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Actress Eleanor Tomlinson: Power, passion and the girl who fired up Poldark
Eleanor, of course, was fully aware of just how tough it would be to follow in the footsteps
of an actress as beloved as Angharad Rees (who died in 2012). But having played more
demure heroines in other period dramas – Isabel Neville in The White Queen, Georgiana Darcy
in Death Comes to Pemberley – she wanted to ring the changes.
In preparation for the role, she watched Angharad’s performance, ‘and it was beautiful and worthy
of all the fuss that was made of it’. But she was also determined to make the role her
own. This, after all, is Poldark for a modern audience, penned by Debbie Horsfield, whose
other successes include contemporary TV dramas such as Cutting It. The makers want to keep
the old fans while also drawing in a new generation: ‘It has to feel relevant to the audience
now,’ says Eleanor. Eleanor’s Demelza is edgier than the original
and the central relationship is rockier. ‘Ross [Poldark] continues to make eyes at [his former
fiancée] Elizabeth and that drives Demelza mad,’ says Eleanor. ‘But deep down she
knows that relationship would never have worked because it isn’t what Ross needs. What he
needs is someone who isn’t afraid to stand up to him, who isn’t submissive or cowering
in the shadows. And there’s a wild side to Demelza that Ross falls in love with completely.
Both of them are fiery and passionate and it does make for the most explosive chemistry,
which was brilliant to play.’
The new Poldark is racier than the first series, too, although Eleanor insists the love scenes
are restrained and classy at all times. ‘It’s very passionate but it doesn’t become grotesque
in the way that some period dramas do. You know, “OK! Bodice ripper!” It’s not
all about someone showing their *** for the sake of it. It’s much more subtle. Instead,
she says, the love scenes were shot in soft focus and sometimes
in slow motion. ‘There’s a lot of breathing on necks,’ she laughs, ‘which is, frankly,
much more *** than full-on sex. Mind you, there is still part of me that thinks, “Oh
no! I’ll have to watch this with my dad, which will be really embarrassing.”’
Her father, by the way, is the actor Malcolm Tomlinson, whose roles have included a recurring
part as Bruce Baines in Emmerdale. He is also a horse-racing commentator, and Eleanor and
her younger brother Ross grew up in the saddle themselves. ‘It was hilarious when Aidan
and I had riding scenes because, like Demelza and Poldark, we were incredibly competitive
with one another and, frankly, I’m much better at it than he is. So every time I did
something, he’d be, like, “I want to be able to do that. Teach me!” I mean, I have
to hand it to him, he’s not too bad on a horse. But there’s making it look like you
can ride and then there’s riding like you’ve done it since you were tiny.’
Eleanor’s love of animals – including her much-adored crossbred pooch Burt Bacharach
– began in childhood. ‘I wanted to be a vet when I was little, but then I realised
that there were animals other than horses and dogs and I wasn’t so sure about those!’
Besides, that ambition was swiftly overtaken by her desire to act. ‘My dad’s agent
came over one day when I was 11 and I wouldn’t let her leave until she’d agreed to take
me on as a client. Within weeks she’d got me a part in a TV movie called Falling.’
The Illusionist and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging followed. In 2013 she starred as
Isabelle in the movie Jack the Giant Slayer. Her parents, she says, took some flak for
their daughter’s decision to act. ‘When I was about 13 someone said to them, “Eleanor
should be out playing and having fun. She shouldn’t be working.” And my dad said,
“You try and stop her!” And it’s true that when I first told them I wanted to be
an actress their response was, “No, it’s so competitive and it’s hard. Don’t do
it to yourself. Stay at school, then get a nice, normal job and be happy.” But I was,
like, “No. I want to try it.” I was pretty strong willed.’
Then again, as she points out, she was raised in an acting world. ‘My mum’s in the business,
too, and most of my parents’ friends are actors, so Ross – who is also making his
way as an actor now – and I had our eyes opened to the business from the word go.’