The Hollywood Reporter – August 14, 2019

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 82 AUGUST 14, 2019

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66

DAVID^

Both^ of^ them?^

Davis^ see’s^ Julia

on^ the^ TV.^

JULIA^

(ON^ TV)^

RIPA-^18 will^ giv

e them^ that^

support.^

David^ suspects^ som

ething^ as^ this^ is

unusual^ and^

it^ only^ makes^ it^ a

ll^ the^ more^ awkwa

rd^ for^ Vicky.^

(^) DAVID
Vic?^
(^) VICKY
Look.^ Don’t^ take
this^ the^ wrong^
way.^ I^ know^ you’
re^ disappointed^ to
miss^ the^ kids,^ b
ut...^ maybe^ that’
s
why^ it’s^ best^ that
you^ call^ ahead^
if^ you’re^ going^ to
come^ round?^
(^) DAVID
I was^ hoping^ we^ c
ould^ talk.^
(^) VICKY
Why?^
(^) DAVID^
I’ve^ said^ I’m^ sorr
y.^
(^) VICKY
Yes.^ You^ always^ a
re.^
(Off^ his^ glum^ sil
ence.)^
You^ need^ help,^ Da
ve.^
(^) DAVID
I^ need^ a^ job^ tha
t pays^ the^ bills,^
Vic.^
(^) VICKY
Yes.^ And^ I^ keep^ co
vering^ for^ you^ so
that^ you^ can^ keep
it^ ...^ but^ I’ve^
stopped^ being^ abl
e to^ stand^ back^
and^ watch.^ You^ ar
e getting^ worse,^
Dave...^
(^) DAVID
Love,^ I’m^ sorry,
but^ we^ can^ work^
through^ this...^
(^) VICKY
I’ve^ met^ someone.
David^ reacts.^
Family
(Dys)f unction
Talk about awkward — nominated scribes Jed Mercurio
(Bodyguard) and Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle (PEN15) reveal
how they penned their tense family moments BY REBECCA FORD
Richard Madden plays David Budd, whose job as a bodyguard
strains his relationship with his wife, Vicky (Sophie Rundle).
(^67)
(Deva DAVID^
H stated.^ Beats.)^
e was here, overnight
(^)?
Yes. VICKY^
(Throw DAVID^
ing a look upstairs.)
Still^ here?^
No. VICKY^
(Very tense (^) beats.)
Look, (^) I... (^) I was going
you... to tell
You f DAVID^
arm our (^) kids out so yo
have your night togeth u (^) can
(^) er?
They’ VICKY^
re with (^) their school-
They’ve had a (^) lovely t friends.
(^) ime. (^)
Do th DAVID^
ey^ know?^
They t VICKY^
hink (^) that he’s a frie
H^ e n nd.^
ods glumly, trying (^) to
and failing. (^) He (^) surre put on (^) a brave (^) face,
nders (^) to anguish. He t
to^ go.^ urns^
Ohhh. DAVID^
Dave. VICKY^
( ..?^
Long beat.)
Dave...?^
Let’s DAVID^
not get (^) divorced yet.
(^)
Oh G VICKY^
od, no, (^) we’re (^) not that
or (^) anything, it’s earl serious
(^) y (^) days.
In ca DAVID^
se anything happens t
work. (^) You’ll still (^) get o me (^) at
if we’re legally m^ the (^) pension
arried.
“Julia was placed in this
scene to insinuate her
presence as a figure
now dominating David’s
thoughts. By virtue of
her being a high-ranking
politician, we were able
to exploit the device of
TV/radio/newspapers
throughout the series.”
“This is the first time anyone uses this phrase to David
in the show, repeated on a number of occasions by other
characters across David’s arc until eventually he stops
denying or failing to address his PTSD. It had to come from
the person in the show who knows him best — his wife.”
“After the threat to the lover
comes the realization of
starting to lose a grip on his
family. David is distraught at
the prospect his kids might
come to regard another man
as their father.”
“David’s anguish conveys him to the
darkest possible place. Losing his family
means he’s got nothing left to live for.
Which amplifies the dramatic plausibility
of David assassinating Julia.”
“On the day,
director Thomas
Vincent and
I discussed with
Richard Madden
how this line could
be employed to
show David’s vola-
tility. In Richard’s
performance,
the audience sees
David’s sudden
impulse to assault
his wife’s lover.”
“We needed this expositional dialogue revealing a
history of David’s illness and how he’s hidden it from
colleagues. The best way to disguise bald exposition
is for the dialogue to carry strong emotional content
— in this case, a wife who’s no longer able to love her
husband due to his changed personality.”
NETFLIX
BODYGUARD
“Episode 1”
Written by Jed Mercurio