In Poldark, airing on Masterpiece on PBS, Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) is a redcoat who returns to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War, only to discover that his life is nothing like he remembered, as his father is dead, his lands are ruined, and his true love is about to marry his first cousin. Based on a beloved series of novels by Winston Graham and first introduced to television audiences almost 40 years ago, the gallant captain rides again, with even more spectacular action, adventure and romance than ever before.

During this exclusive interview with Collider, actress Eleanor Tomlinson (who plays the fiery servant Demelza, a strong-willed woman who runs away from home and finds refuge with Poldark) talked about how she got involved with Poldark, what drew her to the character of Demelza, how exciting it is to be compared to Downton Abbey, her hope of doing future seasons, whether she watched any of the original series, working with Aidan Turner, and why this has been her favorite job of her career.

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Image via Masterpiece

Collider: How did this come about for you?

ELEANOR TOMLINSON: Well, I heard that they were casting for it. I just happened to mention it to my parents, and they just went mental. They were like, “Oh, my god, [the original] was amazing! It was an enormous success!” They raved about it, so I looked into it and read the scripts, and I just fell in love with the role of Demelza. I just thought, “Wow, these roles just don’t come along!” For me, it was the Scarlett O’Hara of roles. So, I auditioned for it and eventually I was offered it. From then, it’s been this amazing roller coaster of emotion. It’s been a really, really great job.

Was Demelza a character you were drawn to because you were connected to her, or did you see a challenge there because you are so different from her?

TOMLINSON: I think I definitely connected to her. I’ve also done a lot of period drama, and I’ve often been on the posh side of it, and I wanted to be on the other side of it. I wanted to try something that was really going to challenge me, as a performer. It’s a really exciting role that just captured my attention.

When you started to hear people calling Poldark the next Downton Abbey, did that make you nervous or was it exciting to know you were getting that kind of attention?

TOMLINSON: It’s incredibly exciting! Yes, it’s daunting, but I don’t let myself think about it too much because I don’t want to get my hopes up. You never know how a series is going to be received. The worst bit is the waiting. I’m really happy with it, anyway. I hope it’s a big success because I’d love to go and do another [season] of it.

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Image via Masterpiece

Season 1 is seven parts, but there are 13 books and talk about doing five seasons. When you signed on, were you aware that you could be playing this character for awhile?

TOMLINSON: I love Demelza! She’s so diverse. There’s so much in there that you dig deep and you find this whole other layer to her. I think that’s fascinating. It’s one of those roles that I’d be really excited to do another [season].

Did you watch any of the original series, or was it something you wanted to stay away from?

TOMLINSON: I watched a little bit, but because I didn’t want to be too influenced by Angharad Rees’ performance. I wanted to pay respect to her. I think it’s important, when a series has been that successful, to watch it. But, this is very different. It’s closer to the books, so it’s a completely different adaptation. I hope people don’t compare them too much. Obviously, they will because it was so successful, but it is different.

What do you think it is about this story that makes it compelling enough to revisit?

TOMLINSON: I think everybody loves love. And a lead character like Poldark that you can relate to is appealing. He’s a working man, but he’s also a fighter for people. He fights to keep everyone fed, and to keep food on the table for the miners. He’s a rarity because in the gentry, people don’t tend to care. They just tend to get on with their lives and brush past other people’s toil. What is so compelling about him is that he really fights for his own people. I think that’s what Demelza falls in love with him for. He picks her up off the street and makes a lady out of her.

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Image via Masterpiece

Who is Demelza, and how does she come into Poldark’s life?

TOMLINSON: She’s basically a street urchin that he mistakes for a boy, in the beginning. And then, he decides to help her. He decides that she’d make a good kitchen made at home, but she doesn’t become that for awhile. She becomes a servant, but at least she’s not on the streets. She works her way up and starts to learn things. She learns from him and she becomes better at her job, and she overtakes the two housekeepers that are there already. Eventually, he falls in love with her. It’s an amazing story. It’s so romantic!

But if Poldark mistakes Demelza for a boy, they must not get off to the best start.

