This Is Andrew Shim & Vicky McClure Pt.2
When we left Andrew Shim and Vicky McClure, the two were making their views pretty clear on the condition of Hollywood, and audiences only getting what they want. Thus, making it very difficult for Shane Meadows, director of 'This Is England' to get his message across, especially when its one that people need to know. But how did the two young stars handle such a task as well as being given the job of stepping into the Dr. Martens of 80s youth?
Nickman: We think that the film is really important currently. It’s a vital film right now, but it must’ve been difficult to do because I’m going to guess you two weren’t born in 1983?
Shim/McClure: Yeah, we were.
Nickman: Ah, you were, so being born in ’83 how did you research for the characters? Vicky, would you like to tell us about Lol first? How she came to be?
McClure: Shane explained to me that, “she’s a skinhead girl, doesn’t look very feminine in the film – but does have a feminine side. If the lads step out of line, she would beat the shit out of them – she’s just as hard as the lads.”
When Shane said that to me, I was really just gagging to play the role, because it was a character who wouldn’t get involved with the group until necessary. She’s quite reserved. It was quite nice to play a role where, like Shane said, “Look, don’t go in all guns blazing, don’t be an aggressive skinhead, because that’s not Lol, but at times she can be as rough as the lads”.
Nickman: What about the hair do?
(McClure laughs)
Nickman: Well, it’s bang on, because I was about Tommo’s age in ’83 and I had loads of skinheads around my area.
McClure: Oh, right.
Nickman: So were all the features researched? Or did wardrobe just jump you with a shaver?
McClure: (Laughs) well, no, Shane was talking to me about a film about skinheads, and I sorta thought nothing of it. Throughout the rehearsals, Shane was constantly giving information and I talked to people that were around that time, but as much as I took that on board, I was more interested about Shane’s thoughts and what he wanted and his experience. Then we started looking at haircuts.
Shane said to me, “look if you can’t do it, you can’t do it” but I just thought, “no, I’ve got to”. I had ridiculously long hair at the time and keeping it like that just wouldn’t look right. Ultimately, when I was looking at a book I saw a haircut and it was fully bald except for a diamond on the front, and I was like, “I want it all off, and be rockin’ hard and what not”. But when we actually got it done…
Nickman: Was that like boot camp? Were you all getting it done?
McClure: Well no, actually we got it done by a hairdresser in Nottingham who did Sinead O’Connor’s hair, so there’s me sitting there singing ‘Nothing Compares’, and I must admit I went home and my Mum was like, “what have they done to ya?!”
The following morning though, it was completely different, an odd feeling, but really liberating. I mean, I was driving in the car and I couldn’t drive for looking in the f**king mirror (Laughs).
Anyway, we had that done and then we also had our costumes sorted. There I was as this skinhead girl with massive flies, Fred Perry, and then I turned round, looked in the mirror and that was it.
Nickman: When you had that gear on, did Lol come very easily?
McClure: She came into light, yeah. As soon as I got my haircut and we were trying on outfits, Shimmy saw me walking down the street almost fully bald, big boots on looking like she’d beat anyone up – and going to him [directs to Andrew] for a hug.
Shim: She came up the road, and I’m not joking, I had to do a double-take. I was like, “oh my gosh…Urgh!” The jeans, the flies, “what have they done?!” I mean, it was amazing – for the film. But it wasn’t the Vicky I’d known, and loved (laughed) for so many years.
McClure: You know what now, though? I find my self constantly buying Fred Perry. I’ve completely slipped into it.
Nickman: And what about you Andrew, with the sideburns?
Shim: Well I have short hair, anyway, so when it came to getting it done it wasn’t a massive change. Originally though, I didn’t like the sideburns…
Nickman: Mate, ya looked cool.
Shim: (Laughs) Cheers, well eventually I did like them and plus no one was looking at me gone out. Instead all the focus was on this lot.
Nickman: See that’s the thing, you lot [to Vicky] really had the whole skinhead deal, but Andrew, you had more of a ‘Two-Tone’ thing.
Shim: That’s it. See, I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a black skinhead, but they sort of had a fashion statement, and looking at pictures, they did look f**king brilliant. But we had a say in what we wore. If we didn’t feel comfortable, we’d change. I tried on a few things but near enough at the beginning, I liked it. We got it just right with the braces and everything. I mean, everyone was jealous of what I was wearing (laughs).
Nickman: Well even when we first saw the trailer, no offence to the others, you were the one that stood out. The whole thing looks perfect and Shane has managed to capture that era perfectly. Did you really start to feel ‘retro’?
Shim: Yeah, definitely. To be honest, hats off to props, costume and action car guys. For them to make a period piece with just pushing £3m, with all the costumes and cars, everyone worked hard. They deserve massive thanks, because without them, it wouldn’t have got that feeling right. Even stuff like the cars, that Rover 2000 that I drove. I was driving that for two months before we started filming.
McClure: Yeah we were cruising around in it. (Laughs)
