June 21, 2024 – Interview with Anna Maxwell Martin who plays Leanne in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Complete Series Paperback Boxed Set available here: https://amzn.to/3VSdQYq

What drew you to A Good Girls Guide To Murder?

I hadn’t read the book but my daughter had, so I was aware that lots of people were going crazy for it. When something comes along that your children are going mad for you do tend to have a little look and get involved in it. It’s quite nice that I’m in something they can watch rather than things that are inappropriate or that makes them cringe massively and hate watching me in it. Additionally to that, there are just really great, and creative people on board. I’d wanted to be in Dolly’s orbit for a long time so that was fantastic for me.

Who is Leanne?

I play Leanne, who is Pip’s mum, and trying to do a good job. She’s trying, sometimes failing. I think she’s pretty nice as a mum, she just cares about and is a bit worried about her. She can see Pip going down a precarious road. She’s pretty sensible, although I can imagine her feeling a bit full on, maybe a little bit pushy. She has high expectations of Pip which I think means she is pushy, she can’t bear to see her waste her life.

Emma Myers plays your daughter Pip. What was it like working with her?

Emma is super, one of the reasons she’s really wonderful in this is she’s brilliantly contained. So much of what she does is contained and on the inner. That is so interesting and really pivotal in a story like this where you’re following somebody about, following her inner life and not just a case as in a traditional detective show. It is about what’s going on for her personally and emotionally. Emma keeps that beautifully contained. That’s her wonderful gift in this. There’s just so much going on inside her head and it is really, really beautiful to watch. I don’t think you know the full length and breadth of that until you see it on screen.

Family dynamics and friendship play an important role here. How is that shown in the series?

I think we’ve tried to really not make it too cheesy. We all get on in real life and I think you see that which really helps. I hope it seems as normal as possible. I do make Pip cry at one point, which is very true to life of so many family dynamics. Especially with teenagers I think.

What was it like working with the directors?

Working with Dolly Wells and Tom Vaughan was an absolute joy. They’re both very good, very naughty, my kind of directors.

Complete Series Paperback Boxed Set available here: https://amzn.to/3VSdQYq

It’s the Summer holidays, but teenager Pip Fitz-Amobi is focused on an unusual school research project. In Little Kilton five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell went missing. Her boyfriend Sal Singh sent a text confessing to the murder before being found dead, seemingly taking his own life. Andie’s body was never found. Case closed. However, Pip isn’t so sure and is determined to prove Sal’s innocence.

The six-part series is based on Holly Jackson’s smash hit novels and stars Emma Myers (Wednesday), Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, A Spy Among Friends), Gary Beadle (Rye Lane, Small Axe), Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Wonka) and newcomer Zain Iqbal.

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder was filmed in and around Somerset, England. Commissioned by the BBC, the series is produced by Moonage Pictures (The Pursuit of Love, The Gentlemen, Bodies) in co-production with ZDFneo and Netflix.

All episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from Monday 1 July.