Three’s a Crowd
Troubled Max is set to face more problems as the two women in his life battle for his affections.
Ever since returning from the STC, Max has been trying to get his life back on track. Just as it looked like Max was getting settled back into normal life, he found himself caught up in a love triangle with Sabrina Adetiba and Lauren Bolton.
This week, Lauren gets between Max and Sabrina once more as she attempts to wind Sabrina up by making out that she and Max are an item. Max assures Sabrina that’s not the case but Sabrina is left unsettled.
In a fit of rage, Lauren leaves her friendship with Max in pieces by trashing the salon, ultimately leading to the police arresting her on suspicion of causing criminal damage. Could this be the wakeup call Lauren desperately needs?
Please find below a Q&A with Paddy Bever, Luana Santos and Cait Fitton.
Paddy Bever (Max Turner)
How would you describe Max in 3 words?
Loyal, creative and underneath it all, kind.
Would you be friends with your character in real life?
I think I would, but there are a lot of things I'd have to give him a bit of a telling off about. I need him to grow up a bit, which I think he has been doing recently, but I think that's what I would say to him.
It's a lot of fun for me as an actor to play someone who makes so many mistakes and from a selfish point of view I like when he gets himself into trouble, but I would tell him to grow up and take more responsibility.
What advice would you like to give your character?
Don't put so much of your worth on other people. Max's whole life has been defined by the fact that he doesn’t really have anyone biologically related to him apart from Lily and Harry.
There has always been a search for what he's lost - his biological family - so I would tell him to value his own company too.
We see Max has got an apprenticeship at the hairdressers after deciding college wasn’t for him. Do you see a future for Max as a hairdresser?
I'm not sure because I think at times Max doesn't do too well under pressure. I can see him getting pretty stressed out in the hairdressers but I think it would be an easier route for him than some other careers because his dad's doing it, and obviously Audrey does it, so he has people to give him advice, which is great.
I think eventually, his big dream is to work in media and film, but temporarily, I can see him being a hairdresser.
What’s next for Max and Sabrina?
Max is torn in between two people that he cares very much about when Lauren moves into the flat next door to Sabrina. I think Sabrina is a really good influence on Max, she's been responsible for growing him up a lot.
I see it as Sabrina is his head and Lauren is his heart, but I think he's acknowledged that his heart is also with Sabrina a bit. I think Max is realising that actually, just because Sabrina isn’t his first love, doesn't mean that he can't recognise his feelings for her. Even if you marry someone and have children with them, you'll never love anyone like you love your first love. But for Max and Sabrina, I think she's really good for him, so let's hope that they become a little power couple.
Do you think there could ever be a romantic future for Max and Lauren?
I'm not sure - Max and Lauren do have an undeniable bond but I think it's a trauma bond.
We’ve lightly touched on some kind of exposure to abuse for Lauren in that far-right gang, and we obviously know from Max that there's violence that he's traumatised by, particularly in terms of when Max went on the camping trip, and also the psychological abuse.
I think there is that bond where they both understand each other in a way that Sabrina has not been a victim of these things, so she might feel slightly out of the loop in that. Also, again, the fact that Lauren is his first love - there will always be that temptation for your first love.
For me, Max and Lauren's relationship has evolved now to a point where Max sees Lauren as family and feels very protective of her. I think he sees a lot of his mum in her and has that fear of what happened to his mum, happening to Lauren. Like I always say, Max is so loyal that he'll always want to protect her, but will he want to be back with her? I don't know. It depends on the circumstance, I guess.
Even with Sabrina’s ultimatum, it was still too difficult for Max to stay clear of Lauren. Do you think Max feels responsible for Lauren as she doesn’t really have anyone else to depend on?
Absolutely, yeah. I think when the last time we saw Lauren she had her dad and the gang who sadly she'd formed a dependency on. Whereas this time when she's come back, especially whilst she was living with Max, she’s integrated in his family as they have taken Lauren in. He does feel responsible for her because he cares so much about her and she doesn't have anyone else, and particularly after Reece's sentencing, she's found herself on her own and Max is the closest person to her.
We know Max initially didn’t want to come back to Weatherfield, and some people, especially Alya, didn’t want him there. How is Max finding it now? Is the friendships with Gav, Lauren and Sabrina helping him settle back in?
