in such a
short space of time. From the beginning of series three her situation is so
different to how she ends up and that was an amazing arc to play as an actor,
and so coming back to that and continuing her story has been challenging but
really great. Through playing this role, I have learned that I can push myself
further as an actress than I thought I could. There have been times when I have
found it really demanding but pushing myself to get into these difficult
headspaces has been a massive learning experience and I am so fond of her. It
definitely helps when you love your character and so coming back and continuing
her story is satisfying.’
Poldark S4: Rebecca Front is Lady Whitworth
Heida Reed is Elizabeth Warleggan
Jack Farthing Talks George Warleggan
Poldark S4: Gabriella Wilde is Caroline Enys
Poldark S4: Luke Norris is Dwight Enys
Poldark S4: Christian Brassington Talks Reverend Osborne Whitworth
Poldark S4: Harry Richardson is Drake Carne
Beatie Edney Talks Poldark S4
Poldark S4: Tom York is Sam Carne
Poldark S4: Ciara Charteris is Emma Tregirls
