After playing a female detective in a male-dominated police force in Karen Pirie (“it feels like going home, like my house party”), Lauren’s latest role in hit BBC TV series The Ridge sees her play a drug-addicted doctor fleeing her problems and career mistakes to her sister’s wedding in New Zealand, only to find her dead on arrival. To prepare for the role, Lauren spoke to addicts and researched “how an anaesthetist could easily steal drugs”. “Mia is also dealing with a lot of childhood trauma that she lets seep in,” she says of her character. “I enjoyed using my body in a way I haven’t for a role before.”

Lauren is also directing her first short film, Run Club, which she describes as “a really funny but dark depiction of some of the mad things we do in grief. And my mum dying is one of my biggest fears. It explores what that might be like, whilst also being set at a run club.”

“I felt like Greta Gerwig,” she said of her time directing. “I was like, ‘I never want to act again. This is so much more fun.’” Directing has been a dream of hers for a while, but she long felt hesitant due to the mystification of the job, which is so often done by men. “I think you’re really told that it’s such a difficult thing to do. I’ve wanted to do it for years, and been way too worried about it going badly and not being good enough,” she says, describing her frustration at watching male directors and superiors around her. “I was like, ‘I could just do that so much better than what you’ve done!’”

Inspired by the revolution of Irish acting talent in the entertainment industry, Lauren wants to represent Scotland in the same way. “Scotland can get tarnished with a bit of a traditional brush… but it’s probably, in this part of the world, one of the most progressive countries.”

Lauren is also set to star in David Ireland’s latest play at London’s Soho Theatre, Most Favoured, starring alongside Skins actor Alexander Arnold. The two hander sees a promiscuous pair embark on a one night stand, afterwards realising they both have secrets they’ve been hiding.

“It’s so delicious as an actor to get something like that,” she says. “I started in theatre, and it can be like a bit of a snobby boys club… You need to get yourself back in there somehow, and prove yourself. So I’m excited to do it again. Be live.”

The Ridge is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now, while Most Favoured comes to Soho Theatre from 11 December.

Scarlett Casciello

Flowerovlove: “My live shows, they’re my wedding day – but I get to do it over and over again”

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