Interview with Fiona Button

Rose got married at the end of series one, but her estranged father died on the night of her wedding to James - I imagine that has quite an impact on the start of her marriage?

Yes. Although I think because her father came back out of the blue and then he disappeared as quickly as he came back, in terms of her grieving she's more confused by it all - rather than properly grieving, she was grieving something she didn't have. The focus is more on future relations between her and James.

As series two begins, we see Rose coming back from her honeymoon with James - is she able to maintain the glow of young love, or are the doubts we saw before the wedding still niggling her?

Well she gets pregnant early on in episode one, so I think that sort of takes over! It's slightly unexpected - she's back off honeymoon and then wham bam she's pregnant. I think the doubts are resolved. But there are new problems that arise.

Having lived with this character for one series already, what were you excited to explore for a second series?

What I love about the show, and about Rose, is the relationship more than the character herself. Obviously I love playing her, but what I love most of all is those dynamics that exist between the family and between her and James, because it's so fun to play those.

I was looking forward to re-joining my team of Defoe women, who I love very dearly now, and coming back for the second series was wonderful because we are a family. In the first series we had to create these relationships, not knowing each other at all. We had to really work hard to try to get those family dynamics as authentic as possible. And now we've got it for free because we did the whole first series together. We've all become close and it was really nice to have that confidence behind us. We love each other and we have to thank Abi's writing too as it’s just excellent.

Strong is such an annoying word when you're referring to female characters now, because that's what everybody seems to say, but yes. Interesting, complicated, flawed, slightly nutty, unafraid and intelligent and funny and warm. Abi writes people and their struggles in such a detailed way.

Rose has been seen as the baby of the family for a long time. In series two, is she keen to grow out of that role, that's put on her by her mother and sisters?

I think she gets really frustrated about that role. She identifies with that thing of the family putting a certain stamp on you. Of never being allowed to grow out of it, because you’re the baby. So that's who she is and I think she does get frustrated with that, and particularly with never knowing anything. That really annoys her!

Hannah and Nina, because they work together as well, have this little clique of knowing everything. And also them being a bit disparaging about the fact that she's not done anything in particular with her life, career-wise, and I think that’s a big struggle: not knowing who she is and not knowing what her purpose is.

Abi creates such beautifully authentic characters, what is about Rose that audiences can relate to?

She's very approachable. If you were to meet her in real life, you wouldn't be intimidated by her - whereas I think both Hannah and Nina, you might be a bit on edge around them. But you know, it’d be a really fun night out with Nina! I think for me, Rose seems like the least scary, for want of a better word!

Are there particular scenes that you’ve particularly relished this series?

Loads of stuff - Abi's writing is so brilliant. What I always relish, and what I love the most, is the drama versus the lightness, especially with Rose. I think that she brings a humour to a lot of her scenes, and Abi writes that really well.

Has working on The Split changed your view of marriage and divorce?

Well, funnily enough, not really, because I come from divorced family. I suppose it's enlightened me to the high-end world of it, and how brutal that is.