Jodie Comer has revealed how she 'loved' being able to speak in her native Liverpudlian accent during new Channel 4 drama, Help.
The harrowing film - which Jodie stars alongside Stephen Graham - is set to air later this month, and shines a light on the devastating impact that the covid-19 pandemic had on care homes.
It's set in Jodie and Stephen's hometown of Liverpool during the onset of the pandemic and focuses primarily on the friendship that forms between a young carer named Sarah (Jodie) and a resident named Tony (Stephen) who has early onset dementia.
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You can watch a trailer for the film below:
Speaking ahead of its release, Jodie explained: "I loved filming in my own accent and it’s the first time I’ve been able to do it in a long time.
"It was so wonderful to do it and to do it with Stephen. My accent gets so much stronger when I’m with him so it probably got very out of hand!
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"I think it was so nice to celebrate Liverpool as it's so rarely seen on television. I’ve very rarely been able to use my own accent, so there was something really special about being able to explore that side of myself and the women that I know, and the fire that I know so many of the women in my life have. It kind of felt like a celebration."
In the film, Sarah and Tony form a special bond. New to the home, Sarah becomes one of the only carers who can handle Tony's confused outbursts and in turn, her success at being able to help the 47-year-old helps build her struggling confidence.
But when the pandemic hits in March 2020, viewers are given a horrifying glimpse into the reality of what it was like to work and live in a care home during the onset of covid-19 - and the desperate circumstances that so many have had to face over the last 18 months.
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In one particular scene, Sarah - alone in the care home and unable to get help from GP surgeries, 111 or 999 - is fighting to save a resident's life. She works for 20 hours straight with no PPE and is forced to make a series of impossible decisions.
Speaking about what it was like to be part of such a powerful film, Jodie said: "This was my first time being part of a show like this, the feeling I came away from was like no other feeling I’ve had before. It felt bigger than all of us, we all pulled together, we wanted so desperately to be there and handle it the best we could, and for it to feel authentic and truthful.
"Every piece serves a purpose whether it’s to entertain or to hold a mirror up to society and say 'look at what it is we’re doing, look at what we’re not paying attention to'. It was so remarkable to be able to tell the story."
The two-hour film is written by BAFTA award-winning writer Jack Thorne and directed by BAFTA award-winning director Marc Munden. Speaking about the film, Jack said: "30,000 people have died unnecessarily in these care homes because of the indifference and incompetence of our government.
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"Hearing the stories of those at the frontline, having people break down in tears on zoom in front of us has been incredibly moving and galling."
Help will air on Channel 4 on Thursday 16th September at 9pm.
Featured Image Credit: Channel 4Topics: TV And Film, Jodie Comer, Coronavirus