Danielle starts dating Noah, does this mean she’s accepted it’s over with Theo?
Honestly, I don’t think she’s there. I’ve had this conversation with James, who plays Theo. It’s such a rushed relationship, she had the fling with Jason then this is another big thing – there’s two things happening. One is trying to show Theo what he’s missing with his family life, this is what he’s throwing away. And there might be an element of her trying to fill the void, Danielle and Theo were married for 19 years, that’s a huge amount of time. I’ve been with my husband 20 years and can’t even imagine him not being around. It’s a little bit of a rebound.
How did they end up getting together, they already knew each other?
They’ve known of each other and grown up together through the faith with Theo. She has a line about the history between Noah and Theo and says it was their business, she believes Noah was just trying to do right by him. They’ve all come through the church upbringing together. felt for her like a natural person to fill the void of Theo. But also its probably quite pointed, of all the people she could’ve dated its someone who made his life quite uncomfortable as he was part of Theo’s conversion therapy.
Does Noah think this is for real?
Noah is so disappointed in Theo and his choice because he’s so devoutly religious. Noah is angry and thinks if you don’t want to take care of this amazing family, I will. He is stepping up to the plate, looking after Danielle and the children, keeping them in the faith, providing a happy, stable relationship. There’s an element of duty from Noah. He’s very cosy and getting his feet under the table. Its for him to keep the family unit together and make sure Danielle and the children are not questioning the faith as well. There’s an agenda for Noah to protect this family unit from this awfulness that is happening to her, and be the hero.
Todd learns Danielle is dating Noah and tells Theo, but was Danielle planning to reveal this herself?
Yes from a perspective of co-parenting she was planning on telling him, and was probably waiting to manage her own feelings first – before Todd steals her thunder and throws her under the bus! I love the dynamic between Todd and Danielle, its one of my favourite things to say. Danielle would’ve told Theo in her way.
Talk us through how it all comes out in the bistro and why it descends into violence?
Danielle believes she’s meeting Theo and the children for lunch, she’s actually really excited about them being a family unit again and sitting down together, that’s great and positive for the children. And again, a reminder of what Theo is missing – this is what his life could be like. She wants to lull him into the dependable, familiar things. And then Todd shows up and announces it. The kids are upset, Danielle is fuming and feels she’s been led into a trap. Equally Theo thinks Todd has spoilt everything. it all gets a little bit heated, Miles in particular is very upset with Todd, he goes for him and Theo tries to stop him. In the melee this incident happens where Miles ends up with a bloody nose. For Danielle, Todd is at the root of all of this – whether it was an accident or not, Todd has spoilt this and is the thorn in their side.
Theo lashes out and accidentally injures Miles, is Danielle shocked by this violent side?
I don’t think she’s shocked by it because they’ve had a tempestuous relationship in the past, Danielle is quite confrontational so is not submissive in any way she gives as good as she gets it. The violence I think is a little different for her, for Theo going down this path it’s a side of him she thinks is a bit more out of control – however, everything about him is different to her at the moment, he’s different and struggling with so much stuff. But having a temper is nothing new, Miles getting a bloody nose is not great but I don’t think there’s been violence within the family, probably been highly pressurised arguments with shouting, but this is the first time she’s seen actual violence.
Danielle bans Theo seeing the children and Todd later asks to see her to change her mind, how does that go?
That dynamic between them I love playing with Gareth, been so much fun. It’s really juicy. Danielle is a mum, first and foremost, that’s her priority always. Her kids are her life she’ll do anything to protect them. When Todd reaches out, she does want to take that seriously because its beneficial for the children to see their dad that’s all that matters to her, which is why she agrees to meet. They start to get somewhere, until Todd starts being Todd and tries to manipulate the situation and throws his little daggers in there – Danielle cannot tolerate that, he doesn’t get to tell her about her family! She’s not having any of it and has to go back to the drawing board. Playing those scenes was brilliant.
She blames Todd for ruining everything, she can’t accept Theo’s sexuality?
Even if Theo was having dalliances with other men she didn’t necessarily know about but she could keep up the pretence of family life and almost turn a blind eye, in some weird way she’d been able to cope with that. Todd has made a play directly for Theo and wanst him to be with him. Couldn’t they have carried on behind closed doors, without having to break up a family? Why is he so intent on taking a husband away from his family and children? That’s the bit she cannot forgive Todd for. He wants Theo all to himself and made him question his whole life, and his family to question their lives.
Does Danielle want Theo out of her life or is hopeful about a reconciliation?
She is so conflicted. She absolutely wants to keep him around hoping he has an epiphany. Banning him from seeing the kids is a weapon, there’s a line where she says I really hope he’s worth throwing away your family for. She is waiting for Theo to say he made a mistake and it’s her he wants.
Is she using Noah?
While she cares for Noah but is not completely committing wholeheartedly, she is kind of drawing this out a little bit. If there’s an opportunity to be around Theo, she will take it. On the one hand she wants to do the right thing by her kids, but the right thing for her would be for their dad to come home and she’s not going to give up on that.
What reaction have you had from viewers, are they sympathetic to Danielle?
There’s a lot of sympathy, given I’ve played that confrontational side to her. Her emotions are everywhere and I didn’t want to shy away from that and make her Little Miss Perfect. She’s not immediately likeable, however the reaction I’ve had is people completely understand her position, and think the villain of the piece is Theo. The viewers love Todd and want him to find love, they’re really angry at Theo for going down this path knowing he had a wife and children. Nice that Danielle has had a lot of sympathy.
What’s been your most pinch-me moment on Corrie?
Obviously being in the Grimshaws with Sue Cleaver and Ryan Thomas, oh my god I’m in Coronation Street with Eileen telling Jason off! I almost forgot I was in the scene I was just watching their spat! I was meant to have left and just stood there in the doorway watching it. Amazing. My first scene in Roy’s Rolls with David Neilson was incredible. Getting to shout my head off in the Rovers at Tina O’Brien was another highlight, that was proper!
Do you feel Danielle is struggling with how her life has completely changed?
She is very representative of a lot of mid-life women who maybe got married young and are in their 40s and are at that point in life where they’re either getting divorced or are questioning their lives. What’s next for me? What are the challenges?
What can you tease about Danielle’s future?
As you can imagine it does get messier and more heated. We fall into two camps between Danielle and Theo, and the children will be caught in the middle of that. It is difficult, and representative of a lot of families going through messy divorces. That’s been amazing to play and its not something I’ve done before, there’s a lot of figuring out what’s next and figuring out what’s best for the children. When it starts to become a legal thing, how nasty does that get? It’s one thing trying to sort it out between yourselves, but when it gets to that next level things becomes more weaponised. There are some calculating things coming up, I’m not sure the audience will still be on Danielle’s side after that!
Glenda Young
Bestselling novelist published by Headline
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