TOMLINSON: They hate each other, at first. They have a really tempestuous relationship, which I think is great because it’s so real. People will really be able to relate to it. No one just gets on. No one has a perfect relationship, but that’s never seen. It’s always done behind closed doors. Ross and Demelza have sparks like crazy, but that’s what makes them so lovable. They’re so real.

Was that a fun dynamic to play?

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Image via Masterpiece

TOMLINSON: Yeah, absolutely! And Aidan [Turner] and I are quite similar characters. We can be quite fiery and we stand by our guns. We’re strong people. It was quite interesting, the two dynamics coming together.

Is there a big emotional journey for Demelza?

TOMLINSON: Absolutely! It’s enormous. That’s what attracted me to the role. She goes on such a journey. After marrying Poldark, they have a life together and a child together, and she becomes a woman. In the book, she starts off as 13. That journey, turning into a woman and falling in love, it’s emotionally incredible. I think you really grow with the character and you see her development, which is great.

Did you read ahead in the books to find out what happens with her?

TOMLINSON: Yeah, I did. I read the first two while we were filming. It was great. You also learn so much more about the characters because where a script has a time to keep to, you can look into the book and get whole character descriptions that you may have missed.

What was it like to work with Aidan Turner on this?

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Image via Masterpiece

TOMLINSON: Really great. He’s amazing! He’s a brilliant actor. He really challenged me, as a performer, which is always good. It keeps you on your toes. Each scene is different. It was fabulous to work with him. He did a lot of research into the role, like myself

Did you research the time period, as well, to learn about what it would have been like for a woman like Demelza to live then?

TOMLINSON: Yes, absolutely. And we had a historian work with us, at the beginning of the job. She was great at helping us learn about the etiquette of the time. What’s great about Demelza is that she learns it throughout, so whilst I was aware of it, I had license to strip it down. I didn’t have to know how to courtesy or how to eat properly. That’s what’s so funny about her. She learns that throughout. It was amazing. I love learning about different time periods. It’s really cool.

Are there any other major characters in her life, that are important to her?

TOMLINSON: Yeah, as the journey goes on, she has this relationship with Elizabeth. Immediately, it’s very frosty because it’s the ex-girlfriend, and she’s also totally in awe of Elizabeth. She thinks she’s the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. Eventually, they become friends. That’s been really lovely, working on that relationship, as well. I think Heida Reed is a fantastic actress, and it was a really interesting dynamic. Demelza has a not very nice relationship with her father. He plays a big part because he used to beat her, as a child, but he still wants a claim on her. He won’t leave her to be happy and get on with her life. He feels that she’s being led ashtray. There are a lot of different characters that come into it, and different relationships.

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Image via Masterpiece

What’s it like to work on something so grand and epic? TOMLINSON: The whole thing was surreal. I would always pinch myself and be like, “I can’t believe it! This is amazing!” At the same time, it’s amazingly hard work. It’s exhausting, keeping on top of eight episodes when you don’t shoot it in order. Her character, her posture and her accent changes throughout, so I really had to know my stuff.

How was it to have Robin Ellis, the original Ross Poldark, on set?

TOMLINSON: It was really intimidating. I was quite scared of him. I didn’t have any scenes with him, unfortunately. I would have loved to have just spoken to him. That would have been fascinating. We were like ships in the night. We didn’t see each other. But, it’s lovely to have him be a part of it. I think that will do wonders for the generation that loved Poldark so much. It’s a really nice touch.

What are the memories that you’ll take with you from this experience?

TOMLINSON: It’s been my favorite job. At times, I’ve hated it because it’s really pushed me to the limits. I’ve been so exhausted and so tired. But that family, with the cast and the crew, is the most amazing thing. I’m really close to all of them. And to take that away from a job is just lovely. I couldn’t have done it without them all. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not just one actor who creates a character. You’ve got wardrobe, you’ve got make-up, you’ve got lighting. It all comes together to create this ensemble piece, and that’s what you have to hold true to. You’re nothing without anyone else. My favorite memory of the whole thing is just everybody working together to create something fantastic. That unity is extraordinary. Poldark airs on Sunday nights on Masterpiece on PBS.