Danny Dyer has spoken emotionally about the death of author Dame Jilly Cooper, describing her as “part of the fabric” of the Disney+ series Rivals, which is based on her best-selling novel. The actor reflected on the “tragic news” of her passing during the filming of the show’s second series.
Dame Jilly, who died unexpectedly last October at the age of 88 following injuries from a fall, remains a palpable presence on set, according to Dyer. In an interview with Rolling Stone UK, the 48-year-old, who portrays businessman Freddie Jones in the award-winning drama, shared the profound impact of her loss.
“We lost Jilly Cooper during shooting, and it made things even more emotional,” Dyer stated.
“She’s part of the fabric and you definitely feel like she’s in the air, which makes it even more of a shame that she won’t see it. It’s been a long shoot and when we all got the tragic news, it just gave us another push to go, ‘right, let’s get this done and make it as brilliant as it can be’.”
Rivals, which also features David Tennant, Aidan Turner, and Alex Hassell, is set against the backdrop of the 1980s Cotswolds countryside. The series delves into the high-stakes world of British television, where professional ambitions and personal lives collide, leaving careers, marriages, and reputations hanging by a thread.
Since departing his long-standing role as Mick Carter in the BBC soap EastEnders in 2022, Dyer has garnered critical acclaim for his dramatic performances, including his turn in Rivals.
He expressed surprise at this shift in perception, telling the magazine: “It’s been a surprise to me, all of a sudden, that I’m being acknowledged by the critics that have just seen me as a bit of a laughing stock over the years.”
Addressing past criticisms of his ‘hard man’ roles, Dyer added: “I’m so long in the game now, I don’t take anything to heart. What I’m doing is not trying to change the world. I’m just providing for my family, and as an actor that’s a really difficult thing to do. Can I keep working? Can I keep paying bills? Can I give my family a good life? That’s essentially what my drive is and that’s what I’m in it for. If, along the way, people want to dig me out for some of the films I’ve done in the past, then that’s fine.”
