Ziggy Roscoe (Fabrizio Santini)
For our latest Hollyoaks interview, Digital Spy chatted to newcomer Fabrizio Santino about life playing Ziggy Roscoe.
Ziggy's flirtatious behaviour has already made a quick impact on some of the local ladies, but viewers will see that one girl in particular catches his eye in the next few weeks.
Here, Fabrizio tells us about the future romance for Ziggy and his time at Hollyoaks so far.
How well have you settled in at Hollyoaks?
"I think I've settled in very well and it's all going great. I'm enjoying my time here and everyone has made me feel welcome. I'm really liking the character of Ziggy and I'm having a lot of fun.
"I've moved up to Liverpool for the role and that's been very exciting. I'm living with two of my on-screen brothers - Charlie Clapham and Alfie Sykes - and they're fantastic to be with as well. Liverpool's a nice city, although I still don't know it very well! I do miss London terribly, but it feels good to be here for work and it makes me feel like I'm growing up!"
How did you feel when you finally got the role? We've heard from the other Roscoe boys that it was a long audition process!
"Yeah, the audition process was massive. To begin with, I had no idea that there were over 2,000 boys auditioning for the role, but it did become quite competitive. I knew that I really had to fight for this. I had four call-backs so it was quite a tough challenge, but I knew that I had a chance after the fourth one.
"When you've fought for something so hard and you end up getting it, it's just a massive relief. I was completely overjoyed and utterly pleased. It's good to know that you've done well as it raises your confidence for the future. If the truth be known, us actors are very sensitive and it can be tough to get rejected, so to be successful with a role is a big confidence boost."
We know that you've had other roles, but does this feel like your big break?
"Yeah, as it's very challenging and every single day is different from the other work that I've done. In the past, I've done bits of filming where I've been working for a week or two, or even just a few days, but this is literally every day.
"Because it's a regular job, I'm getting to learn more about myself and my acting ability. It's the biggest challenge I've had, absolutely."
We've all seen Ziggy for ourselves, but how do you describe him to people?
"I think Ziggy is a lovely boy. He's joyful, charming, cheeky and loyal to his family. He's also a bit of a fantasist and a bit of a dreamer! It's also probably fair to say that he's quite vain as he takes pride in his appearance.
"Ziggy loves the chit-chat and he loves his family, too. I think he's a nice guy who doesn't take himself too seriously. He's not the loser type, he's a lover and a fighter. He does what he can, he's got his aim in life and that's to end up living on the French or Italian Riviera. Ziggy aims high!"
What kind of a reaction have you seen from the Hollyoaks fans?
"It's been fantastic. I'm always very, very overwhelmed because there always seem to be fans waiting outside the studios who love the character of Ziggy. I was a little bit concerned at first at how people might react, but I think people love the charming, warm and cheeky sides of him. I'm getting really nice feedback and if I can keep it consistent, hopefully I can't go wrong."
What's coming up for Ziggy storyline-wise?
"There's going to be a lot going on with Ziggy and his brothers. There's always a drama at the garage!
"In terms of Ziggy on his own, there's one lady in the village who he really falls for in the next few weeks. He becomes smitten with her and he starts constantly trying to get her attention. She's also trying to get his attention, so there's a lot of romance in the air and some intimate scenes here and there. But you'll have to wait and see how it all develops.
"You'll also see that a bit of conflict develops between Ziggy's brothers and the girl in question, but it's nothing that Ziggy can't handle. Whatever Ziggy wants, he'll get!"
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Fabrizio as Ziggy
Ziggy is known for falling in and out of love quite quickly. Could this new love interest be the one who changes that?
"Could she be the one? Like I said, Ziggy is a dreamer so in the moment he'll probably think that she's the one, but give it half an hour and he'll see someone else and probably fall for them! That's just how he is - he can't say no. If someone approaches Ziggy, who knows what he'd do given half the chance? I have no idea how Ziggy thinks from one minute to the next!"
Is there potential there for Ziggy to be a good boyfriend, though?
"I do think that if Ziggy was to really fall in love with someone, he'd definitely be a great boyfriend. Ziggy is still growing up and he can sometimes play the field but maybe one day somebody will get him good. That's when he'll really fall in love, settle down and you'll see a different side to him."
We've seen lots of comedy from Ziggy so far. Would you like to explore a more serious storyline further down the line?
"Definitely. I do like the comedy moments that they've given me. I've never really considered myself to be a comic actor, but the stuff they've given me has been great.
"I would like to see a darker side to Ziggy at some point. Maybe there could be a point where Ziggy plummets and things go wrong. I think there'd be a good storyline there. But I do think that's a lot further down the line. Right now you need to see Ziggy at his best, and then it makes it more dramatic when you see the other side of him."
Are Charlie and Alfie good housemates?
"They're great housemates - they're fantastic! They're very tidy, very helpful and we all gel very well. We've got a lot in common even though our ages are different. Boys will always be boys no matter how big or small you are, so we all get on very well!"
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The Roscoes in their first full scene together
Is it strange to have Charlie younger than you in real life but older on screen?
"Well, I think in work I respect the fact that Freddie is older than Ziggy, so I play down to Charlie in the scenes. But obviously out of work, Charlie knows where he stands with his older brother! (Laughs.) I think he'd quite honestly tell you that himself!"
What is Gillian Taylforth like to work with?
"Fantastic. As I always say to anyone, she's one of my own. We come from a very similar culture and a very similar upbringing, as we both come from inner city London. I'm Peckham and she's Islington, so she's very authentic and so am I.
"I think when you get two authentic Cockneys together, there are fireworks. Gillian is a cracking actress as well and we gelled straight away. I've actually just done a scene with her and we had some great feedback that we work very well together. I think that's because we have the same background."
Are there any cast members you'd love to work with more?
"I wouldn't mind working more with Nick Pickard, as I think that'd be a good one. He's been on the show for so long that he knows it back to front, so he's very confident and a very good actor. I could see myself doing some scenes with him.
"It's the same with Ashley Taylor Dawson. I've done bits and bobs with Ashley, but a nice clash or a nice storyline would be great. Maybe Ziggy could also spark a friendship or conflict with Dodger, as it's nice to break away from your family and explore something new."
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The Roscoes recently held a topless car wash
Is there any pressure to stay in shape given some of your scenes so far?
"I don't think there's any pressure at all. If you take regular exercise anyway and you want to keep in shape as an individual, then you'll find your own discipline and do it. Speaking for myself, I'm very disciplined at the gym anyway and if I know I've got to take my top off the next day, I'll work just a little bit harder!"
Do you share any similarities with Ziggy?
"There are a few similarities, absolutely. I've always been a bit of a dreamer too, and a few of those dreams have come true! I also take pride in my appearance I'm into fashion too. I'm into men's tailoring and grooming, so I do share some similarities, but there are also some major differences too."
