Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

In CBBC’s Eve, Elijah Ayite plays Abe, Lily’s younger brother, who doesn’t seem able to look at anything without working out some scam to make money from it. In the first of our interviews from our visit to the Glasgow set of the SF series’ second year, Paul Simpson sat down with Elijah…

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When you first read the scripts, what did you think of Abe?

First of all when I auditioned, I didn’t have the whole script, so I thought a completely different story, but when I read it, it was really fun to read because I just found what my character really does. The story is really serious and Abe is always not doing things seriously when it should be serious.

There’s always two sides to an episode: there’s Abe’s little scam, the little mischievous part, and then there’s the serious part going on. I think that helps because you sometimes need some jokes.

Do you sometimes wish you had more dramatic stuff?

I’m quite alright. I think Abe is a good character. Maybe he should take things a bit more seriously sometimes but he’s still quite funny and it makes the audience decide. You can hate him or like him – you can like him for how mischievous and funny he is, or hate him because he should take things more seriously.

And occasionally landing everyone else in hot water…

Yes, he doesn’t always think of other people.

Do you ever read the script and go, “Oh no I’ve done it again!”

Sometimes I’ll think, “Oh no, Abe, what have you done?”

What’s been the best bit about it for you?

The best part of the experience? I’m not sure. Everything’s been really great. It’s my first time doing something like this so the whole thing’s been great. I can’t really choose. The actual on camera bit when you’re actually doing your lines, that’s probably it.

Do you hang out with the others off set?

Yeah, we get on a lot – we’re good friends. I’ve known them quite a while now… Last series, we did go out occasionally for dinner, but now I’m in Edinburgh and they stay in Glasgow, it doesn’t happen as often.

How does your schooling work?

I have a tutor – I have to get three hours a day, and if I don’t I add it on to the next day. I prefer school because I get to be with my mates, and group activities and stuff like PE – I can’t do PE in an office! But it’s ok – I just get on with it.

Is acting something you want to do as a career?

Yes I love acting. As a young kid, I always wanted to be an actor.

What’s the attraction?

I don’t know – I love watching movies and TV programmes. I always thought it would be such fun to do that, and now that I am doing it, it’s really good.

Do you find yourself thinking you’d like to play a part when you see it on screen?

Yes. Sometimes I do see characters who it would be fun to be in real life.

What’s the first thing you do when you get the script – do you read it from start to finish or do you look for your bits?

I read it from start to finish but when I get to the Abe bit, I read it a bit extra carefully. Look at it a bit more concentrated.

If you’re telling someone about the series who’d never seen it, how would you describe Abe?

Selfish, possibly. Mischievous – he’s sort of a scammer. He likes to get what he wants, normally something to do with money. He’s always trying to sell things to people or cheat people out of their money.

What’s the best scam been?

None of them! None of them really work. I did like the football one – when I was trying to get people to bet against my dad’s team. Even thought it was my dad’s team, I was trying to get money out of his bad team! Abe doesn’t care.

Anything you’d particularly like to see Abe do?

Not sure. I think the way Abe is it works in Eve, and he should stay the way he is.

Do you think he’ll grow up, or will he stay a ducker and diver?

I think he will stay that way!

Eve continues on CBBC at 4.30pm on Mondays