I think at the start Max hoped that he could just make everything okay with Alya and we, as the viewer, knew that was not going to work. I think Max was very naive in that sense and he's learned that he can't just make everything better overnight. He’s kept his distance from Alya and having Gav, Sabrina and Lauren around him has given him his own little circle and support system who he can go to and I think that’s really important.
You and Cait (Lauren) have a really great relationship off screen - how did you become so close?
From when we met we just really got on. I have previously worked with other young people on the show, but I had never worked closely with other people my age - which isn’t a bad thing as I love my on-screen family and everyone I've worked with - but with Cait, we are the same age and we had a storyline together, which was something that I'd never experienced. This got us pretty close, then I was obviously chuffed to hear that Cait was coming back and we've had a great time ever since.
What do you love about Coronation Street?
I just love the multi-generational aspect of it. My favourite thing is the amount of times I've come in and people have just given me so much life advice. I've learned so much from people. Most people my age who are actors are just working with other people their age and they don't get to work as closely with older people, so what I love about it is how responsible everyone feels for each other.
Luana Santos (Sabrina Adetiba)
How did you get the part in Coronation Street?
I got the part through my agency, Scream Management. It was my first self-tape with the agency as I had just joined them through a workshop in my college, Pendleton. It was so surprising I actually got the part since I’d never recorded a self-tape prior. I’ve had acting experience before, but the majority was voice acting work and theatre within my community, so this opportunity could have slipped through my fingers so easily.
What did you think when you found out about the character, Sabrina?
When I first found out about her, it was definitely very hard getting my head around her name. Was it Bec or was it Sabrina? And why was it changing? But I did enjoy her wittiness and confidence when I got to see the first few scripts.
Did you know anyone in the cast before you started?
Not personally but Adam Little, who played Blake, did go to the same high school as me, we were in school together around the same time before he left. Sue Devaney also came to my college to do a workshop the same week as Scream Management attended so I worked with her briefly on some script work. She was so lovely.
Where were you when you found out you got the part?
When I was told I got the part I was actually in college, I got a call then an email later on. I was in class and left to answer the call just in case then got told I got the part of Bec or as we know her now, Sabrina. I was absolutely elated and tried to contain my excitement for the entire day, trying to go about my day normally.
Who was the first person you told when you got the part?
The first people I told were my aunt and my mother. I contacted them straight away and told them I got the role, I’ve never heard them so happy. They told me they knew I was going to get the role, they’d been telling me the minute I sent the tape I would. I wanted to wait till I got home but I literally just had to tell someone.
How would you describe Sabrina in three words?
Hungry, athletic and bold
Do you think you’d be friends with your character in real life?
Absolutely. Both my friends and family tell me I’m so similar to Sabrina, especially how much she eats. I think I’d get along with her because we’re both really straight forward and quite playful but at the same time she does not let herself get messed about.
We see this week that Sabrina and Max become official with their relationship, do you think Lauren will finally take the hint and back off?
I think Lauren struggles with having no one, especially with her dad in jail and her mum kicking her out so she heavily relies on Max to just be ‘her person’. Eventually, I think she will accept it but I think it’s going to take a lot of self-reflection and mental help.
Why do you think Sabrina could easily forgive Max, but is struggling to forgive Lauren?
I think with Max, Sabrina has seen that he isn’t just talk. She’s been able to go on this journey with Max and get to know him, he’s being more open and vulnerable with her about the truth so she can sense his growth. Lauren is distant and quite cold towards Sabrina which I guess gives the impression she still holds these views even if they weren’t her own and were fed to her. Both Sabrina and Lauren are guarding themselves so they’re obviously going to clash.
We found out that Lauren will be moving into a flat at the precinct and will be Sabrina’s neighbour. How does Sabrina feel about that?
Sabrina’s definitely hesitant. I feel like with her being Max’s ex and not letting off him, she’s going to be so wary and cautious of Lauren because if she can lie about the extreme, she could do anything, especially with what little Sabrina knows about her and her past she has no idea what she’s capable of.
What do you love about Coronation Street?
I love how brilliant the cast are, they’re the sweetest people to work with and talk to outside of set. I have never felt so comfortable in a work environment and they really made me feel welcome and a part of the street.
Cait Fitton (Lauren Bolton)
Can you describe Lauren in three words?
Brave, feisty and self-destructive.
Do you think you'd be friends with Lauren in real life?
