Exclusive Interview
‘Towards Zero’ Stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen & Ella Lily Hyland Tease Twisted Love Triangle (VIDEO)
Another round of gin and toxics! Some divorced couples can’t give up their attraction, no matter how deadly. That’s the case with dashing celebrity tennis pro Nevile Strange (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and his enigmatic ex-wife Audrey Strange (Ella Lily Hyland) in Towards Zero, a three-part, 1930s-set BritBox mystery based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name.
They are among the eccentric guests at a cliffside mansion presided over by his aunt, the formidable Lady Tressilian (Anjelica Huston). What makes this, well, strange, is that Nevile has brought his new bride, Kay (Mimi Keene), who was also his mistress when he was married to Audrey, for their…honeymoon. It’s no surprise there’s a murder.
“The dynamic that plays out between Nevile and Audrey is this sort of Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton-esque love, a hateful dependency,” Jackson-Cohen told us when we chatted with him and Hyland. “He is a beloved tennis champion and popular. Then there’s this incredibly kind of depraved human in there as well. He’s a sort of fascinating one to play.”
Nevile has serious chemistry with Kay, but he’s drawn back to Audrey. Their undeniable sexual attraction emboldens them, and they begin to engage in scandalous behavior—even after the arrival of sad, troubled Inspector Leach (Matthew Rhys) to investigate the first murder. (Yes, the first.)
“They’re just so intertwined from such a young age. They met when they were kids, and they’ve had this sibling kind of relationship,” Hyland said. “He’s a part of her, and her whole existence is tuned into him. His fame and his boldness is her sunshine and life force. I don’t think she knows anything else but Nevile.”
Jackson-Cohen adds, “I don’t think either of them knows how to live without one another.” A vulnerable place to be when there’s a killer in the house.
Towards Zero premieres April 16 on BritBox and drops new episodes for three consecutive nights.
