LilyKat (and Merv) in More magazine with Alan Carr
I thought I would type it up, sinse I've not been able to find the whole interview anywhere online
I thought these three characters from Skins would be a feisty bunch and I wasn't disappointed. I was still pulling popcorn out of my pockets days after they started chucking the stuff at me! I nearly hit back by throwing my hot dog but then I decided I should stay friendly with them because Skins actors tend to go on to become megastars- just look at Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel.
Skins is at the end of its fourth series now and it's been compulsive viewing what with the twins, crazy house parties, lesbians and Will Young. In between throwing popcorn at me, Merveille Lukeba, 19, who plays Thomas Tomone, Kathryn Prescott, 18, who plays Emily Ficth and Lily Loveless, 19, who plays her on screen lover Naomi Campbell, talked me through being on the show and their interesting grandparents...
Alan: Hi Guys! How are you?
All: Good thanks.
A: Now pass the popcorn and tell me - are you lot anything like you characters in Skins?
Merveille: No, I'm not as nice as mine. Thomas is a really sweet character.
Kathryn: Yeah, he even gave his shoes to Emily [Kathryn's character]
M: He's really thoughtful and considerate. I'm sorry but I wouldn't give anyone my shoes, not even if they were feezing.
A: So how bad are you? You wouldn't kick a tramp, would you?
M: No! [all laugh]. I've made myself sound really malicious now haven't I? Yeah, I'm just not as thoughtful.
A: That's nice. What about you, love?
Lily: I'm not much like my character, she's too full on and I think she'd be difficult to make friends with.
A: Yeah...
L: But I do like her, though.
A: She's not an arsehole.
K: I'm not really like Emily. She's far too shy.
A: You girls both play lesbians, don't you?
K and L: Yeah
A: How does that feel?
L: Great.
M: Yes, great!
L: I have to get Merv to look out for us when we go out. I had this couple try to come in the toilet with me once.
K: In the ladies?
L: Yeah.
A: Oh my God!
L: That was in Liverpool.
A: Of course. Scouse lesbians! A threesome with a couple of Scouse lesbians - well that's put an image in my head. Were they proper skinheads with black shoes?
L: No. There was a girlie one and one who looked like a man.
A: My God. Have you ever had any action like that, Kathryn?
K: No, not as such. Some women just come up to me and they're like, 'Kat, I love you, can I have your phone number?
A: Oh yeah, you're really going to give that out. How about you Merv, have you had any lesbian action?
M: No, unfortunately.
A: Why don't you direct them to him?
K and L: Yeah!
A: Yeah, he can try and convert them... Now, lots of Skins actors do very well, like Dev Patel and Nicholas Hoult - does that make you feel confident you'll go onto big things?
K: That's really scary though.
M: The pressure's on.
A: Oh don't be silly, you have to be optimistic - you've been in a film already, haven't you Merv?
M: Yeah. You've done your research!
A: I know. So when was the last time you saw Nicholas or Dev?
K: I met Nick once at a party, but I didn't really speak to him.
L: I think he's quite shy though.
A: So have you been getting used to showbiz life by going to TV awards and stuff?
L: I've only been to one. It was hilarious. A lot of hair and a lot of dresses. I just got really pissed and kept seeing Tony from Hollyoaks and going, 'Tony! Tony!' It was amazing.
A: Do you ever get embarrassed about people you know seeing the show - like your parents, because some of the stuff is quite racy isn't it?
K: No, my parents were more excited than I was when I got the part. They watch every single episode but I won't watch it with them. My nan watches every single episode too.
L: So does mine.
A: Really, what does she say?
K: She doesn't say anything really.
L: My gran sent me a postcard that said, 'Well done on your lezzy role' [All laugh]
K: My aunt said to me, 'You big lezza!'
A: So basically you get homophobic abuse from your family? [Laughs]
K: The first thing my granddad said to me was, 'What's it like being a lesbian?'
A: It must be so funny round your house.
M: I just end up getting my bum out all the time on the show, which can be a bit awkward when I'm watching it with my family.
