Emma
Pierson
Anna Thornton-Wilton
Head Receptionist
Emma Pierson
has loved playing the part of the foxy and outspoken Anna mostly because
she has been able to develop, contribute and create opportunities to
take Anna to the extremes of comedy within the drama.
"Anna
loves her glamour and you can imagine at home she sits around in fluffy
kitten-heel slippers, surrounded by Balenciaga and Gucci," she
explains.
However
in series three we see a new dimension to Anna's character and as her
role becomes more prominent and her character becomes more central we
uncover a different side to her.
"Because
Anna has more storylines this year we needed to see other dimensions
and qualities to her," she says. "This would give the audience
something new to watch and have fun in seeing how she acts when faced
with tougher moral choices and matters of the heart.
"The
reality of TV-land is that we need her to have a more balanced side
but her serious side isn't as serious as we might think," she adds.
When we
meet Anna in series three it is clear that she has become close to General
Manager Charlie Edwards played by good friend Max Beesley.
"She
has grown up a bit and changed a little but she is still naughty and
irreverent underneath. Having had two years of getting to know each
other Anna and Jackie have very much settled their differences and get
on...despite having a new female colleague on the floor, Anna has been
so engrossed in her relationship with Charlie that initially she has
little to do with Emily's dramas," she explains.
"As
an actor who is in a returning show with great ratings, the audience
know what they want from the characters and they expect to see on screen
what they know and love and have invested in," she explains.
"With
every new series the characters are always changing slightly. However,
when the writers take your character down a different road, the actors,
as guardians of our characters, have a duty to hold on to the truth
of the character. Even whilst taking them into new areas that we haven't
seen before, the character must retain their qualities and not simply
change because it's easier to get through a storyline. So whilst Anna
has new dimensions and is evolving – it is my job to hold on to
the original essence of Anna."
Thinking
she has finally found her man Anna is left feeling hurt and vulnerable
when she discovers Charlie has no intention of promising a commitment
to her. But love strikes twice in the same series when handsome doctor
Ned Wright comes to Anna's rescue when she faints in the street.
"The
truth is Anna found her true love in Charlie but unfortunately, as with
all good love stories, happy endings are never guaranteed. Charlie and
Anna are truly meant to be together and that would have been lovely
to see but the story took another direction. When he finally says he
is ready to be with her Anna doesn't understand what the circumstances
are surrounding this declaration – she doesn't understand that
he is leaving for good and it kind of poses the question 'had she known
he was going for good would she have gone with him?'...who knows?"
Actor Daniel
LaPaine plays Ned Wright and he falls hard for Anna. "It's a nice
situation for Anna when she meets Ned because he can offer her a bit
more security; he is a grown-up. So when Ned turns up he is charming
and stable (though not as exciting as Charlie) and offers Anna everything
she thinks she wants. She is made to feel special, like a princess,
and he ticks all her boxes but I think she is surprised when she realises
even this doesn't beat true love."
Emma was
adamant she wanted to perform her own stunts which literally meant shedding
blood, sweat and tears.
"In
episode eight an evangelical preacher comes to stay in the hotel but
has collected some enemies along the way. He is taken hostage but Emily
and Jack get caught up in the melee and are taken hostage as well,"
she explains.
"In
true Babylon form we never inform the police and Team Babylon take on
the situation in their own confused way. Being the smallest, Anna is
elected to scale the ventilation system and have a look at what is happening
in the room which leads to lots of fun for me," she adds.
"I
ended up crawling through ventilation systems for hours but was totally
up for doing the stunts myself. When I saw blood I was concerned that
Rob, the props guy, had cut himself whilst setting up the stunt. I then
realised it was actually mine! Giving me my second permanent scar from
Hotel Babylon!
"Having
said that I wouldn't want a stunt-double doing my work. I love the physical
comedy of the role not only because of the comic timing that is required
but I consider the physical element to be an important part of the performance...I
wouldn't let someone else deliver my lines for me so I always insist
on doing my own stunts - wherever the insurance policy allows of course!"
Glamour
is never far from Anna's mind and series three is no exception. In episode
one Anna is obsessed with owning the dress of the season when fashion
house De Rigeur hold their show at the hotel but she quickly gives up
the idea when she realises how the company exploit children in Chinese
sweatshops. Nonetheless she does get a chance to dress up in series
three.
"I
do get to wear a few glamorous dresses this series plus my normal receptionist
uniform but it's nothing like last year's fancy dress extravaganza!'
she says.
"And
I do admit to gazing longingly at Natalie and Alex's catwalk glamour
almost on a daily basis! But I suppose Anna's daywear is more glam than
the average uniform. Though what she lacks in suits and dresses she
more than makes up for in shoes."
Emma had
a surprise in store for her parents when they visited the set one Saturday
during filming.
"My
parents are really big fans of John Barrowman and they just happened
to be in the day that he was filming – my mum absolutely adores
him." she says.
"Then a few
days later John's parents visited the set and it was lovely to meet
them – they are huge fans of the show and all of the characters
so it was a real treat for them to see it in full swing."
Hotel
Babylon
Series three
Staff profiles
Guest star profiles
Max Beesley
- Charlie Edwards
Dexter
Fletcher - Tony Casemore
Michael Obiora
- Ben Trueman
Ray Coulthard
- James Schofield
Martin
Marquez - Gino Primirola
Natalie
Mendoza - Jackie Clunes
Alexandra
Moen - Emily James
Lee Williams
- Jack Harrison
