The creator and star of This Country on how growing up in poverty influenced her new role, and why she keeps her Bafta by the door
Actor and writer Daisy May Cooper, 36, grew up in Cirencester and studied at Rada. She won a Bafta for BBC Three comedy This Country, which she co-wrote with her younger brother Charlie. She played Peggotty in Armando Iannucci’s film The Personal History of David Copperfield. She’s a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. Last week she was Bafta-nominated for her role in comic thriller Am I Being Unreasonable?, and was also reported to be in talks to play M in the next James Bond film. She now leads BBC/HBO show Rain Dogs, written by Skint Estate author Cash Carraway. She lives in Gloucestershire with her two children.
What’s your new BBC series Rain Dogs about?
A single mum who’s struggling to become a writer while living in dire poverty, trying to stay sober and trying to be a good parent. Except if one thing’s going right, she’s failing at the others. That’s the only way I can describe Rain Dogs because it’s a complete one-off. It’s so beautifully written by Cash Carraway, I had to say yes.
