Russell Tovey (Guy)

What can you tell us about the new series?

It’s sexier, funnier, madder and even more brilliant

Where do we find Guy and Jamma?

Broken up, Guy is miserable but getting on with it.

Guy seems to represent calm and stability in contrast to the chaotic Jamma, how did you find the balance of playing a grounded character in such a surreal world?

It has been wonderful to play the straight gay guy.

What was your favourite scene to film and why?

I loved playing the terrible flirting with Jamma in episode one.

What was it like reuniting with the cast for the new series?

Magic - everyone is brilliant and funny.

How does working on Juice compare to some of your past roles?

I think the Rizwans are geniuses.

Juice has a very unique visual style, how does that influence your performance?

I have to find the truth in every decision Guy makes - and his drive has to be clear - even when Jamma tries to take him off road - his quest is to protect his peace at all cost - sadly Jamma brings him ultimate peace but ultimate chaos.

If you could swap roles with any other character in Juice, who would it be and why?

I couldn’t possibly - everyone else is so perfect I’d feel ridiculous trying to swap with them.

What do you hope viewers will take away from the new series?

That they laugh and love this world and our characters.

How would you best describe the series to someone who hasn’t seen it before?

Magical.

Nabhaan Rizwan (Isaac)

What can you tell us about the new series?

Without revealing too much, the season centres around Jamma’s relationship with Guy, and how they navigate the unforeseen. There’s also some great story-of-the-week episodes, where we explore some really fun side-quests with other characters. And oh yeah, A Storm Is Coming…

What was your favourite scene to film and why?

A lot of the stuff from episode two was really fun. Toilet issues is a fantastic character motivation, the kind every actor dreams of having. So, I got lucky there. I got to play cinematographer too; I wore a camera rig attached to my torso for a few of the scenes. Way more effective than a class at Barry’s, I say.

How has Isaac’s dynamic with Jamma evolved in the new series?

The brothers get to work together a lot more, which was a dynamic we really enjoyed. Since I was more involved with scripts this time around, it was a nice reflection of the way we tend to collaborate in general. It definitely birthed a few ideas of us working together later down the line.

What was it like reuniting with the cast for the new series?

Everyone brings something super unique. Jeff (who plays Saif) is the ultimate wildcard, you don’t know what he’s gonna bring. Or wear for that matter. Emily’s comic rhythm and improvisation. Russell brought such a sense of play, a true collaborator. My mum did something every day that made us all laugh uncontrollably. And Mawaan is the glue for us all.

How does working on Juice compare to some of your past roles?

I’m not a comic by trade, so any time I get to hang with comedians is super cool to me. They’re like superheroes to me. And coming back to a character is so cool, it’s something I never got the chance to do. Arguably Isaac’s got the best dress sense out of all the characters I’ve played, though Dionysus may have something to say about that.

Juice has a very unique visual style, how does that influence your performance?

It’s baked into everything we do. A lot of the surreal aesthetics are what Mawaan and I grew up with. We talk about early influences all the time, the 90s Nickelodeon shows etc. It’s quite nice to play against the style of the show as well, so we don’t get too comfortable. At times, we had to forget we were making a comedy, and strangely, it made it funnier. But it also hit home in a more real way.

If you could swap roles with any other character in Juice, who would it be and why?

Saif is a kinda tragic character, but I really like that he exists in his own dimension, ungoverned by the laws of space and time. So probably him.

What do you hope viewers will take away from the new series?

The first word with this show is always joy. Then, we just wanted to lean into the world we created for people, only twice as much this time. We wanted to turn the contrast up on the magic, on the imagination, on the immersion.

How would you best describe the series to someone who hasn’t seen it before?

It’s like a pie made of your all-time favourite desserts. It shouldn’t work, which is why it does. And in the end, I guess you learn something about yourself?

Emily Lloyd-Saini (Winnie)

What can you tell us about the new series?

Series twp of Juice is full of fun and joy and darkness and intrigue. To me it’s an exploration of what it means to be 'your authentic self' when you have no idea who you are. But also jokes.

What was your favourite scene to film and why?

In episode six there's one of those rare moments where we are all in a scene together, as an ensemble. They take longer to film because some unprofessional actors (me) can’t hold it together when other, more professional actors (everyone else) do funnies.

What was it like reuniting with the cast for the new series?

I love this cast. We're all friends (I think?) and reuniting was just as fun as it was reuniting with them for coffees throughout the year... we're all deeply in love. (If they say different then can you edit this to sound like I played it cooler?)

How does working on Juice compare to some of your past roles?

Winnie, to me, is the embodiment of my friendship with Mawaan. She's silly, fun, loyal and brave enough to say the unfiltered things that pop into her head, knowing her friends will understand her and have her back.

Winnie is so much fun that sometimes there were scenes I wrote, forgetting the fact that I would have to perform them.

You wrote episode four which goes into Saif’s background. What was it like writing that episode and what inspired you?

I was in the writer’s room with Mawaan so was there when he plotted out how the series could look. I went into episode four knowing where each character needed to be in their relationship and a few ideas of how to make that happen. But episode four went through many iterations until we realised Saif’s story was the most important and was dying to be told in a way only he could tell us. I can't wait for everyone to see the talent of the art department in this episode.

If you could swap roles with any other character in Juice, who would it be and why?

I’d swap with Jamma because I then I could irritate Guy (Russell Tovey) all day every day. His laugh is addictive, and I live to make it happen.

What do you hope viewers will take away from the new series?

I hope viewers enjoy the escalation of Jamma's journey from series 1, and that they remember series two for its bravery and joy in storytelling.

How would you best describe the series to someone who hasn’t seen it before?

A comedy series that is going to creep into your heart and isn't afraid to get weird. Also, if they could think every now and then – wow isn’t Emily Lloyd-Saini a great writer and actor.