Credit: Image courtesy of Amazon Studios
Under Her Eye
“Non-traditional families deserve a place on screen”: Melia Kreiling on her gripping new romantic thriller
3 years ago
2 min read
Mammals star Melia Kreiling on why realistic on-screen relationships are vital, what she loves about the UK and why we’re all hooked on whodunnits.
“It’s so hard to talk about this show without giving away spoilers,” laughs Melia Kreiling, and she’s right: Mammals is as twisty as TV comes. The new six-part series from Jez Butterworth (the screenwriter behind acclaimed play Jerusalem) is a genre-bending whodunnit-romcom hybrid that’s best described as a ‘relationship thriller’.
Kreiling stars as Amandine, whose marriage to Jamie (played by James Corden) is quickly put under the microscope after a traumatic miscarriage. During the ensuing upheaval, Jamie discovers, via a text message, that Amandine has been having an affair and kickstarts a fast-paced journey to discover the truth about their relationship. Also starring Sally Hawkins as Jamie’s sister, Lue, and Colin Morgan as her husband, Geoff, the series is as gripping as it is laced with dark humour.
Credit: Image courtesy of Amazon Studios
For all its comedic wit and connect-the-dots plotlines, though, the thing that stands out is the series’ realistic take on modern love. Showing the messy side of relationships in often-uncomfortably relatable detail, its warts-and-all look at monogamy, loyalty and long-term relationships is refreshing.
Here, Kreiling tells Stylist what it was like to film the much-anticipated series, and gives her take on the series’ brutally honest themes.
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The show has an incredible cast, starring everyone from Sally Hawkins to James Corden – and even a cameo from Tom Jones! What was it like to work with so many British icons?
It was incredible. Although I’m from the US, I studied drama in the UK and spent years learning about all of these people, hoping that one day I might come within a few metres of their presence. Working with them was dreamy – I’m still pinching myself, to be honest. I had some particularly lovely moments with Sally [Hawkins] where she really supported me. I missed Tom Jones, though! We shot Mammals during the pandemic and I was in quarantine when he was filming so I didn’t get to meet him – I was gutted. But the general theme was a lot of admiration; I was in awe of everyone.
Aside from your fellow cast members, what made you want to be involved in Mammals?
I was really attracted to the very clear, honest approach to relationships; stripping it down to the way things really are and what dynamics can really be like. Relationships aren’t always this idealised version where everyone says the right thing at the right time. Jez Butterworth was able to see the characters for all their virtues and vices in a really thoughtful way. And I just remember thinking: wow, these are real people. As crazy as the show is, it also feels incredibly realistic and grounded. I hadn’t read something like it in a really long time.
Credit: Image courtesy of Amazon Studios
It must have felt amazing to land the role. What was your initial reaction?
I hyperventilated for a good 10 minutes and then I called my mum – it’s always my first instinct! It definitely to a few hours to sink in, though. I couldn’t believe it.
The way relationships are portrayed in Mammals feels quite radically honest. Did the show resonate with any of your own experiences?
Absolutely. I grew up in a way that was not idealised – I come from a very loving family, but one which has experienced a lot of divorce. For me, this show, from the moment I read it to the moment that we finished filming, was deeply moving because I related to it. And I feel like there are so many people in my position who grew up in very different families to what we’re used to seeing on the screen. I felt really seen by it.
That’s something a lot of people will relate to – especially set against the landscape of the idyllic films we all watched growing up…
Completely. Those movies are really fun, but I remember watching things with my mom and saying: Why couldn’t our family be like that? She’d explain that not every family is what you’re shown: a mom, dad, white picket fence, dog and two kids. In fact, more and more, that’s not the norm. So those movies kind of felt like I was watching a fairy tale, and I think there’s space for different representation of how families and relationships are structured.
Credit: Image courtesy of Amazon Studios
Mammals is essentially a whodunnit – do you think we’re ready to become amateur sleuths?
After such a long period of sitting at home and not doing very much, I certainly feel like I’m ready to get my brain ticking again and not be spoon fed. There’s an appetite for people to try and figure things out for themselves. I see it with my friends all the time: they’re trying to be the ones who work everything out before the movie ends. There’s scope for that in Mammals – reading the script for the first time, I was truly shocked by all the twists and turns. It’s playful and it’s engaged and it’s active watching.
Your character, Amandine, is fascinating. What drew you to her?
This sounds so pretentious, but everything: every single detail that was on those pages drew me to her. I feel a kinship with Amandine’s restlessness. There’s this duality to her where she both wants the thing she has but also doesn’t want to settle for something that’s not exactly how she needs it. And I’ve felt like that at times so I understood where she was coming from.
As well as encouraging us to become armchair detectives, Mammals is part-romantic comedy. For you, what’s the ultimate romcom?
I’m not sure whether it’s a classic romcom, but Clueless is the one that springs to mind – and I think it counts because she’s looking for the perfect guy. I still remember lines from it, which is a sign it’s definitely stood the test of time.
Credit: Image courtesy of Amazon Studios
You live in the US, but you went to drama school in Leeds – is there anything you miss from your time in the UK?
There are so many things I miss. I have a really good friend in the UK who laughs at me because, whenever I come back, the first thing I always want to do is go buy a tuna baguette from Pret. I’m obsessed; I think I used to eat at least one a day when I lived here, and the weird thing is I don’t really like tuna that much. I also miss a good sausage roll: Gregg’s was perfect after a night out.
Finally, what do you hope people will take away from Mammals?
I hope they’ll enjoy trying to put the pieces together – the whodunnit element – because I think that’s the really fun part. But equally, I hope they see things in it that moves them and makes them feel seen, because that’s what it did for me; it’s a great feeling.
Mammals airs exclusively on Prime Video from 11 November
Images: courtesy of Amazon Studios
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