A De Montfort University (DMU) student has landed a role in Michael Sheen’s major new BBC drama. Final year performing arts student Sam Locke joins a host of big named and top Welsh talent in The Way, which is billed as “ambitious” and “powerful”.
The 22-year-old, who comes from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales but has been living in Leicester for his studies, will star as Constable Ryan in The Way, with filming for the three-part drama taking place in Port Talbot. He said: “It’s my first TV role and I was thrilled to get it. It’s amazing that I have landed a TV role before I have even graduated. It’s like a dream, a bit surreal, and I can’t wait to see it when it is screened.”
The Way is created, co-written and directed by acclaimed actor Sheen, alongside James Graham and Adam Curtis. It tells the story of the Driscolls who are an “ordinary family caught up in an extraordinary chain of events” that puts their place in their home town at risk.
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The Driscolls are played by the cream of Welsh acting talent with Gavin and Stacey’s Steffan Rhodri, Keeping Faith’s Mali Harries, The Pact’s Sophie Melville and It’s a Sin’s Callum Scott Howells starring as the threatened family. They are joined by Michael Sheen as a fellow family member, while Maja Laskowska is cast as a young woman caught up in the family’s escape from home. Luke Evans, known for roles in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and ITV’s Pembrokeshire Murders, is also cast as Hogwood, a mercenary in pursuit of the Driscolls.
Sam’s Constable Ryan, which is billed as a small speaking role in the drama, is the sidekick to Sophie Melville’s police officer Driscoll. He is set to appear in two episodes of the drama and spoke of his nerves of acting alongside the top cast, but praised their friendly nature.
He said: “I was a bit nervous about it all, but everyone in the cast was really friendly and welcoming. Michael Sheen was really nice and Sophie Melville is such a fun person to work with. Not everyone was on the set at the same time and filming is still going on for the next few weeks.”
Filming for Sam has been on and off since April, with his part in the drama set to be completed this month. It is the DMU student’s biggest role to date - and came after he was initially turned down for a role in the drama.
He said: “I have been very lucky as my agent arranged for me to audition for a different part in this drama, but I didn’t get it. I didn’t hear anything more for some months and I didn’t think any more about it. Then in March, out of the blue, my agent rang me back to say that the producers wanted to give me a different part from the one I auditioned for - and that was the one of Constable Ryan. It was quite a compliment and I’d like to think that I had made a good impression!”
Sam, who is due to graduate from DMU in September, will not rest on his laurels after completing filming on The Way. He confirmed he will audition for more roles and will also work with a small group of DMU students to create performances by Leicester talent in the city.
Michael Sheen was full of praise for everyone involved in the drama. He said: “I feel very lucky to get to work every day with these phenomenal actors. We’ve always had so much acting talent here in Wales and I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to tell this extraordinary story with the very best at work today.”
Filming on The Way is set to conclude this month. It will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer at a later date.
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