Interview: Don't Push Gary!
With all his recent scheming behind the scenes, people are starting to think that Gary has gone soft.
Mikey North hints at why that could make him more dangerous than ever!
What was behind Gary's plan with Derek, was it to make amends or for personal gain?
It’s a tricky one, his mind is so warped at the minute I don’t think he even knows his reasons, there was something about getting the money, but in the back of his mind he is doing wrong to do right. He is justifying it by thinking he is getting people their jobs back, yet he is also going to have this business which is respectable and will earn him more money. He is making odd decisions though, his reality is out of kilter.
Derek is not the best choice of fake business partner is he?
No he seemed like a good choice at the time but as he is hanging around more and starting to stick up for himself, he is starting to wind Gary up. Derek did run a business and he is starting to think he might have a chance of messing Gary around and getting away with it, especially as he has seen Garry seemingly going easy on Ryan.
Is Derek spending time with Izzy his worst nightmare?
It’s not so much that it is Izzy it is more that his two worlds are colliding , he has got his family life with his son and his life of crime. He doesn’t want to get caught and he doesn’t want to bring Izzy into that world, so he is going to try and stop him at all costs.
Ryan is a thorn in his side. What happens this week?
Gary has just had Derek round and wound him up and Gary punches a mirror and smashes it. He is getting more and more wound up as the day goes on. Derek has been agreeing rent reductions without asking him and Gary’s temper is just building and building. He is trying to rein himself in and then he hears that Ryan has been earning cash-in-hand on a DJ job and he finds out where he is.
Does he feels that he is losing control a bit?
Yes, he feels he has to assert himself against both of these men. It is a knock-on from what happened to him with Rick - it is distorting his reality and making things seem worse than they are. He doesn’t want to get walked over again and made to seem weak. It is making him think that he can literally do what he wants to anyone. The juxtaposition of having such a tall imposing character of Derek next to Gary and yet Gary believes he can knock seven bells out of him.
Does Gary have any fear?
After everything that has happened to him from way back in the army, losing his friend, getting involved in the security work, he has lost all fear of consequence and feels almost as if he has nothing else to lose. Apart from his kids, who he doesn’t see as much as he would like, he is pretty much a lone wolf. As far as I am concerned when he lost Sarah he kind of gave up caring any more. That makes him dangerous and I am sure that will be to his detriment in the end. Ryan is the latest one in the way.
Does he have any idea that Adam is on to him?
He knows Adam would stop at nothing to try and catch him out. I really enjoy the dynamic between Adam and Gary. I keep thinking Gary will get caught at every turn but he manages to find a way out of it every time. Gary feels untouchable so it is nice to pay with that.
How is he going to deal with the fact that the private detective has info on him and pictures of him beating up Ryan?
Gary is a very persuasive man and I am sure he will be able to turn the tables on Adam, he knows most people have their price, even private detectives.
Are you enjoying this storyline?
Without a doubt this has been my most enjoyable year so far, I feel like I have really got into his psyche and have a clearly defined character, he is a villain and he is a nasty piece of work but he is becoming more clever with it which is good to play.
What is it that Gary wants?
He wants Sarah back, he is still hurt by that, she was the love of his life. He wants a relationship and until he gets over that he will continue to be dangerous. Also, what happened with Rick will continue to haunt him. He almost died, I believe he is suffering from PTSD from that. He has also learned from Phelan so he has learned from the best.
What sort of reaction are you getting out and about?
It is like going back to the early days of 'Bad Gary' when he was hated and I get people shouting murderer at me in the street, but it is in slightly better humour than it was when I was 21 and I am better equipped to deal with it! It’s great, it is always good to play someone so interesting and I’m really enjoying getting the scripts and getting my teeth into it. I’m loving it!