October 28th 2024.
Guess who's back? That's right, actor Michael Parr has returned with a bang! It's been a whirlwind six years for him, filled with exciting adventures from LA to India. Amidst the chaos of the Covid pandemic and writer's strikes, Michael certainly hasn't had much time to relax since his departure from Emmerdale.
Now, Ross Barton is making a comeback and it's going to be explosive. In an exclusive interview with Metro, Michael promised me that viewers can expect dramatic and edge-of-your-seat episodes. He also opened up about what we can learn about Ross' traumatic years away, as well as how his own life has changed and his proudest achievements.
So, how has life been for Michael? "I've been really great the entire six years," he tells me. "Of course, there have been ups and downs, but I feel like I've lived four different lives since I left! After Emmerdale, I went to LA and spent about a year and a half there. Unfortunately, half of that time was during the pandemic. I also spent a lot of time in Morocco for a job and even went to India last year. It's been a wild ride, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
However, it hasn't been all smooth sailing for Michael. "Covid definitely put a damper on my plans in LA, so I decided to move back to the UK. And then, there were the writer's strikes. It was a challenge to keep my head above water during those periods, but I managed to keep the ball rolling."
"I remember being on a job in India and telling a cast member that I wanted to be in a position where I could turn down work. And then, within a week, Emmerdale called. At the same time, I had the option to go on tour with a play. It was the most difficult decision of my life! They say to be careful what you wish for, and I never imagined that turning down opportunities would be the position I wanted to be in."
"But overall, having two options in this industry is a blessing and I feel grateful for it."
When asked about what made him choose to return to Emmerdale, Michael explains, "I had previously played both Ross and Rita in a play called Rita, Sue and Bob Too. We had done a tour in my hometown of Liverpool. Both experiences had their pros and cons, but ultimately, coming back to Emmerdale meant a longer contract and more security. In this industry, that's hard to come by."
So, how was the return to Emmerdale sold to him? "It was tempting just to be back in the North!" Michael laughs. "The play was a tour, and as I approach 40, I wasn't sure how I felt about being on the road and staying in hotels all the time. It would've been a lot of fun, but the security aspect was important to me. And when I heard from Laura Shaw about the storyline for Ross' return, I thought, 'That sounds like fun!' They gave me a detailed look into where they wanted the character to go, and I was sold. And here we are!"
"It feels like...you know when you're having a dream, and maybe this is just me and my crazy brain, but sometimes you're talking to someone in a dream and their face doesn't match their personality? It's like that, but in real life. Everything is the same, but something feels different, and you can't quite put your finger on it. Maybe it's because there are new cast members and crew members, but also some familiar faces. Or perhaps it's just me - the last time I was here, I was in my late twenties, and now I'm at the end of my thirties. I'm in a different space now."
"It used to be all about finishing work and living for the weekend, but now I just want to go home, be warm and cosy, and take care of myself."
Michael reveals that he has kept in touch with some of his former co-stars, mostly through Instagram. "I had only come back to the North to shoot The Long Shadow, and it was a quick trip. I stayed near where I used to live, but I didn't have the chance to see anyone. I've kept in touch with the old Bartons - Quinny and Joe, my on-screen brothers - but they're no longer on the show. I haven't lost touch with everyone, but everyone's busy with their own careers, and I was trying to establish my own."
When asked if it was daunting to return to Emmerdale, Michael admits, "The most daunting thing was moving back to Leeds and jumping straight back into the show. I had forgotten how quickly the show moves and the sheer amount of lines we have to learn! I used to be able to memorize my lines the night before, but on my first day back, I was struggling with just one scene. I started to panic, thinking I couldn't do it. But after meeting with everyone and getting back into the swing of things, the anxiety went away."
As for what viewers can expect from Ross' return storyline, Michael teases, "There's a lot of action and fistfights! Ross has scars from the acid attack, but they spent more time on his other injuries within the first month because he's been fighting with everyone he can get his hands on. Ross is a unique character, and not many other characters on the show get as much action as he does. Working with Jay, who plays Billy, has been a great experience. He's a new character, and we briefly crossed paths when I was starting on the show, but we never worked together. There's a lot of action, Ross poking at people and being his usual loveable, horrible, manipulative self."
Michael also shares that he read The Prince by Machiavelli to prepare for his role, which is all about manipulating the system. "That's kind of Ross' angle," he explains. "He doesn't have wealth or many allies, so he has to play the game very well. He's a lone wolf."
When asked if he got to film any of the boxing scenes, Michael reveals, "My background is in kickboxing, so it came naturally to me. Luckily, we had some rehearsal time for Ross' entrance where he's doing bare-knuckle boxing with Billy. I was fortunate enough to pick up the choreography quickly. We had a great choreographer who helped us create some sophisticated fight sequences. Usually, in soaps, we only get to throw a few punches, so I hope the action scenes make the final cut."
Finally, Michael talks about how Ross has changed since his departure from the show. "He's definitely gotten into a lot of fights," he laughs. "But seriously, I think he's become more embroiled in a murky world. He's still the same Ross, but with a few more battle scars."
Guess who's back, and he's making a grand entrance! It's been quite a whirlwind for the talented Michael Parr in the past six years. From jet-setting to Los Angeles and India, amidst the tumultuous events of the Covid pandemic and writer's strikes, he hasn't had a moment to catch his breath since leaving his role on Emmerdale.
