How would you describe your character?
I play Birdy, also known as Belinda Benowitz and she’s loving, open hearted, a little bit shy, hardworking, traditional and a bit of a people pleaser!
What attracted you to the project?
I was a huge fan of the book and of Dolly. I see a little bit of myself in all of the characters and I think I felt a little more of an affinity with Birdy. She’s Jewish and her background is very similar to mine. I just love her.
How does your character fit in with the other girls?
Maggie and Birdy have known each other since they were 11 years old and have been best friends ever since. They have been to university together and met Nell and Amara there. They joined as a group and moved in together for the first time in London.
What do you think your character learns by the end of the series?
It’s a study of your early 20s when there’s so much going on for you. When we’re teenagers, our lives are very small, and then you are suddenly let out into the world. There’s lots of things going on in the world; your friends, parents, family, paying your rent, all of those things. I don’t think the show is necessarily about learning one specific thing. It’s more about growing, coming of age, being on this journey with these women. I don’t think a lesson has been learnt by Birdy at the end of this series, it’s more that she’s started on this journey.
What’s been your favourite thing about the project?
I couldn’t pick one favourite thing, everything has been a dream. I’ve never worked on a project that is based on a book that I’ve actually really loved. I was a huge, huge fan of this book when it came out and I think a lot of millennial women were. It feels really special. Everything in this show is completely relatable to me.
Have you had any similar experiences like these four girls, not just Birdy?
It’s about a bunch of girls who move to London in their early 20s and when I was that age, I did everything that these girls did. I lived in a house like this in London. I went through the trials and tribulations of love, friendship, and breaking up with friends and boyfriends. It’s all so relatable.
What about the make-up and costume?
It’s been so good. Setting something in 2012 is not quite old enough to be a standalone period piece but it is a decade ago and fashion has evolved since then. They have done an incredible job in pinpointing those looks to make us feel like we’re in 2012. When we did the costume fittings, there were vintage bits from Depop. I remember when Kate Moss did a collaboration with Topshop which at the time was huge and I had about five of those things. So I think it’s going to be really nostalgic for lots of women out there. My friends especially are going to be like “oh my god, that takes me right back”.
Was there a souvenir you would have liked to have kept?
I find everything too triggering! Maybe Birdy’s suit that she wears to her John Lewis interview. It’s like a fake Chanel full suit. She’s very keen.
