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

As KT, the younger artificial lifeform created on CBBC’s Eve, Ellie Grainger has been given plenty of opportunities to show the different sides to her talent. On the set of the final episode of the third year, the young actress chatted with Paul Simpson about the good and bad sides of Eve’s “sister”…

Are you enjoying playing KT?

I really love it.

What’s the best bit?

I love meeting new people, and acting is my favourite thing to do, so I find it really fun. I love how KT’s kind of evil and then nice again. It’s really cool.

Have you asked [show co-creator] Emma [Reeves] or the other writers if KT can do something, or is there anything you’d really like her to do?

I’m not sure really. I’d like for KT and Eve to always stick together and keep saving the world.

When you started, what did they tell you about who KT was?

They said she was another robot who Katherine had created for people who can’t have children so they can have a robot instead.

What’s been the most challenging thing about playing her that’s made you work hardest?

I think being evil has been a little bit challenging because it’s the first time I’ve played a really evil character, but it’s been fun to have a go at new things like that.

When you’re playing that, do you think of something particular in your mind to get you in the right mood?

No, I just think, “Now I’ve got to be mean”, and think of some things like I don’t like –homework sometimes if it’s really hard, or things people don’t like to do, like walking round loads and loads and getting lost.

Which do you prefer – the evil bits or the good bits?

I kind of like the evil bits because it’s challenging. I like a challenge and I like to do new things.

Would you like KT if you met her at school or in the street?

Probably, if I saw her kind side yes; but if I saw her evil side, probably not. I probably wouldn’t want to meet her again.

What’s the most evil thing she’s done?

I think probably when she was trying to destroy Will at one point, so that was quite evil, and I think Mary was trying to use KT a lot to destroy the world. That’s probably one of the most evil things.

And killing Cain – I never thought I’d kill someone on TV. That was quite dramatic actually and it seemed like KT wasn’t really bothered – because when Eve said to her, “KT do you know what you’ve done?” she was like, “the human had to be dealt with”. She didn’t really care that she’d killed someone.

How did you get involved with the series? Did you audition for it?

The audition came to my workshop and I auditioned for it, then I got short-cast. So I came here [to Glasgow] to do another audition and then I got the job. I was really excited about it.

How long did it all take?

It was quite a long time. After the second audition we were beginning to think that maybe I hadn’t got it, and then I got the call to say I had got it. It was a bit of a long wait, but we got there!

What other acting things have you done?

I’ve done The List, which was a thriller; I did The Witch, which was a horror but also a thriller – that was out recently at the pictures. I’ve done The Village which was a period drama on BBC – that was really cool. And I’ve done Coronation Street, which was also really fun.

So you’ve done historical, sci-fi, modern things – do you like the variety?

Yes, I like doing lots of different things because you learn a lot. In The Witch we learned a lot about the past because that was set in the past as well.

Do you like finding out about the things going on around the part you’re playing?

Yes because when you read all the scripts, even the bits you’re not in, it helps you make sense of some of the things that you do. You read through the bits and think to yourself, “oh that’s why I have to do this”.

What’s been the most surprising thing you’ve been asked to do as KT?

I’m not sure. I was quite surprised when I open up Will to see what was inside him [in episode 11 of series 2], because it’s not something you’d usually do to open someone up. That was a bit strange.

What’s your next acting job?

I haven’t got anything yet but hopefully I’ll have a few more auditions and have a few more parts.

Eve continues on Wednesdays at 4.30 pm on CBBC