A: So what do you say when that's coming up on TV - 'You might not want to watch this bit, Mum'?
M: Yeah! I do warn her.
L: I had to do a sex scene with Kat while a guy who works on set who I fancied - and who's now my boyfriend - was sitting there with two cameras. I had to bend over in my knickers so my arse was just there. I was like, 'Ben, please can you not look!'
A: Oh no.
L: It was so embarrassing.
K: There's like 40 men watching while you're rolling around in your underwear.
M: It doesn't make bad viewing though.
L: But we can get a lot of grief from the public sometimes. Like the other day this woman shouted at me, 'How could you do that to Emily?'
K: That was when Lily's character cheated on my character. We went for a book signing and all the Skins fans were going, 'I can't believe you did that!'
L: And they called me a bitch.
A: Oh no! But you're an actress - it's your job! So Merv, if they wrote a new girlfriend for Thomas, who would you like it to be?
M: Oh, celeb crush? There are a few - I really like Roxanne Pallett from Emmerdale. Also Alesha Dixon and Cheryl Cole.
A: Limp, lifeless [in Geordie accent.] Could she talk you into bed?
M: She wouldn't even have to talk!
A: And who do you girls like, Brad Pitt? Oh, that beard....
K: I think it looks like a rat.
L: I'm really hoping it's for a role.
A: Now Kat, I'd love to know what it's like being a twin - do you and Megan [who plays Katie] play tricks on people?
K: Well, we don't look alike enough to fool people but when we were younger we swapped classes for an afternoon. It was quite fun. Some people think that I actually play both of the characters.
L: I don't think you look that alike.
K: Yeah, exactly. And in the series I had red hair and Meg had purple hair.
A: Do you have that weird thing where you know what the other is thinking?
K: No, apparently that's just identical twins. Although there are some things other people wouldn't understand, and Meg would flip her eyes and I'd know exactly what she was thinking.
L: They finish each other's sentences, but that's because they spend so much time together.
M: That's awesome.
A: Well, thanks for joining me today Skins, now I can eat my hot dog...
All: Bye!! [All throw their popcorn at Alan]
:)
I thought these three characters from Skins would be a feisty bunch and I wasn't disappointed. I was still pulling popcorn out of my pockets days after they started chucking the stuff at me! I nearly hit back by throwing my hot dog but then I decided I should stay friendly with them because Skins actors tend to go on to become megastars- just look at Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel.
Skins is at the end of its fourth series now and it's been compulsive viewing what with the twins, crazy house parties, lesbians and Will Young. In between throwing popcorn at me, Merveille Lukeba, 19, who plays Thomas Tomone, Kathryn Prescott, 18, who plays Emily Ficth and Lily Loveless, 19, who plays her on screen lover Naomi Campbell, talked me through being on the show and their interesting grandparents...
Alan: Hi Guys! How are you?
All: Good thanks.
A: Now pass the popcorn and tell me - are you lot anything like you characters in Skins?
Merveille: No, I'm not as nice as mine. Thomas is a really sweet character.
Kathryn: Yeah, he even gave his shoes to Emily [Kathryn's character]
M: He's really thoughtful and considerate. I'm sorry but I wouldn't give anyone my shoes, not even if they were feezing.
A: So how bad are you? You wouldn't kick a tramp, would you?
M: No! [all laugh]. I've made myself sound really malicious now haven't I? Yeah, I'm just not as thoughtful.
A: That's nice. What about you, love?
Lily: I'm not much like my character, she's too full on and I think she'd be difficult to make friends with.
A: Yeah...
L: But I do like her, though.
A: She's not an arsehole.
K: I'm not really like Emily. She's far too shy.
A: You girls both play lesbians, don't you?
K and L: Yeah
A: How does that feel?
L: Great.
M: Yes, great!
L: I have to get Merv to look out for us when we go out. I had this couple try to come in the toilet with me once.
K: In the ladies?
L: Yeah.
A: Oh my God!
L: That was in Liverpool.
A: Of course. Scouse lesbians! A threesome with a couple of Scouse lesbians - well that's put an image in my head. Were they proper skinheads with black shoes?
