I'm going to begin by asking because I mean, when you speak to actors
as you get involved in shows
about sort of getting doing research
to kind of understand the world they're stepping into.
Is it quite hard to do research about the Mafia?
Because I'm assuming they keep people quiet far away and... Not for me.
I love I love crimes.
I love doco about crimes.
I see behind bars documentaries and I love action as well, you know?
So it wasn't easy to tell the truth.
It wasn't difficult to answer.
I mean, so in terms of like working together, how was that experience for you
both?
Because, I mean, when you have these kind of scenes,
dramatic scenes, you know, you need to have that,
you know, authenticity and that trust is very important.
So it's do you find that when you guys work together in this mode,
the kind of the hardest scenes to shoot at is that you fit
in, that the your relationship sort of helps in those moments.
It helps.
It helps in one sense because we had together for 27 years now.
So it's it's a lot to to
to see our backgrounds as well as where we come from.
We met back on school and we did Drama and Film Academy back home in Tirana.
So it's a long time, a relationship basically, which helped in this case.
So when you're in those sort of scenes, too,
sometimes when you look at each other, do you see the characters sometimes?
Do you see your your real partner?
Both.
And just just can you talk about it at home?
Because I know some.
Yeah, you do.
And then we have another show.
We are on completely another show at home and in the park.
And it was so difficult at home, you know, it's yeah, I kind of have to
specially when I'm shooting, you know, I'm totally alone sometimes, you know?
Yes, I have to.
You have to do a lot sometimes,
you know, but emotionally as well.
And when we read the script, even after we finished all the filming, we just go
about characters and the storyline and what what if that happens?
It's it's actually lovely.
It's really nice.
It's nice to have a partner to to to share what you're doing every day on set.
And it's it's amazing to have her on set as well to
to to see what's what we're doing and what we're sharing.
And also. Yeah, yeah.
Because when I talk to my wife about doing that,
she just, she just kept really puts for you see.
So yeah, but I mean, the first series was such a huge success.
I mean, it was so well received and deservedly so.
How was when you sort of turned up on set on the second season?
Does it feel different when everyone knows that the audience loved it?
You think there's a different feeling around the place?
A Not really, because everybody knew each other
well. I felt amazing.
You feel like you you felt amazing to be back on to work
and to be back to see friends, to see partners, to see to see amazing
people who been so successful in season one.
But season two, it's more
you're going to see more drama, more action, more
visual effects.
Special effects is going to be enjoyment, entertainment.
So basically, yeah, somehow is even more violent, which is great.
I don't know how they managed it and well he managed.
Yeah.
I mean, this show, man, come on.
We have to accept that this is not a
fairy tale story.
Basically, we don't have rainbows and unicorns in here.
You know, we still were in gangland territory territories.
So did you get all the episodes upfront or do you get them as you go?
And is it quite as I is?
This is quite nervous or exciting when you get the scripts knowing,
wondering where they're going to, what could happen to your characters.
It was nervous.
But this is the way the the Gangs of London is going.
We got only two episodes for four each time, you know.
So even the reading was a bit between those.
So we didn't know where the characters are going to go in.
We didn't have a story back.
So these are just normal feelings.
I guess everybody has those feelings, and especially when you like the show,
when you really want to be in the show and you like the cast,
and this show is great that I guess everybody wants to be in it and
and everybody wants to be alive this year and sometime it doesn't happen.
Yeah, but
how much do you think that helps the show that they kill off big characters?
It shows, doesn't it, that no one saved if it helps the audience to
invest in the show?
In some ways, I think it's a good way to do it, to be part of it.
So it's because the enigma is the it's it's truthful.
Truthful not not in... And it's natural as well
The show, you know, the card.
This cannot live forever, you know nobody's safe.
And you want to recycle the characters as well, you know,
to bring a new year on you.
So you
mentioned 27 years back into reality together.
So did you both always want to act or did one of you do it first and then why not?
But it's quite fun. I wanted to be a singer.
I mean, I wanted to be a dancer, but it didn't happen.
And then we came to London in 1999
and we both decided to work really hard for our family.
We have two girls and we did study and took other professions
and I started doing radio dramas for BBC.
I did the Archers for
Ding, Ding, Ding.
And then we, our kids
grew up and we had more time to look after ourselves.
And we did the first feature film Hyena 2014, Orli has a principal
role there with a really great cast director Joe Johnston,
and I was part of production as a dialect coach,
so that was our first TV project in UK, was great film back home.
My father was an actor, so probably it's in the blood some time, you know.
And we decided to, to, to come to London and to try, you know,
basically about it's for me, it's always been a dream and dream come true.
I went to Albania on holiday last year to check out
this beautiful place.
Nice.
Do you think it's an untapped territory
for film amidst the most beautiful landscapes?
And you go one places, goats on the mountain and to your side.
This most beautiful sage, you finish off.
There's more scope to tell stories there. Definitely.
I mean, the definitely the history is there,
you know, where we are, one of the oldest country in Europe,
you know, so the history is there, the territory is there.
So why not?
You know, only if it's used as as a venue, as a territory,
you can bring the story there to feel meet there.
It's amazing. It's beautiful.
And the food is amazing.
People are super friendly.
Um, and they do support Gangs of London.
Yeah. They love Gangs of London, you know,
and they love Eivor.
Yeah.
Oh, that stuff is so good.
Yeah, I've tried making it at home.
It's not as good. It's not nice.
Thank you so much for time.
You're welcome.
It's been a pleasure, but it is good to see you. Thank you.