Essie Randles on expanding their sense of humanity to encompass their characters

What initially drew you to Brooke’s character?

When I read the character description and the pilot, I [immediately] loved how Brooke had this strong assertion and really [stood] up for herself. She is the youngest child, [and] I am also the youngest child in my family. She is a queer person, [and] I am a queer person, too. There was a crazy thing in the character brief [about how] she had had this ankle injury. I had a pretty bad ankle injury a couple years back, and it immediately made me think, “Oh, I understand this person. I understand at least a facet of what she’s been through.” [I] immediately felt this almost psychic pull towards her.

I imagine you got to understand Brooke pretty well from researching and playing her character. What were some of the similarities and differences between the two of you? 

I adore Brooke, [and] it was such a joy to play her. She can be a little bit [pricklier] than I am. Something similar about us is that we’re both very determined and driven individuals. Brooke lashes out sometimes, and I at least hope that that’s not similar to me, but I had to find a way of empathizing with where that comes from within her. Her perfectionistic [tendencies] and self-expectations are so high that when other people don’t meet those expectations, it almost feels like a personal offense for Brooke. 

What are some of the biggest ways that Brooke’s character evolves from the beginning of the show to the end?

I’m so excited for people to see Brooke’s journey. A lot of her walls come down — her fear of being messy or emotional or too much — and you get to see a completely different side of her by the end of the series. Playing that arc was just a joy. I’m so used to theater. I’m so used to playing a character for two hours at a time. I’ve loved every character I’ve ever played, but I’ve never gotten to sit with them for that long before. I was so lucky to see the changes because I had this long period of time to hang out with her character and get to know her. It was very satisfying [and] very special.

What was the most important trait or aspect of Brooke’s character for you to portray perfectly?

Thinking back to the first audition [and] the first character brief I got, there was a line in it that [said], “Brooke was clinging to the mantle of a perfect child.” I returned to that phrase often when I was thinking about what it meant to feel like you had to be perfect not only for yourself, but [also] to live up to your parents’ expectations. Brooke’s perfectionistic tendency of wanting to be the perfect version of herself was something I returned to over and over again.

What was the most important part of your process when you were preparing to play Brooke?

I worked a lot with music. Having a Brooke playlist was incredibly helpful. You get to see her in so many different moods and situations. I would attach different scenes to different songs, so if I was filming the next scene in the sequence, I would return to that song and know exactly the kind of state she was in. 
I also did a lot of research on tennis families, professional athletes, and people who have had a parent go missing. Brooke is a physio, and I spoke to this wonderful guy, Ollie, who was also a physio. He gave me some insight into the psychology of a physiotherapist [and] the different things that might come up in her personality because of her line of work. 

What were some of the songs on your Brooke playlist?

“Magnolia” by Odette comes to mind straight away. It’s a cover of a Gang of Youths song, and I still listen to it all the time. “Never Felt So Alone” by Labrinth. “How Lucky” by Kurt Vile and John Prine makes me think about my dad. Because Brooke is so close with her dad, [those feelings] came up a lot with that song.
Music was something that I found so helpful from the start. [I knew that taking] myself away from all the noise and [putting] in my headphones [to] listen to a song would put me in the right emotional place. I adore music. I love music so much, and I find it so powerful and visceral how a song can affect you so much.

What is the most random thing about yourself that people may not know?

[Here’s] something weird. When I was a kid, I was absolutely obsessed with broccoli stalks. They were my favorite food. 

Mine, too. That was my favorite vegetable. Everyone looked at me like I had two heads.

Oh my gosh, I’ve never met someone else who had this fixation with broccoli stalks. Did you have them with some olive oil and salt?

Yes! I didn’t learn about broccoli with cheese until later on, so it was literally just steamed broccoli. I used to ask for vegetables for breakfast as a child.

I used to beg my parents to let me have broccoli — specifically, the stalks. The florets were great, too, but the stalks were my favorite thing. That is so serendipitous.

Such a small world over our obsession with broccoli.

I mean, I still love broccoli. Do you still love broccoli?

I do! I never grew out of that one.