James Gordon
It’s the start of a great week for Paul in Emmerdale (Picture: ITV).
Paul Ashdale (Rhys Dinsdale) has many secrets in Emmerdale, but the truth will come to light next week – at least some of it – when Mandy Dingle (Lisa Riley) finds out he’s acting.
Paul promised Winnie (Bradley Johnson) that he would keep in touch with her when Mandy returned from her class, but again he didn’t.
Vinnie decides enough is enough and rushes to the pub – determined to tell his mother everything – but he is shocked when Mandy proposes to Paul, inspired by the music, and – unsure of how to proceed – ends up accepting her proposal!
Under other circumstances, [Paul] would have been thrilled and ecstatic, says actor Rhys Dinsdale, she means everything to him. But he knows these dark secrets are bubbling up, it’s the worst time to do it.
It’s a shock to you.
Paul is shocked when Mandy asks him (Picture: ITV)
Vinnie is disgusted with his father for agreeing with Mandy, but when he realizes the consequences of this lie for his son, Paul finally tells Mandy the truth about his gambling.
He doesn’t tell her he hit Vinny, though.
Speaking of Paul’s violence, Reece said..: That’s the big question, where does it come from? After he hit Vinnie the first time, they had a conversation in the junkyard, with Paul talking at length about his own father, a player who used his fists, and how he had been raised by everyone he had ever known.
He was never violent towards Mandy or any other woman, he talked about fistfights in commercials and stuff. That’s what he’s been taught, he feels it’s the last resort when words and actions don’t work for him. He can’t put it any other way: It is pushed and used as a tool. It’s very scary and sad and weird for me.
Writing this, these moments come out of nowhere, but I think I can understand why he’s like this – it’s a product of his own background. He sees that his son is actually afraid of him and wants him back. At least now Paul has the courage to realize he’s going to go to Mandy and tell her about the bet. But his nature has always been to protect himself, but never to say he was willing to lose at gambling.
Paul was seen furiously beating Vinnom several times (Photo: ITV).
I’m trying to face my demons, if that makes any sense. When you see a contrite moment from Paul,that moment– has the courage to see Mandy and say a little…. but not everything. That’s what he is.
The question, however, is whether the truth about his propensity for violence will come to light. Will he ever tell Mandy the whole truth?
No, Rhys exclaimed. I think so too, but I don’t know what they’re going to do with it. He’s a pathological liar, and I can tell more by playing with him. He’s lying to get something across. In the game, a glimmer of hope: It’s a disease. We can help him. We love him. But not by force.
The game is redeemable if you saw the light and actually got help when he was ready to help himself, but abuse is redeemable. It feels like this is the main story we’re working on. The game is the hook of the story.
Paul knows very well what Mandy is going to do, he plays on his son’s innocence and vulnerability and his reckless nature, and it’s terrible. It’s a very interesting character, great to play. He comes to me every day.
The best thing in the beginning was that I decided not to interpret him as a Machiavellian character – a good guy with problems/demons. Don’t play the dark side, play what he is trying to show, which is always his good side. In left field, the demons take over and he does the most horrible things.
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James Gordon
