The writers of Killing Eve say their psychopathic killer Villanelle was inspired in part by disgraced film boss Harvey Weinstein.
Twins Henrietta and Jessie Ashworth, 31, both write the hit BBC series about an MI6 agent tracking a hired assassin, played by actress Jodie Comer.
Writing sessions for the show took place in late 2017, when allegations about Harvey’s behaviour began to emerge.
Henrietta told the Sunday Times of the writing process: “ Killing Eve was an all-female room. It was pretty raucous.
“#MeToo was in the news, so there were great conversations going on about psychopaths and Harvey Weinstein.”
She added: “[The show] was informed a little bit by talking about what makes people do extreme things. It was one of the conversations we were having because [#MeToo] was happening at the time.”
Actresses including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Beckinsale and Cara Delevingne make a series of accusations against Harvey including sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviour.
The first season of Killing Eve was written by Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, adapted from novellas by Luke Jennings. The second series was written by the twins along with Emerald Fennell.
Actor and writer Phoebe, an executive producer on the second series, is now a writer on the upcoming James Bond film starring Daniel Craig.
Henrietta says: “Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a genius.
Her jokes are irreverent and breathtaking. She will tell a dark and disturbing story just to see how you’ll react.
“Killing Eve is so her. A slight fascination with darkness, but in a way that’s impish and playful.”
Meanwhile, actress Fiona Shaw, who plays MI6 agent Carolyn, says she thinks the female team is what makes Killing Eve so successful.
“We’ve all been brought up on endless boys doing this work and enjoying them, so it’s fantastic to have three people who are female running the good and bad of this world,” she has said.
“It’s a joy not to play plain virtue. Women often play virtue and it’s very nice to not necessarily be good, and not necessarily be bad.”
