Aidan Turner, known for his role in Poldark, believes that his new series, Fifteen-Love, will prompt audiences to question their beliefs about certain events. In the show, Turner plays a tennis coach accused of misconduct by a former player, and the truth behind the accusation is initially unclear.
In an interview with Sky News’ Backstage podcast, Turner explained that the show explores the concept of reserving judgment. He raises the question of why people tend to believe one person over another, even in the absence of evidence. Turner emphasizes the dangers of making judgments based on appearances or behavior that may not reflect the truth of a situation.
Although tennis serves as the backdrop for the series, Fifteen-Love primarily dives into themes of power dynamics and relationships rather than the sport itself. Turner suggests that the show mirrors real-world issues, particularly concerning the lack of legal protections for athletes in coaching relationships before 2022.
Turner shared his shock at learning about the gaps in the legal system regarding the relationship between coaches and athletes. He questions the safeguards in place to protect players and emphasizes the importance of reassessing expectations and standards for coaches.
Ella Lily Hyland, Turner’s co-star in Fifteen-Love, discussed how visiting tennis training spaces helped her get into character as the accuser. She mentions the abundance of real-life accounts of similar situations, highlighting the need to address these issues.
While Turner is best known for his period drama roles, such as in Poldark, he has taken on diverse characters in recent projects, including a clinical psychologist in The Suspect and Leonardo Da Vinci in a biopic series.
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Fifteen-Love offered Turner a unique role that differed from his previous characters. Describing the show as intelligently written and balanced with compelling characters, he commends writer Hania Elkington for addressing important issues. Additionally, the series allowed Turner to showcase his tennis skills, although he admits the sport proved more challenging than he initially anticipated.
Fifteen-Love can be streamed on Prime Video. For a comprehensive review, listen to the latest episode of Backstage, the film and TV podcast from Sky News