But now, Ross Barton is set to make a comeback, and it's going to be explosive. In an exclusive interview with Metro, Michael promised that viewers can expect some intense and thrilling scenes that will keep them on the edge of their seats. As we sat down to chat, he opened up about what we can expect from Ross' tumultuous years away, and how his life has changed since then. He also shared some of his proudest achievements.
"So, how's life been for you?" I asked, eager to hear about his adventures.
"It's been quite the ride, I must say. Not to say that it hasn't had its ups and downs, but I feel like I've lived four different lives since I left Emmerdale. After I left, I went to LA for about a year and a half, but unfortunately, half of that time was during the pandemic. Then, I spent some time in Morocco for a job, and last year, I was in India. It's been quite a journey, and I've loved every moment of it."
"But I can imagine it must've been tough," I said sympathetically. "Especially with the pandemic and the writer's strikes disrupting everything."
"Absolutely," Michael nodded. "It was challenging to keep my head above water during those times, but I managed to keep going and stay busy."
"I hear you were even in India last year. That's quite the journey!"
"It was," Michael laughed. "I remember telling one of my cast members that I wanted to be in a position where I could turn down work. And then, within a week, Emmerdale called, offering me a role. But at the same time, I also had the option to go on tour with a play. It was a tough decision to make, but ultimately, I chose to come back to Emmerdale."
"That must've been a difficult decision," I remarked.
"It was," Michael agreed. "But having two options in this industry is a blessing, and I feel really fortunate."
I was curious to know why Michael decided to return to Emmerdale after all these years.
"Well, I had played both Ross and another character for the play, Rita, Sue and Bob Too. We had performed it in my hometown of Liverpool. Both experiences had their pros and cons, but ultimately, coming back to Emmerdale meant a longer contract and more job security, which is hard to come by in this industry."
"That makes sense. So, how was the return sold to you? Were you told about the storylines right away?"
"It was tempting just to be back in the North!" Michael chuckled. "But when I heard about the storyline from Laura Shaw, I was sold. They gave me a detailed overview of where they wanted the character to go, and I couldn't resist."
"I'm glad you decided to come back," I said sincerely.
"It feels like coming back home," Michael smiled. "You know when you're having a dream, and the face of the person you're talking to doesn't match their personality? It's like that. Everything feels familiar, but also different. Maybe it's because there are new cast members and crew, but it could also be because I'm in a different stage of my life now."
"I think that's a natural feeling," I reassured him. "Speaking of which, how has your life changed since you left Emmerdale?"
"It used to be all about living for the weekend, but now I actually look forward to getting home and taking care of myself. I think that's a sign of getting older!" Michael laughed.
"Have you kept in touch with anyone from Emmerdale?" I asked.
"I've stayed in touch with a few people through Instagram, but with everyone being so busy, it's been hard to catch up. I did come back to the North for a job, but unfortunately, I didn't have time to see anyone besides the old Bartons - Quinny and Joe, my onscreen brothers. They're no longer on the show, unfortunately."
"I'm sure it must've been nice to see some familiar faces," I said sympathetically.
"Definitely. But it's not like I haven't kept in touch with anyone. Everyone's just busy with their lives, and I was trying to establish my career."
"I can imagine that must've been challenging," I said, impressed by his resilience.
"It was," Michael admitted. "But it's all been worth it."
"So, was it daunting to return to Emmerdale?" I asked, curious to know how it felt for Michael.
"The most daunting thing was moving back to Leeds and jumping right back into the show. I had forgotten just how fast-paced everything is and how many lines we have to learn. I used to be able to learn my lines the night before, but on my first day back, I was struggling with just one scene!"
"That does sound challenging," I said, empathetically.
"It was," Michael agreed. "But once I met with everyone and got back into the swing of things, all the anxiety went away."
"I'm sure it did," I said, relieved on his behalf. "So, can you tell us anything about Ross' returning storyline?"
"Sure," Michael smiled. "It's full of action and fights. As you know, Ross has those scars on his face from the acid attack, but in the first month of his return, he's been in a lot of fights and has gotten some other injuries on his face. It's been quite the ride, and I've loved every minute of it."
"It sounds exciting!" I said, eager to hear more.
"Absolutely. And I've had the chance to work with a new character, Jay. We briefly crossed paths when I first started on the show, but we never really worked together. It's been great getting to know him and working together. You can expect a lot of action, Ross being his usual manipulative self, and playing the game to get ahead."
"That's quite the skill!" I remarked, impressed.
"I actually read The Prince by Machiavelli, which is all about manipulating the system. That's sort of Ross' angle - he doesn't have much wealth or many allies, so he has to be smart about how he plays the game."
"That's interesting," I said, intrigued. "Did you get to do any of the actual boxing filming?"
"I have a background in kickboxing, so that definitely helped. We were lucky enough to have some rehearsal time for Ross' entrance when he's doing the bare-knuckle boxing with Billy. I picked up the choreography pretty quickly, and we even came up with some impressive moves that I hope make the final cut."
"I'm sure they will," I said, excited to see the action-packed scenes.
"And the comeback scenes are packed with stunts," Michael added, with a twinkle in his eye.
"Wow, that's impressive," I said, in awe.
"Well, Ross has certainly been through a lot since he's been gone," I observed.
"He has," Michael agreed. "And he's become embroiled in a murky world. But that's what makes him such a unique character. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, and he gets to do things that most other characters don't. It's been a lot of fun to play."
"I can imagine," I said, smiling. "Well, I can't wait to see what's in store for Ross and the rest of the characters. Thank you so much for chatting with me, Michael."
"It's been my pleasure," Michael said sincerely. "Thank you for having me."
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