Shaun Evans embraced 'midlife crisis' character in Betrayal
Betrayal star Shaun Evans took a role in the ITV spy drama as he wished to play "a man having a midlife crisis".
Shaun Evans took a part in Betrayal as he wanted to play "a man having a midlife crisis".
The 45-year-old actor stars in the new ITV drama as MI5 agent John Hughes and embraced the challenge of taking on a character who has to contend with both personal and professional difficulties.
Shaun told the Radio Times magazine: "I was interested in playing a man having a midlife crisis.
"Plus, there's always an appetite for the spy genre, so I was curious to see if we could mix together those two. At work, he follows his instincts and it ends in catastrophe. His marriage is on the rocks.
"The four episodes trace his attempts to solve these seemingly intractable problems."
Evans explained that he opted to use his native Liverpudlian accent for the role to lean into the story's class element.
The Endeavour star said: "We expect MI5 officers to be from Oxbridge, but it's no longer the case."
Shaun has used different accents throughout his acting career and explained that it can be more challenging to portray a character with his own Scouse tones.
He said: "When I first started, I wanted to play parts far away from me, to transform into someone else and leave any of my baggage behind.
"In a weird way, when you play someone with your own accent, you have to work harder to make the leap."
Shaun played the lead role in ITV detective drama Endeavour – the prequel to Inspector Morse – for 11 years but is now embracing the "variety" that comes with different projects.
The Vigil star said: "Gently, gradually, your life moves in a new direction.
"Endeavour was a huge education for me, and I felt I graduated. Different jobs mean bringing all my skills to bear. I like the variety."
However, Evans is unlikely to be found watching himself on screen.
He said: "I hope everyone else enjoys it but, for me, I'd rather focus on the day, and then step back and leave it.
"I love the freedom of being a gun for hire, just going in and doing a good job. What gets my juices flowing? The work itself."
