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JULY 9TH 2012
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Jodie was a popular character; while some of her actions, usually in the face of siding with her ruthless father, showed a bitchy, devious streak, she was vunerable too. The discovery that her husband had a secret bisexual life, and the loss of a much-wanted baby took her into new territory with the viewers, and many were saddened when both Jodie and Lucinda left the series after an exciting season. Lucinda’s varied career has gone from strength to strength since Dream Team. In 2006 she played the well-remembered role of ‘Allo ‘Allo’s Yvette Carte-Blanche in a national stage tour of the much-loved BBC series. While film roles have included “The Rapture”, “The Kid” and the vampire thriller “Dead Cert” (2010). Her ambitions as a producer saw her set up KandLe, a film production company with her fellow actor Kelly George. Now approaching it’s second birthday, the company has the honour of producing three upcoming films; “A Landscape of Lies”, “The Crux” and set for a 2013 release, “The Thompsons”. The next year will see four film releases for Lucinda as an actress; “A Landscape of Lies” which she also co-produced and the Nick Nevern-led “Riot” (both expected for autumn releases), while "The Fall of the Essex Boys" (Formally titled "Once Upon a Time in Essex") and “Billy” will follow later. Alongside her co-ownership in KandLe, Lucinda provides a gateway for budding young actors into television and film with her agency, which she discusses below, along with details of the lost role that would have had international recognition, and how there’s the possibility of her returning to one of her pre-Dream Team characters… |
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First appearance 8.1 [325] Down (17/10/04)
Flirting with Ryan 8.4 [328] Boot Camp (07/11/04)
Teased by Tommy 8.10 [334] Who Ate All The Pies (19/12/04)
Discovering Frank's secret 8.14 [338] Playing God (23/01/05)
Curtis' news has a profound affect on Jodie... 8.26 [350] A Champions League Outing (17/04/05)
...and she is led to desperate measures 8.27 [351] The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (24/04/05)
"Come on you Dragons!" 8.29 (353) Ten Green Bottles [08/05/05]
Learning the truth about her dad... again 8.32 (356) Play Off [29/05/05] |
How did your casting for Dream Team come about? It was my first adult role, because I did a lot of children's TV. I was very nervous but the casting director was fantastic, and working with Jane Hewland was an experience. She's a really intelligent, driven woman. It was great. I remember there was a fair bit of publicity and excitement about your casting, yours along with Shane Lynch's at the time... That's right because Shane Lynch and I did it together. Shane's great. And so much so I tuned into “Cavegirl” to see you for the first time... We actually just remade a pilot for “Cavegirl”, and I'm playing the mum. I'm older now so I've got to play the mum! I hope it gets off the ground... I hope so, it will be fun. Jodie's relationship with her dad, Barker [Don], I found totally intriguing, like how she was his right hand woman. She was very loyal wasn't she? She was very loyal to her dad. I think her mum had passed away when she was quite young, so the relationship with her dad - not sure if it was a little bit odd, as well as close. But Jon Morrison who played Don Barker was great to work with. He was very professional, quite tough as an actor. He came across like that on-screen as well, very well... I mean he's a very straight and tough Scottish guy in real life too. He used to like listening to Radio 2 on his break. He was nice to work with. She was very protective too wasn't she, Jodie. She would have done anything for Frank (Colin Parry) wouldn't she? I think she was protective of her family and her 'clan' (let's call it), because she'd been brought up by a man and then there'd be the protective, bit like the 'caveman' scenario - they look after their family. So if she's been brought up around men she has a very male driven mentality. I think that mentality is to look after her family and protect her 'young', which is why she was so distraught that she lost the child and then went on to steal somebody else's - it's an animal and male instinct inside of her. You could say about her dad that he raised her as the son he never had? Absolutely. Definitely raised her as that yes. And that's why she's so cut-throat, she was so tough, and she would try and be the leader at all times rather than some women that are happy to maybe sit in the background a little bit, she wasn't having any of that. There was one early characteristic of Jodie's that I never got - when the first descriptions came out, Jodie was described as "slutty" - but yet on screen she clearly loved Frank, and she only slept with Fletch (Terry Kiely) after Frank couldn't love her like she needed following the whole bisexual thing. I think the storyline was a bit confused at the beginning because she tried it on with Ryan Naysmith, but I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. She was very loyal to her husband and I don't think she would have cheated on him unless it was necessary, which at the end it was. She bounced off well with the other female characters didn't she? From her rivalry with Sofia (Lisa McAllister) to her friendship with Gina (Kara Tointon)... Yeah that was nice that they brought Kara in to do Gina, because I'd worked with Kara on another show before. She did "Harry and Cosh" for maybe one or two episodes in the first series. The writers seemed to really value you as an actress, Jodie becoming the main female character