Trying stars Rafe Spall and Esther Smith on having a baby together: ‘It feels really special’

Rafe: “I can only talk about it from the point of view of Esther being extraordinarily talented. It’s going to sound as though I’m blowing my own trumpet, but chemistry is just good acting. You can fake it if you haven’t got it with someone in real life. But if you’re acting opposite someone who is open and ready to be spontaneous, you’re going to get chemistry.”

Esther: “I think it’s one of those things that’s just so mysterious and unknowing. When you hit on that chemistry with someone, it feels like gold and you feel safe. It’s a relief, actually, because that’s half the job. If you’ve got a good rhythm with each other, it gives that freedom to improvise more.”

Rafe: “I used to get into trouble a lot at school. If you were to read one of my reports, it would say that Rafe was disruptive. I think it was because I was dyslexic and felt stupid, and my educational needs weren’t met, so I would act out. But I was always kind and creative, and the same person that I like to think I am today.”

Esther: “I think I thought I was a wonderful teenager, but my mum might tell you that I was a bit of a hormonal nightmare! When I was at school, I was incredibly awkward, hiding myself in my jumper. I had two strands of hair essentially gelled to my face, and loads of eyeliner.”

Rafe: “It’s the blessing of my life to have four gorgeous children. The baby that Esther and I share is a constant delight and a constant joy. When everything else is finished, it’s all that matters, really. She’s the best, as are all my kids.”

Esther: “In terms of the timeline of filming – not the timeline of the show – I became a parent at a similar time as Nikki did. It feels nice to have shared that journey with her, even though we got to it differently.”

“I was one of the first people in my friendship group to have a baby. If I met a 27-year-old now and they told me they were having a baby, I’d be like: ‘Wow, that’s young.’ Parenting is about failing and trying again. You think you’ve got it figured out, but you haven’t. 

“No one’s an expert at it, because every kid’s different, and you parent them differently because you’re at different stages in your life. I can’t say what that is… we’ll see when the therapist’s bills arrive in a few years.”

“If they wanted to, and I knew that they were doing it for the right reasons, I’d do nothing but encourage it. Something my dad has always said about wanting to be an actor, or an artist in general, is that it’s an affliction. It’s something you’ve got no real choice in, because it’s a part of who you are as a person. 

“If they exhibit that, fantastic. If they don’t, I’ll encourage them to do anything that makes them happy.”