Juice’s Mawaan Rizwan and Russell Tovey on the show’s gay relationship: ‘Loved it’
"The performance of it makes it real and three-dimensional"
The stars of the upcoming BBC sitcom, Juice, have discussed playing a “real” LGBTQ relationship on screen.
The series comes from the mind of comedian-actor Mawaan Rizwan, who stars as Jamma, a man always seeking attention.
Looking‘s Russell Tovey plays alongside Mawaan as Guy, Jamma’s more logical and more grounded boyfriend.
At a screening of the series’ first three episodes, the stars spoke about the series’ central gay relationship.
Russell described it as “Heaven,” adding that he “loved it.”
Meanwhile, Mawaan explained that it was a hard one given how stuck into the characters he got over the year he spent writing the show.
“You get really stuck in ‘How this character is going to say it?’ And then you turn up on set and you [turning to Tovey] made it, like, your own thing and I’m so glad you did.”
Mawaan went on to say that “the performance of it makes it real and three-dimensional.”
Emily Lloyd-Saini, who helped write and also stars in Juice, also commented on the experience of writing the relationship.
“It was quite hard when we first started writing Guy to not make Guy, when he’s being vulnerable, to sound petulant or out of character. But Russell brought so much to that. It was gorgeous work.
“It’s hard because the dynamic could so easily be really off-kilter because they’re such different characters, but I think we got it.”
“Guy gives Jamma emotional stability in an otherwise chaotic life”
In the series, Guy is more sensible and stable whereas Jamma is more off the walls and chaotic.
“He’s [Guy] from a completely different world but their differences complement each other, Mawaan told the BBC. “Guy gives Jamma emotional stability in an otherwise chaotic life and Jamma is the perfect disruption that will shake up Guy’s routine and reinvigorate his sense of play.”
Similarly, Russell said that the two characters complement one another.
“Guy adores Jamma, he makes him laugh and cry and really challenges the personal boundaries that Guy has worked on to instill in himself.
“Every day is an adventure for Guy while with Jamma and this always feels exciting, addictive, and as though they’re on the verge of something dangerous!”
Juice will be available on BBC Three and the BBC iPlayer from Monday 18 September.