that season. One story where you really shone was the miscarriage and aftermath. Did you think that was your best work with Dream Team? I thought it was great, I was really pleased that they gave me some good storylines. I think it was a compliment, and I really worked hard on it, and so did Colin actually. Him and I really bonded, and he was my first on-screen husband as I was his first on-screen wife. And it was very emotional for us on and off camera. It was great, and the writer, that wrote my storylines, Jesse O'Mahoney, he now writes for "EastEnders" and he's still my friend. Coming to your exit, a lot of viewers were disappointed Jodie departed when she did. Was there any offer for you to stay on at the time? You know what it was, I think the storyline for me had finished because my dad had blown up all the players, and I don't think there was any room for Jodie because she had no more family. I would have liked to have taken over the club - that would have been wicked. The whole mass-murdering father and husband dead sadly made it difficult for her to stay on, but I always hoped she'd return in some capacity. I think a lot of the viewers would have liked you owning the club as well... That would have been great. I had a great time in Dream Team, it was my favourite job, and I loved the storylines, and I really liked playing Superbitch Jodie Stone. I loved it, all the characters I worked with, including the friends I still have which is Ricky Whittle, Tim Smith, Phil Brodie, Chucky Venice, Kara Tointon. I still keep in touch with them, and Phil Brodie (Jaws) just played my husband in a film I produced "Landscape of Lies". Phil was great as my husband, and I'm really pleased he did that for me. Before and since Dream Team you've starred in dozens of projects for stage, TV and film, any of these sit particularly as your favourites? I enjoyed working with Chucky, on "Rapture". You know what I'm going to be cheesy and say I enjoy every part of the industry, everything's my favourite! I love it. I sing every Friday and Saturday... You were in a band as well weren't you [From Above]… I was yeah. With one of the S Club Juniors. One project I haven't seen yet which looks good is "Dead Cert"... That was brilliant. I'm not a huge part in it but I enjoyed working with Dexter Fletcher. And I noticed on your imdb page, it says “Evita” was your first ever credit? I did “Evita” with Billie Piper. We went to school together… It sounds like an amazing place to start your career... It was great. I was in a scene with Madonna and Jonathan Price. It was very brief, and I was like thirteen. And they came to audition at Sylvia Young and they picked Billie and I. She's actually a very nice actress. And for stage work I see you played Lady Macbeth... I was very young when I did Lady MacBeth, but I toured with 'Allo 'Allo, I took over from Vicki Michelle. And the internet drama “KateModern”, that was recent as well wasn't it? With Ralph Little. It was aired on Bebo. We were up for a BAFTA, we were the first online web-series in the Another role I remember there being a lot of anticipation, for yourself in the lead role, was “Moll Oh yeah what a shame. Well Ken Russell was obviously cast as the director, and the producer I was wondering if it had ever been made. Online there seemed to be such little information about it... No, it would have been fab. How big would it have been, would it have been cinema released? Yeah - it would have gone everywhere. That really is a shame. So your film company, KandLe, you are a director alongside Kelly George. How did you get started with that? It stands for K-and-L-Entertainment. I was fed up with keep auditioning and asking for jobs, as an actress. So I thought, I'm going to set up my own film company, because, being an actress for fifteen years I've learnt so much, that I thought I might as well do it myself. Kelly George, my partner in this, did “RocknRoller” and he played the lead in “Grange Hill” for fifteen years. So we helped out with three movies in the first year; "The Thompsons", "A Landscape of Lies" and "The Crux" And our new movie that’s just been financed is called "New Lake." We’re in talks with agents as we're looking for a solid lead name, but alongside him will star Rob Fucilla. He’s an up-and-coming star. And you've a lot of upcoming projects, some you've produced and/or starred in. Any of those you'd like to talk about? I just did the new 'Essex Boys' movie ("The Fall of the Essex Boys"), "Pilot Season" and "My Former Self", and of course "Landscape of Lies". Will "Once Upon a Time in Essex" get a cinema release? Oh I bloody hope so! Fingers crossed yeah? “Landscape of Lies” looks awesome. And wonderful casting it seems with you and Philip Brodie playing husband and wife... Yeah I really enjoyed those scenes with Phil. We're both strong actors and of course friends. At times I even thought there was a spark between Viv and Jodie, so now seeing “Landscape of Lies” will show us what we never saw with that! I think so. I think we've always had good on-screen chemistry. And in the film you're both parents to a teenaged daughter... She's also my student, because I run an agency for children and youths called Rhodes. So she's my student and she's on my family's agency, and so is my daughter on "Once Upon a Time in I figured you were playing older and maybe she's 13 or something, cause I was like, no way you're not old enough to have a teenaged daughter! They made me quite a young mum, so I had her when I was young. One last thing, I notice you're credited as Lucinda Rhodes only now, do you no longer go by Flaherty? No not anymore, I just thought I'd be simple. |
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