Kin's Emmett J Scanlan explains why crime drama role is so 'taxing'

The actor said his series can be a lot of fun but is also 'daunting'

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Emmett J Scanlan talks about his role as Billy Grade during the Q&A session with the cast and Steve Knight on the Arena Stage during the first day of The Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival 2019 at the Custard Factory on September 14, 2019 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Ollie Millington/Redferns)
Emmett J Scanlan has opened up about his role in Kin. (Redferns)

What did you miss?

Hollyoaks star Emmett J Scanlan has said his latest role is so "heavy" that he takes breaks to play pool and darts for his mental health.

The actor - who starred as Brendan Brady in the Channel 4 soap - shares the screen with the likes of Aidan Gillen and Charlie Cox in crime drama Kin, which is set in the world of Dublin gangs. Speaking on The One Show, he admitted some of the content is pretty weighty.

And he said he needs to make sure he unwinds in between takes because of the "dark" subject matter.

What, how, and why?

"It can be quite taxing, the material is very dark and it's serious..." said the actor, who plays villain Jimmy Kinsella in the series. "I guess it can be quite a daunting thing, it can be a lot of fun, especially if you are going toe to toe with people like Aidan, who I have been a fan of for many years and who smashes it.

Emmett J Scanlan said his Kin role can be 'taxing'. (BBC screengrab)
Emmett J Scanlan said his Kin role can be 'taxing'. (BBC screengrab)

"But a lot of the time in between set ups, in between takes, we would find time to maybe relax, we would have pool tournaments in the pub or games of darts.

"We would go out and we would have drinks and dinners and all that together. You need to do that for your own mental health because, like I said, it's beautifully scribed... but it is heavy, it is dark and it is proper story driven, character driven."

Host Alex Jones joked that she'd been worried about meeting the star because of the character he plays, but teased: "You seem alright!"

"Yeah, I am OK!" laughed Scanlan, who recently shared the screen with Michelle Keegan in hit Netflix drama Fool Me Once.

What else happened on The One Show?

Kin debuted in 2022 and is now returning for a second series. During his appearance on The One Show, Scanlan was quizzed about whether it was likely to get a third run.

Emmett J Scanlan plays villain Jimmy Kinsella in Kin. (BBC screengrab)
Emmett J Scanlan plays villain Jimmy Kinsella in Kin. (BBC screengrab)

"It has been really really well-received here in Britain," said the actor. "I always wanted to come to Britain because I always thought that maybe, the British people, they kind of embrace Irish people, they embrace Irish shows. Certainly have since I moved over here in 2010.

"So it's kind of, I really wanted to come here and when it came here the response - while I thought it might have done well - the response has been ridiculous. And that can only serve well for the possibilities of a season three. The truth is I don't know, but we are hopeful."

Kin airs on BBC One at 10.40pm on 13 February.

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