Emma Atkins recalled "not particularly pleasant" personal emotions to film her hard-hitting ‘Emmerdale’ flashback scenes.
The 43-year-old actress’ special episode will air next Tuesday (29.05.18) when her character Charity Dingle’s child abuse past is explored, and while Emma found it "incredibly challenging" to film, she is grateful to co-star Michelle Hardwick (Vanessa Woodfield) for putting her at ease.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz, she said: "It was hard and incredibly challenging filming those scenes. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done on the show but I’ve loved every second of it.
"I know that sounds weird but I think, as an actor, it’s always great to be given something where there’s a whole host of things going on.
"It was extremely difficult but it was great teamwork.
"Michelle made it so easy. We bounce off one another really well.
"You have to go to difficult places when you’re filming such dramatic scenes.
"You have to call on personal emotions you’ve experienced in the past which aren’t particularly pleasant, but it’s part of the journey when you’re an actor and you need something to give you that impetus.
"Well, it’s there in the story anyway. The writing is stunning."
Emma recalled moments of personal loss when she was shooting the dramatic scenes to bring up the emotions she needed for the tough plot.
She said: "I can pick things that happened in my past, that I won’t go into because it’s so personal.
"Loss, I think you only have to have an image in your mind of when somebody passes away and it can instantly make you feel a certain kind of emotion, which is very prevalent to what you’re filming."
Michelle revealed the pair sat in silence at some points on set when the cameras weren’t rolling because they were taking in the emotion of the shoot.
She said: "We took ourselves off and we’d sit in silence a lot of the time. Not because we don’t like each other, just because we were just sitting there."
Emma added: "I used my headphones a lot as well. I get a lot of inspiration from music. I know that sounds naff, but it’s so true for me. It’s very evocative and emotive."
The flashback episode comes after the recent revelation that Charity was groomed and raped by police officer Mark Bails – played by Rocky Marshall – when she was just 14 years old.
Mica Proctor will play a young Charity in the episode.
Emma Atkins recalled personal emotions for Emmerdalde flashback
