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Great LezBritain: EXCLUSIVE Interview with Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson of “Coronation Street”

“Great LezBritian” is a fortnightly stroll through the very best of British lesbo-centric entertainment and culture. Plus there will be some jolly good interviews with the top ladies who are waving the flag for gay UK.

When we first heard that little Sophie Webster, second daughter of Sally and Kevin, would become Coronation Street‘s first ever lesbian, we have to admit we were skeptical of what it would bring. For many years, we had seen soapbians take a trip down crazy-town, have their parachute sabotaged or go back to their husbands to believe that Britain’s oldest lady in soap would finally be the one to give us a really cracking lesbian character.

But week after week, the adorable scenes that have unfolded between Sophie and Sian have made us feel rather fuzzy inside. The acting has been impressive, the chemistry quite lovely and, thus far, the writers have done a brilliant job in writing a realistic, funny and sweet story of two young girls falling in love.

Last week, we had an exclusive chat with actresses Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson who told us how they felt about the storyline initially, what they think of their fans and what lays ahead for Siophie once they return to the Street.

AfterEllen: There has been a lot of support for Sophie and Sian on AfterEllen.com. Are you pleased that the storyline has been so well received?

BV: We weren’t familiar with AfterEllen until a few days ago and we’ve really enjoyed reading the support that everyone has given us. When we first got our scripts a few months ago, we were a bit unsure how it would be perceived, but the reaction from fans has been so nice.

AE: Other than feeling unsure about how it would be perceived, what other thoughts did you have when you first read that Sophie and Sian were going to have a romantic relationship?

BV: I was told when I was 16 and at first I was a bit shocked; but then you grow up about it and look outside of the box. I realised that this storyline was actually a really big opportunity to help loads of people that are going through a similar situation. It feels really good to know that people are watching and able to relate to Sophie and Sian and in a way go through something with them.

When Sach got the part, I was really excited and we have loads of fun playing the parts together, so it’s a bonus that everyone else enjoys it, too.

AE: Have you seen the fan videos on YouTube or any fan fiction that has been written?

SP: I was on YouTube recently to try and find another interview we did because we hadn’t seen it, and as I was searching all these other videos with our names on popped up and I was like “What are all of these?” It’s just amazing that people have found the time to make videos about Sophie and Sian. It just feels like a really big honour and makes us think we must be doing something right if people are taking the time to make these.

AE: Well you are because a lot of people from the USA have told us that they are now watching the show just to follow Sophie and Sian’s storyline — so how does it feel to know that you have brought in whole new fan base to the show?

SP: We couldn’t believe it when we were told this. We knew that Coronation Street was being watched in New Zealand and Canada, but to know it is seen in the USA feels amazing!

AE: Because this relationship means a lot to people do you feel any extra pressure to portray it well?

BV: Not at first because I didn’t think it was going to be as big as it is. And, actually, the support we’ve been getting has taken the pressure off a bit. I thought this storyline could either be really, really good or really, really bad and the fact that it has really taken off makes us feel so proud.

AE: Is there anything in particular your fans have said to you that has made you feel especially proud?

BV: I’ve had letters telling me that this storyline has allowed people to come out to their parents because it isn’t the type of lesbian storyline you often see – we’re just playing teenagers going through the same things a lot of other people are going through. I also got a letter from a woman in her thirties and she told me that she wishes that she had something like this when she was younger because it may have helped her to come out earlier in her life. That felt really special.

SP: Sophie and Sian is a love story it’s not about two girls experimenting. During the entire process leading up to the story, all of the writers and the producers have told us that they want it to be about love and I think that’s why everyone appreciates it and it means so much them.

AE: We last saw Sian and Sophie running away together so how will the love story continue when they return?

SP: When we come back to the street we are much more mature and their relationship is much more real. It has finally come out to everyone that they are a couple and it becomes just a normal relationship on the Street.

AE: I think that is really important because there is some fear that the storyline will fizzle out or the writers won’t know what to do with the characters once they are ‘out’, so you think their relationship has a long-term future on the show?

BV: Yes, definitely! A lot of people may think that being a lesbian is just about coming out and then that’s it but with this storyline we are just trying to act out a love story where they do settle down and we want to show that this relationship is no different to any other couple – it just happens to be a girl having a girlfriend and not a boyfriend.

SP: I think the writers knew that people would be worried that Sophie and Sian’s relationship would fizzle out when they were first writing the script but that’s the last thing they wanted. They don’t want to build up so much support for the storyline only to disappoint people. Plus why should it fizzle out when it is a girl and a girl, it should just be concentrated on because they are a couple and it should be treated like any other relationship would.

AE: Sophie Webster has been a character on the show for a long time and Kevin and Sally’s (her parents) initial reactions to Sophie’s sexuality were very different. Sally’s “Mary Queen of Shops” comment was brilliant! What did you think of the episode?

BV: I thought when Sally said the thing about having no dungarees in the house that was very funny! I think the writers are really clever because they use the humour so well. If they weren’t lighthearted at points then this story could become a bit heavy.

SP: A lot of people watch certain things on telly and think it’s the truth so if the writers had made Sally and Kevin go mad and be really horrible to Sophie and Sian then it could have made a lot of young people too scared to come out. So I think that episode was great because it just dealt with it with the type of humour Coronation Street has always had.

AE: A lot of people have told us how impressed they have been with the quality of both your acting — is it hard to get into character and really understand the emotions they are trying to deal with?

SP: I think that it helps that we are actually really good friends. It helps to just wake up in the morning and go to work with your friend. The characters we play are pretty much based on us and the only different thing is that they have taken a slightly different route with their sexuality.

AE: So, do you think that being such good friends helps you play this relationship better?

BV: We try to bring in things that we do and say to each other in real life into our characters because our bond means it’s like a mini relationship we have anyway. We won’t pretend that it’s always daisies, we do sometimes argue like normal friends do!

AE: Do you think Sophie and Sian’s relationship has the potential to be the new Naomily? How do feel about being ‘Siophie’?

SP: I think we’re already there! [Laughs] I think it is quite different because we come as a pair these days on the show and as friends in real life so we feel like the people who are fans of ours are, in a way, fans of our real friendship which is really nice.

“Coronation Street” is on ITV1 on Mondays at 7:30pm & 8:30pm, Thursdays at 8:30pm, Fridays at 7:30pm & 8:30pm and Sundays at 7:30pm

“Great LezBritain” authors Sarah, a Londoner, and Lee, a Glaswegian, met in a gay discotheque one bleak mid winter, eight years ago and have been shacked up together ever since. When not watching Tipping The Velvet, they find time to write, run a PR company, DJ at their own club nights and love a bit of jam on toast. Follow them on Twitter at greatlezbritain.

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