SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers for “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,” now streaming on Netflix in the U.S. and BBC iPlayer in the U.K.
Emma Myers is best known for playing sidekick Enid in “Wednesday” but in “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” the actor is front and center as teenage super sleuth Pip Fitz-Amobi. She also sports a British accent for the first time, which, Myers tells Variety, she managed to master in just two short weeks.
Ahead of the show debuting on Netflix, Myers sat down to talk about on-set injuries, differences between the book and the show and how Pip is more like her than any character Myers has previously played.
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How worried were you about doing a British accent?
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Yeah, honestly, I was very hesitant to take the role because the time from signing on to starting to film was only two weeks. And I was like, “Oh, I don’t know how well I can pull off a British accent with only two weeks of dialect sessions.” But I had an amazing dialect coach. Also I had an all-English crew and cast. So I told everybody like, “It’s not gonna hurt my feelings if I say something wrong and you want to correct me, please correct me!” So I had people looking out for me in that way as well, which was good. I needed that. But yeah, it was a bit daunting, but it was fun.
Did you identify with Pip as a character?
I haven’t done a character like Pip before — Pip’s a lot more like me and I haven’t really done many characters that are closer to my personality so I thought that would be fun. Most people assume that it’s easy to play a character that’s like you, but it’s actually way harder and I wanted that challenge. Plus, I loved the story so much in the way that Pip is just searching for truth. She really loves people and wants to help people and when she gets in it, she can’t let it go. And I kind of get the same way when I’m in something and I just have to see it done. So I was totally excited to play her.
Fans have been vocal about how the book is different to the show. What do you think about those changes?
I think because we only have six episodes, the book is big and it’s hard to fit every single detail in there that’s not important to the plot. Because you only have a certain amount of time. Poppy did the best she could fitting in what she could. Obviously some things were left out that didn’t pertain specifically to the Season 1 plotline, like I heard a lot of people talking about Stanley not being in it. But Stanley is more important in Book 2 and doesn’t really have much of a presence in Book 1, so I understand why he was taken out to save time for more important details with the plot. I loved seeing the scenes that they kept and I also completely understood the changes. Because it’s always hard adapting something from book to screenplay. I mean, sometimes it’s just not going to flow, especially because the book’s written a lot of the time in police reports and Pip’s diary and notes and all that. So it is definitely a hard thing to adapt. But I think it was done in the best way it could.
Was there anything from the book you particularly wanted to see on screen?
I was really happy for the bribery muffins. I’m so glad that made it in because I love that scene so much. It’s so fun.
I loved the star costume. Was it comfortable to wear?
No! You can’t sit in it because the points go lower than your hips. So when you sit, you’re kind of hunched. And in order to go to the bathroom you have to un-sew yourself from it and then step out of it. They had to get me a specific little stool to sit on because I couldn’t sit on a couch, it wouldn’t fit. But it was an amazing costume. I loved it so much.
What was it like shooting the scene where Pip is nearly murdered?
That day was very, very fun. I always love when you get to be really filthy. I was covered in fake dirt and sweat and all sorts of stuff. And me and Carla [Woodcock, who plays Becca] are really good friends so we were just goofing off the whole day, having lots of fun dragging me through caves and then two seconds later, we’re getting a cup of tea at the tea table.
Was it painful being dragged around on a cave floor?
I have a back pad on — it goes under your costume. It didn’t hurt at all. The most annoying part was getting rocks in your hair.
Did you sustain any injuries on set?
Not really on set, but it was raining one day and I did fall out of the makeup trailer which is like — it’s a good six foot drop! I slipped down the stairs and fell straight out of it. That hurt really bad. But I survived! Didn’t break anything thank goodness.
The camping scenes gave me goosebumps. Was it creepy filming in the forest at night?
It’s strange because you feel fine when there’s [production] lights around, but then there’s a section of the scene when Jude [Morgan-Collie] who plays Connor takes off and I go chasing him and so we were just supposed to run until you couldn’t see the camera anymore and until they called “Cut.” The more we were running, the farther away you get from everybody and the lights and we’re like, “Oh, can we stop now? It’s getting scary running off that far into the forest!” But yeah, it was so much fun. I love night shoots. Because I stay up late anyway, so I might as well be working and being productive.
If the show gets renewed for a second season will you return to play Pip?
Yeah! I’d love to see the story finished. I think Season 2 just gets even crazier.
Are there any scenes you’re particularly looking forward to?
I love death scenes. I love just crazy weird screaming and crying stuff so I’m excited for me and Stanley’s stuff.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
