Toni O’Rourke is delighted that her suspenseful Irish thriller The Boy That Never Was is making its UK debut on Alibi.
“It’s just aired on our national broadcaster RTÉ and it was very well received,” smiles the Calm With Horses star, as she joins What To Watch for an exclusive video interview. "It was lovely watching it with family and friends and I’m excited for it to go out in the UK, and find out what everyone thinks!”
Filmed in Morocco and Ireland the taut four-parter, airing in weekly double-bills, tells the story of thirty-something couple, Robin and Harry Lonergan (Colin Morgan) as they traverse the grief of losing their three-year-old son, Dillon, when an earthquake hits their adoptive home in Essaouira, Morocco and he’s declared dead, although his body is never recovered.
Three years later, as they’re attempting to rebuild their lives in Dublin, Harry believes he sees Dillon on a train station platform, provoking Robin into taking questionable steps to derail his hopes that their son is still alive.
Here, Toni tells us more…
Toni O’Rourke — The Boy That Never Was — exclusive interview
What appealed to you about this tragic thriller?
“There was a lot of passion on this project. Everybody was dedicated to telling the story in the best way we could and I'm really proud of what we made. It’s really heartbreaking and gut-wrenching.”
We’re introduced to artists Robin and Harry as their idyllic existence in Morocco comes to a distressing end, isn’t that right?
“Yes, we meet them as tragedy strikes and their Dillon dies in an earthquake. His body is never recovered, so we see them grappling with that great loss. Three years later in Dublin they’re both at very different stages in their grief. Dillon would have been six and Robin wants to celebrate as his life, but Harry’s not there yet.”
After Harry believes he sees their son, Robin obtains the CCTV and secretly deletes the footage, while he becomes obsessed with finding the boy. What more can you tell us without giving away spoilers?
“One of the main reasons I took this job is for the final twist at the end - the story takes many different avenues and there’s plenty of drama! In a heightened entertainment space like this, it’s really about playing the truth of what’s happening. The whole series is a love story and navigation of a loss that no one should ever go through. Three years on they're still together and you learn they’re going to have another baby, but there are questions about what’s been left unsaid."
You have a very natural on-screen chemistry with Colin. Have you worked together before?
“Never! And, actually, Colin was working [on another project] right up to the wire. We met each other within 48 hours of the cameras rolling in Morocco, so the pressure was really on. Our first scene together was a moment of friction between Harry and Robin. Chemistry is always something that is always a little bit scary but Colin and I slipped very easily into this couple. Harry and Robin are a slightly unlikely pair and we had a really mutual idea about who these two people were and were both very tender towards them because we really care about them.”
Was it challenging filming in two different locations and across different timelines?
“Definitely - there’s a certain pressure when you have earthquake scenes one day and you’re shooting a timeline before Dillon was born the next. The earthquake scenes especially were a big responsibility. I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to work - my scripts are dated and highlighted to within an inch of their life. We felt in very good hands with our director Hannah Quinn [Vikings: Valhalla] and our cinematographer, her husband, Tim Fleming [Domina], as they’d both worked in Morocco before and really knew the lay of the land.”
How was it working with Simon Callow, who plays Robin and Harry’s close friend Cozimo and also claims to have seen Dillon alive?
“The man is incredible! His talent is extraordinary and he lights up the screen as Cozimo. I'm really lucky to say that he’s still in my life and we’re pen pals!”
Finally, is there room for a sequel or is there a definitive ending?
“I was on the bus the other day in Dublin and a woman stopped me to say she was hooked and can’t wait for season two. When I told her I didn't know, she said, ‘There has to be!’ Who knows, but we’ve been warned by the Irish public!”
The Boy That Never Was airs Tuesday, October 29 at 9pm on Alibi with a double-bill. It concludes the following Tuesday with another double-bill.
All episodes will be available as a box set on demand via Sky, Virgin Media and Now
Colin Morgan on his new psychological mystery, The Boy That Never Was
