Reaction: 'Enders Don Gilet on murderous Lucas

So what did you think of that, then?

Lucas killed in cold blood for the first time during tonight's episode when he strangled his love rival and nemesis Owen Turner (Lee Ross), before burying him beneath Trina's memorial tree. A great twist to the story, but a huge loss bumping off Lee Ross's character.



There's something quite chilling about Sugar the dog being the only other living thing - aside from Lucas - that knows Owen's whereabouts. And wouldn't it be cool if Sugar led to Lucas's downfall? The Square's very own Scooby Doo...

Before the episode went to air, I caught up with Lucas actor Don Gilet to see what he had to say about the latest turn of Walford events...

What was it like filming the death scene in the car with Lee Ross?
"It was great because the whole point is it's claustrophobic - especially when it's rigged up with cameras! It's a very small space to have two people in who aren't even looking at each other in the eye. Neither are backing down or admitting any point of weakness. It's at this point I think you feel the rage that comes up in Lucas but he can't actually stop and he's constantly trying to square it with God. There's a real battle and I hope it comes across that it's not a malice of forethought situation. This thing just bubbles up as Owen drills into him what he thinks of him and what he thinks is the real Lucas.

"Lee's a fantastic actor and he's perfect at keeping that intensity going and rage when it's necessary. Owen's more in control at this point than Lucas is - it's clear from what happens that Lucas is no way in control - that he can turn around and take Owen's life with his bare hands. It was a fantastic scene to shoot just because it was so oppressive. A low roof, too. I mean, a Jaguar's still a small car if you're having a row with somebody - and it was hot!"

How many takes were there until you nailed the strangling scene?
"Probably not more than six or seven. There were so many angles and the speed that it has to be done as well - this person's behind me and I'm trying to find a way of taking the bow tie off and make it look like I'm just uncomfortable rather than it look like I'm about to make a garrotte with it! They had to shoot several angles up to that point but then the actual turning round and doing it was probably only five or six times. You get to the point where you've done it so many times you hope they've captured it because [if] you can peak and trough with it, then it becomes mechanical. I think we did it the right amount of times to perfect it - to finesse the strangulation!"

The directors focussed a lot on Lucas's eyes - why do you think that is? Is it because eyes are meant to be the gateway to the soul?
"Absolutely, that's what it is. There's a constant attempt to expose Lucas and hopefully what you see is Lucas really trying his best not to show that side of him. I don't know if I've pulled it off because I don't watch things once I've done them - It's out there and I've done the best I can and it's up to the editor and the director to make me look good! [Laughs]."

There was just a moment where he snapped...
"It's that absolute flashpoint where you see him really at odds with the two versions of himself. There's the public model persona - the knight in shining armour - and Lucas the demon. I hope we see enough of the tussle between them before we see what he's capable of with Owen. There's a real struggle there where he's actually saying to God, 'Should I do this? I can feel it coming up and I need to do it', and I think he thinks he hands it over to God - if it be your will. He plays this avenging angel. I hope it has the dramatic effect that we worked for."

How do you feel to have been involved in two novel deaths? Death by rake and death by bow tie?
"They say things come in threes! One death was accidental and it's an example of the rage that's in him and he was again at odds with the side of him that was giving in to temptation to this woman. It was that sheer rage and that tussle with good and evil with which he pushed Trina off him. He wasn't meant to kill her, just push her away but it exploded and that explosion called her death. It's coming from the same pool of rage and split personality. I didn't realise how dramatic these two deaths would be!

"When you're playing it, you really try not to compare it to anything else you've ever done or anything that's been done in the genre so it was fun - if you can call it fun - to do! To do it once and for it to be an accident, then to try to cover it up and play all the angst that goes with it. Then to do something that's purely homicidal and so much in the present... this burst of rage that makes somebody want to take someone's life with their bare hands - it's a very dark thing to play but it's nice being about to play it. Then I go back to Don Gilet, the happy-go-lucky chap!"

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