Nicola Walker says new series Alice and Steve explores “a line not to be crossed”

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I recently had the chance to chat with Nicola Walker about her new series, Alice and Steve, and she shared what drew her to the project. It’s interesting – she didn’t feel the need to research other shows with similar age-gap relationships before taking on the role, trusting the script and her own instincts. We also talked about the possibility of returning for future seasons, and she gave a pretty intriguing answer! It’s a really insightful look into her process and thoughts on the show.

When I first read the script, I immediately knew I wanted to play Alice. I hadn’t seen a female character quite like her in a long time, if ever. She’s a very smart and dedicated mother, but she hasn’t fully reached her potential professionally. Plus, she’s a fantastic friend.

I have a close friend named Rick who’s been in my life for as long as I can remember. He’s an actor, and we’re very similar – almost like the male and female sides of the same coin. Sometimes it feels like we’re just one person split into two.

I found Alice compelling because she firmly believes she’s always right, even though her actions often suggest otherwise. That contrast – strong conviction and questionable behavior – was really interesting. Even more troubling is the relationship between her daughter and her best friend; it’s a boundary that should never have been crossed and a deeply hurtful betrayal of trust. Steve, in particular, should have understood that was unacceptable.

I didn’t watch any shows about relationships with big age differences before filming, mostly because I prefer to rely on the script and don’t like to over-prepare. I’m a big fan of Jemaine Clement, but I waited to tell him, worried he might be weirded out. Thankfully, he took it really well – I’m sure he’s used to actors telling him how much they admire his work!

Jemaine and Yali [Topol Margalith] did an amazing job portraying Steve and Izzy, especially considering how complex their relationship was. When I watched the scene where they share their first kiss, my initial reaction as Alice would have been to intervene! But as an audience member, I completely understood the connection between them – there was a real spark.

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The way Alice and Steve portrays relationships between different generations is incredibly insightful. It’s encouraging to see how much culture evolves. I’ve noticed a particularly positive shift in our industry regarding how women are perceived. When I was starting my career, older actresses warned me that if I hadn’t become well-known by age 35, my career would be finished.

Television began to evolve, largely because more women started leading production companies. As for my own career, I feel like I’m beyond the early and middle stages – I’m moving forward into something new, and I’m happy with that. I’m actively hoping we get to make a second series of ‘Alice and Steve’; I’d really love to and hope it’s possible.

Authors

Sarfraz Manzoor

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2026-06-02 15:05