Playing a blind concert pianist with vampirical tendencies was a challenge that Zoe Tapper relished during the filming of Demons.
"My character Mina Harker originates from Bram Stoker's Dracula novel; she is the woman who is forced to suck Dracula's blood," explains Zoe. "But we take her into the modern world where she has become mortal and joined the fight against the half-lives alongside Luke, who is the last descendant of Van Helsing - the first vampire slayer.
"Mina is quite a complicated character and not always as she might at first seem. On the surface she is a concert pianist but there is a twist in the tale because she has to deal with demons from her own past. In order for Mina to fight her dark side she must put up with the consequence: blindness.
"In order to control her vampiric urges, Mina cleanses her blood using a kind of dialysis. I think she probably sits at her piano absorbed in playing while she undergoes this daily treatment."
Zoe was keen to portray a visually impaired character with accuracy while taking into account the unreality of the drama.
"It was scary to play a character that cannot see. At the beginning I was so conscious of that I was aware only of the movement of my eyes and it became quite technical but as soon as I freed up a bit and allowed myself to trust my instincts, it almost became second nature to me.
"We were filming for four months and I got very used to not looking people in the eye. This is a high concept drama so although we spoke to people from the Royal Blind Society this was more about Mina's other senses taking over. She might not be able to see a person but her other senses are heightened so she would still know where they were and it does often appear that she can see which is quite unnerving for those around her."
Zoe continues: "Mina also has second sight which does compensate for her blindness to a degree. She has vivid visions over which she has no control."
So what drew Zoe to the role? "It was quite unlike any I had come across before. What is great about Mina is that, having lived for well over 100 years, she has all this history. On the one hand you see her fighting the half-lives with the rest of the gang but she also has a fascinating back story which is quite dark. So while she is ultimately fighting for good there is always that chance she could be drawn to the other side.
"Mina and Galvin have a long relationship and I think an unwritten agreement that if Mina ever got to the point where she couldn't control herself any more he has her blessing to kill her."
On playing a vampire, Zoe says: "I like the edge of danger that Mina has and I absolutely loved turning into a vampire. What is so powerful is that I spend much of the time portraying Mina without sight but as soon as she drinks her own blood and turns into a vampire she can see again. So you go from looking at the ground to looking into people's eyes and she takes on this strong physicality.
"I did a stunt with Mackenzie Crook where I had to kick him and grab him by the throat and it was great fun. I felt strong and powerful. This is a fast paced show with lots of action. We have some brilliant guest stars who really energised us; Kevin McNally and Mackenzie, whose character Thrip is the stuff of nightmares."
So who would Zoe be on the superhero scale? "Definitely Cat Woman. I like her feline agility and being so strong and able to fight equally with the men. I think Mina has a certain feline quality to her; she is independent and mysterious."
Last updated: 31 December 2008, 13:15
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