With Lauren in the present, I would be friends with her, but Lauren in the past, no, definitely not! I think there's elements of Lauren now that I can really relate to, which is why I probably would be friends with her. She's just really vulnerable and I think when you are vulnerable like that, and on a really self-destructive path, you have friends that you bond with and then push them away - I can really relate to Lauren with that. Having friends that are quite similar to you is mainly how you click with someone and you help pick them up when they are feeling down.
What advice would you like to give your character?
Oh, a lot! I would tell Lauren that pain doesn't last forever and no matter what you're going through, it's not going to last forever. I would also tell her that if you want things to change, then you have to change, and if you want to do better, you have to be better - I definitely think that's like a motto that I stand by in life but I definitely think that it’s one that Lauren could probably take under her wing.
Also, family that isn't blood, doesn't stop them from being your real family - it's who's there with you when you're feeling down and who's there to pick you up when you need to get back up.
When I think of Lauren, I think of this specific quote “she was either widely naive or dangerously intelligent” because although she may come across as naive, she has this intelligence that not a lot of people have seen but hopefully will be shown in the future on the street.
In this week’s episodes, Lauren’s jealousy and anger towards Max and Sabrina, which could ultimately lead to an arrest, is shown. Do you think this could be a wake up call for Lauren?
Oh yes, definitely. I think it's given her a taste of what her dad's going through, it's made her realise that the life she is currently living is a life that she doesn’t want for herself and is really disappointed by her behaviour.
Lauren is a ticking time bomb, she will build things up because she hasn't got anyone to release to. Coming back and realising that Max was with Sabrina was a kick in the stomach for Lauren. Max was really all she had as she obviously doesn’t have her dad around, doesn’t have a mum, hasn’t got any friends so she hasn't got anyone she can release her anxiety or worries on. She builds everything up and then explodes and it's only a matter of time before she does that.
Lauren has been trying to come in between Max and Sabrina’s relationship. With them being official now, do you think Lauren will move on?
Lauren is not a malicious person, but the way she handles things sometimes does come across like that, but it's just her being so overwhelmed and so vulnerable. There is a big shift between Lauren, Sabrina and Max as Lauren realises that she does have to take a step back now because it’s not only Sabrina and Max that are hurting, but she is also hurting her own feelings.
Do you think Lauren, Sabrina and Max could ever move forward as friends?
Yes I'd like to think so. Lauren's moving next door to Sabrina, which is obviously going to cause a bit of drama, but I would really like them all to come together. Lauren might not agree with Sabrina, and Sabrina might not like Lauren because of what's happened, but we all make mistakes. I think because Sabrina and Lauren are roughly the same age, as time goes on, hopefully Sabrina will see how vulnerable Lauren is and why she has been manipulated to believe these things in the past and get that bond there.
Also, Luana, Paddy and I get on really well and I would like that to translate on screen.
What can the audience expect from Lauren in the coming weeks?
Lauren's got quite a few things coming up, but the main thing is that she moves into her own flat, which is exciting as she's getting more of a solidified structure of a life back together. She actually makes an unlikely friendship with Ryan and he ends up moving into her flat. Lauren and Ryan are very similar in some ways. Ryan's been through an awful time with the acid attack and he really struggles with people actually seeing him as Ryan rather than what he's been through and Lauren doesn't really have anybody either, so they've both lost people because of what they’ve been through. With moving in together, it's going to be more of a brother and sister relationship but obviously it's not going to be plain sailing, there will be quite a few bumps in the road, but you know, it wouldn’t be Coronation Street without that!
How does Lauren feel about Ryan doing O-Vidz if they are living together?
Lauren is very naive. I don't think she knows exactly what O-Vidz is but she is very intrigued to know what exactly he does and how much money he makes from it.
Ryan started O-Vidz to build up his confidence and that’s exactly what Lauren wants for him; she wants him to get better, feel better about himself, be happy and just get back on track with his life.
Even though Lauren is really supportive of Ryan, I also think she's very desperate, because she doesn't want to be on her own and she doesn't want to end up homeless again. Part of the reason Ryan moves in is because Lauren is a young girl and can’t afford the rent all to herself. As it’s not happening in front of her, not affecting her and helping pay half her rent, she’s very supportive.
What do you love about Coronation Street?
I've obviously grown up watching the show, so it's been part of my life since as long as I can remember. Even though Weatherfield's not an actual place, I feel like the characters are so genuine, real and natural, which is why so many people relate to them. Coronation Street is like a massive family and I really think that translates on screen, which is why people relate to it and love it so much.
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