Prisoner star reveals how being handcuffed to The Serpent star built "organic and real chemistry"

Being handcuffed to someone for four months doesn't exactly sound like a walk in the park for the closest of people, but when it comes to a brand new co-lead that you also have to act alongside and perform stunts with? Well, that certainly sounds like a challenge.

That's how things played out for co-leads Izuka Hoyle (Big Boys) and Tahar Rahim (The Serpent) as they filmed Prisoner, Sky's latest thriller series that comes from Hostage writer Matt Charman.

But how did being cuffed together impact the role, if at all?

When chatting exclusively with Radio Times, Hoyle revealed: "Definitely, it added another level of challenge, but also like intimacy – and quick, right? Because Tahar and I, we met at stunt rehearsals. We didn't have an introduction before that so we literally said hello to each other and then we were cuffed.

"But luckily, we really, really get on. And you know, I think it shows in the chemistry between the characters because we built such an organic and real chemistry between each other. It was a challenge but it was fun, right? So fun."

She continued: "That's what originally drew me to the script. I think when you describe the synopsis to people, the first thing they go, ‘Oh, I want to watch this!’ It starts with luring them in with ‘Oh, and the two characters are handcuffed together’. Especially when this theme of morality, which we explore with lots of different characters and settings within the piece, they are both deliberately at opposite ends of the moral scale.

"So, handcuff those two together, but give them the same objective, put them through their paces - how quickly does her opinion change about morality? How quickly does his opinion change, especially because he's a sociopath, and how quickly does it change their opinions of each other and therefore the world? So, the handcuffs were a root and a real aid in being able to kind of explore all of that."

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Speaking to Sky in a press pack for the series, Rahim commented on the filming experience of being cuffed together with his co-star, saying: "Being handcuffed during big stunt sequences made things more complex. Our stunt team was brilliant and inventive, open to ideas and incredibly collaborative.

"Izuka and I had to constantly adapt and choreograph every movement together. Izuka has great instincts and she’s strong, which made everything easier. I decided to just flow with her and to treat it like a dance. For me, acting with a partner is a kind of dance: you listen, you feel, you respond.

"Being handcuffed to someone for four months filming could easily be a nightmare, but Izuka is a beautiful soul. We got on incredibly well and became real friends. She’s my partner in crime. It was a pleasure."

The new series follows Amber (Hoyle) as a determined prisoner officer who's returned from her maternity leave to quite the turn of events. When she's tasked with escorting skilled contract killer Tibor (Rahim) to court, they're unaware of the fact that they're also being targeted by sinister forces and are subsequently ambushed. As the sole survivors, they must band together to get to safety, but their sense of right and wrong soon starts to waver as they do all they can to ensure their safety.

All episodes of Prisoner will be available on Thursday 30 April on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

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