Yahoo News Emmerdale star refused to film uncomfortable scenes as Maya for child sexual abuse storyline
Emmerdale stars Louisa Clein and Joe-Warren Plant refused to film uncomfortable scenes in their child sexual abuse storyline.
On the latest episode of the Soap from the Box podcast, Clein – whose disgraced schoolteacher Maya Stepney groomed Plant's character Jacob Gallagher into a sexual relationship, and who was jailed for sending inappropriate text messages to him when he was 15 – explained why.
"Joe-Warren and I had a great relationship – very very open where we could really talk about how, you know, 'I'm comfortable with this, not comfortable with this...'" she began.
Related: Emmerdale star Joe-Warren Plant to return to filming after Dancing on Ice break
"Sometimes the writers could write something that was a bit sort of simple and we would both go, 'I don't think that's necessary, I don't think we need to show that. I actually think it's far more effective if we show less or if we, you know, the words say more as opposed to the action'."
Of course, the actors received full support from everyone involved with the show.
Clein went on to share: "With the directors that we had, and the producers that were sort of watching over us, I think we all felt very protected and very looked after."
Related: Emmerdale's Maya Stepney actress Louisa Clein reveals she has received messages from abuse victims
Elsewhere in her interview, Clein also revealed that she still receives some backlash from the public over the grooming storyline.
"I was in a shop and someone came up to me and went, 'You are such a bitch,'" Clein recalled.
"I was like, 'It's not real'. I'm with my son and he just thinks some strange lady has come up to me and said something mean."
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
Barnardo's protects, supports and nurtures the UK's most vulnerable children and young people.
Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 (www.nspcc.org.uk) or Childline on 0800 1111. Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline on (1-800-422-4453) or the American SPCC (www.americanspcc.org).
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