L: No. There was a girlie one and one who looked like a man.
A: My God. Have you ever had any action like that, Kathryn?
K: No, not as such. Some women just come up to me and they're like, 'Kat, I love you, can I have your phone number?
A: Oh yeah, you're really going to give that out. How about you Merv, have you had any lesbian action?
M: No, unfortunately.
A: Why don't you direct them to him?
K and L: Yeah!
A: Yeah, he can try and convert them... Now, lots of Skins actors do very well, like Dev Patel and Nicholas Hoult - does that make you feel confident you'll go onto big things?
K: That's really scary though.
M: The pressure's on.
A: Oh don't be silly, you have to be optimistic - you've been in a film already, haven't you Merv?
M: Yeah. You've done your research!
A: I know. So when was the last time you saw Nicholas or Dev?
K: I met Nick once at a party, but I didn't really speak to him.
L: I think he's quite shy though.
A: So have you been getting used to showbiz life by going to TV awards and stuff?
L: I've only been to one. It was hilarious. A lot of hair and a lot of dresses. I just got really pissed and kept seeing Tony from Hollyoaks and going, 'Tony! Tony!' It was amazing.
A: Do you ever get embarrassed about people you know seeing the show - like your parents, because some of the stuff is quite racy isn't it?
K: No, my parents were more excited than I was when I got the part. They watch every single episode but I won't watch it with them. My nan watches every single episode too.
L: So does mine.
A: Really, what does she say?
K: She doesn't say anything really.
L: My gran sent me a postcard that said, 'Well done on your lezzy role' [All laugh]
K: My aunt said to me, 'You big lezza!'
A: So basically you get homophobic abuse from your family? [Laughs]
K: The first thing my granddad said to me was, 'What's it like being a lesbian?'
A: It must be so funny round your house.
M: I just end up getting my bum out all the time on the show, which can be a bit awkward when I'm watching it with my family.
A: So what do you say when that's coming up on TV - 'You might not want to watch this bit, Mum'?
M: Yeah! I do warn her.
L: I had to do a sex scene with Kat while a guy who works on set who I fancied - and who's now my boyfriend - was sitting there with two cameras. I had to bend over in my knickers so my arse was just there. I was like, 'Ben, please can you not look!'
A: Oh no.
L: It was so embarrassing.
K: There's like 40 men watching while you're rolling around in your underwear.
M: It doesn't make bad viewing though.
L: But we can get a lot of grief from the public sometimes. Like the other day this woman shouted at me, 'How could you do that to Emily?'
K: That was when Lily's character cheated on my character. We went for a book signing and all the Skins fans were going, 'I can't believe you did that!'
L: And they called me a bitch.
A: Oh no! But you're an actress - it's your job! So Merv, if they wrote a new girlfriend for Thomas, who would you like it to be?
M: Oh, celeb crush? There are a few - I really like Roxanne Pallett from Emmerdale. Also Alesha Dixon and Cheryl Cole.
A: Limp, lifeless [in Geordie accent.] Could she talk you into bed?
M: She wouldn't even have to talk!
A: And who do you girls like, Brad Pitt? Oh, that beard....
K: I think it looks like a rat.
L: I'm really hoping it's for a role.
A: Now Kat, I'd love to know what it's like being a twin - do you and Megan [who plays Katie] play tricks on people?
K: Well, we don't look alike enough to fool people but when we were younger we swapped classes for an afternoon. It was quite fun. Some people think that I actually play both of the characters.
L: I don't think you look that alike.
K: Yeah, exactly. And in the series I had red hair and Meg had purple hair.
A: Do you have that weird thing where you know what the other is thinking?
K: No, apparently that's just identical twins. Although there are some things other people wouldn't understand, and Meg would flip her eyes and I'd know exactly what she was thinking.
L: They finish each other's sentences, but that's because they spend so much time together.
M: That's awesome.
A: Well, thanks for joining me today Skins, now I can eat my hot dog...
All: Bye!! [All throw their popcorn at Alan]
:)