Interview with Deborah Findlay

Ruth had been holding on as the matriarch of the family and at work for so many years, but this has all changed for series two - how is she coping?

Well, she's sort of in denial. She certainly doesn't want to be elbowed out, and I think she's assuming that she will be part of Noble, Hale and Defoe. It's a big shock when it appears that she is not!

Abi was interested in talking about what happens when somebody who their whole life, their whole being is work, that's how they define themselves, is taken from them when they're not ready to quit and they don't want a new life! Not only has Defoe’s gone, but she's also lost her husband, and even though they'd been estranged it felt like there had been a rapprochement at the end. So, going into series two, as Ruth was redefining herself, in playing her I had to redefine her as well.

Professionally and personally, Ruth has a formidable reputation. Eo we see that exterior cracking or softening?

She gets offered a role as a teacher in a law school, which she sort of does for a bit, and in doing that she reconnects with an old friend, and that develops. So, throughout the second series she becomes much more concerned with the family and how her children are getting on and also developing a new relationship for her. But it's all quite complicated and you know, she's never going to be one who's going to settle down and be Mrs somebody or other, that's never going to happen! But it's the fear I think probably of opening up, making yourself vulnerable to somebody else, that we see for Ruth.

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

What was interesting is that there are elements that I thought would have consequences, but what's so wonderful about Abi is that she's always surprising you. It’s the personal dilemmas about how you actually lead your life. Does Ruth want another relationship or not? And how can she function as a mother to these children?

She still very much wants to be a lawyer and she's quite determined to do that and puts herself out there which I think is a fabulous thing to do. It reminded me of Bette Davis, who, when she was out of work, put an ad in a magazine saying ‘actress seeking work’. Ruth receives a Lifetime Achievement Award and it just reminded me of that! In her speech she says: "Look I'm not going anywhere, I still want to work, I'm still the best lawyer in the business and somebody hire me."

The Split challenges perceptions about divorce. Ruth split from Oscar decades ago, but how hard has his death hit her?

It's not really talked about very much. She keeps all that very much to herself. But as I say it's a time of just regrouping. His death is dealt with privately, I think.

She’s got a different relationship with each of her daughters, can you describe those?

I feel with Hannah, she’s very aware of the whole thing with Christie and keeping the marriage with Nathan together, because she was aware of all of that going on before the marriage. And now Hannah and Christie are working together. In this series Ruth gets more time to actually nurture Hannah - or at least, be more sympathetic for her. She definitely becomes a shoulder to cry on.

With Nina, when they were working together in Defoe's in series one, I think Ruth was priming Nina to take over. In this series I feel like Nina has found her wings and she's off, and all sorts of things are happening with her that Ruth isn’t a party to really.

And Rose, she does go through a whole lot of heartache. Ruth has always appeared quite hard hitting, while actually I think her attitude is that you make families in all sorts of different ways and we find the people we love in all sorts of different ways.

You’ve hinted at this a little, but is there any romance on the cards for Ruth this season?

As I say it's a person from her past, who sort of appears, and he's obviously still very much in love with her. And it's really up to her what happens, how far she wants to take it. She still wants to be a free spirit, and I think anybody having lived through a relationship and a marriage like she has, would feel very, very nervous and hesitant getting into another relationship. But I think she does find support with this man and it’s lovely.

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

She is her own person. She's had to take on the responsibility of not only bringing up three children but also running a company and she's done both of those things brilliantly at great cost to herself, I think. And she's funny! That's part of what I love about her, she's got great, cracking lines and that’s lovely to play. I also think she is uncompromising, and she is tough, well some people find her tough, but I think she's all of those things.

Are there particular scenes and sentences that you’ve relished being able to perform this series?

Many! There are several parties at Hannah and Nathan’s house and when she gets her lifetime achievement award, she gives a wonderful speech about how she doesn't want to stop working, and that was lovely.

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

It does make you think how vicious and painful a divorce can be. But also, it's made me think what is good to look for in a relationship and how they can work. And ultimately you know, that we need to be kind to each other.