Emmerdale actress Louisa Clein, who plays Maya Stepney on the ITV soap, has opened up on filming the current grooming storyline with teenage co-star Joe-Warren Plant, aged 17.
Joe’s character Jacob Gallagher, who recently turned 16 on the soap, has been groomed by his stepmother and teacher Maya for months, with it all soon to be exposed.
Maya manipulated Jacob into thinking they were in love, while viewers have been left uncomfortable with the plot, and scenes of the pair getting intimate.
Speaking on Loose Women on Wednesday, actress Louisa revealed how the cast have been looking after each other throughout filming for the plot.
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She explained why the soap had refrained from filming so many “raunchy” scenes, while also admitting how her teenage co-star had found the storyline.
Louisa, 40, said: “Joe-Warren’s been on the show since he was eight years old, he’s grown up on that show. He has a family on that show that love him and look after him.
“He’s incredibly mature and professional as an actor, and we all look after him and he looks after us as well.”
Asked by Ruth if it was as “awkward” filming the scenes with the 17 year old as it is for viewers to watch, Louisa said the episodes “should be” awkward with it being such an important story to tell.
She said: “Listen, it’s a job, that’s what we do as actors isn’t it. It’s awkward when it’s someone your own age as much as when it’s someone young.”
Louisa added of actor Joe: “He’s always got chaperones around, and the story is such that we’ve tried to stay away from as much physical stuff on screen as possible.
“We don’t want to make it titillating and a bit kind of raunchy, that’s not the story we’re telling.
“It’s about the manipulation, and it’s about the suggestion of what she’s doing to him.”
Maya’s lies are set to be exposed in dramatic scenes to come on the soap, while Louisa remained coy on what lied ahead for her and Jacob.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7pm on ITV, with an extra episode at 8pm on Thursdays.
