Laila Rouass is back on our screens and playing a character who couldn’t be more different from the Jimmy Choo wearing schemer Amber Gates she played in Footballers Wives. Just how did she find the change?
I’ve really loved it. I mean Primeval and Footie Wives are poles apart in every respect as are Sarah and Amber. There’s no scheming, no bitching and certainly no Manolo’s. For starters running around in a field in the middle of April with explosions going off around you and pretending there are 6ft Terror Birds breathing down your neck is not exactly conducive to wearing stilettos. The only concession to any type of glamour was the fact that Hannah and I were wearing these 1930’s type dresses. That was my first day on set and it was a real eye-opener but I am happy that this was my introduction. That was the hardest episode as it was full of action and loads of CGI work - all the things Primeval is known for. It was a real challenge as I had to get my head around it all really quickly but that’s often the best way to learn. No day is the same on this show and that’s what makes it really exciting.
Had you seen Primeval before?
Yeah I had so I knew there was going to be a lot of CGI but I hadn’t really factored in how tired I was going to get because of all the running and screaming. I spent a large portion of time hyperventilating while trying to get my lines out.
How did you find working with the CGI and the guys from Framestore?
I had never done anything like it before so at first you feel a little bit stupid because you’re screaming and shouting at nothing but a stick and a ball. Once you realise nobody is sitting in the corner giggling it’s not as difficult as you think it’s going to be.
So how would you describe Dr Sarah Page and how will the audience first meet her?
Sarah is an Egyptologist who is thirsty for knowledge and feels totally stuck in her day job lecturing. When the anomaly opens and out comes what she believes to be the Egyptian god Ammut, once she gets over the shock of it, she is excited by the possibilities. Suddenly she is in a situation where all the questions she has had for years throughout her studies, are now being answered. So for her it is really exciting. Actually, doing Primeval has awakened a real passion for the subject in me and I’m currently looking into Open University degrees in Egyptology. I find it utterly fascinating.
What was it like shooting that first episode in the British Museum?
Oh, it is beautiful and we shot when no one was there so we were like VIPs. I imagine it’s what Victoria Beckham feels like when she has Louis Vuitton closed down for her. I guess you could say we’re the monster fighting equivalent of Posh Spice.