A picture perfect neighborhood and a picture perfect relationship is what you first see with ‘The Couple Next Door.’ But soon, suburbia is turned on its head when Evie (Eleanor Tomlinson), a pregnant schoolteacher and her husband, Pete (Alfred Enoch), a pensive journalist, move to a new town and become friends with their neighbors, Danny (Sam Heughan) and Becka (Jessica De Gouw.)
Traffic cop Danny and yoga instructor Becka set a new pace when it comes to relationships, which Evie and Pete soon discover, especially after Evie suffers a trauma and her grief begins to overtake her and her typically religious outlook on life.
The new eight-part Starz series peels back the curtain on family life, love and especially lust, but it also shows that secrets know no bounds—especially when they’re housed right across the street. To chat more about their characters, Heughan and De Gouw sat down with Metro to peel back some of the layers of ‘The Couple Next Door.’
What interested you both in signing on with this project?
De Gouw: I was sent the script and Sam and Eleanor were attached. I’m a big fan of their work, so I [knew] that the caliber of acting and performances would be something quite special. And then I just love the sort of public versus private spheres, observing people in different spaces and the way that affects their behavior and the intimacy of those spaces [in the show.] The private spaces I think is something that we always are curious about. I think there’s always an intrigue there, which is really fun to play with and really fun to watch.
Heughan: I had worked with Dries Vos, the director before on a different show called ‘Suspect’. The script that was sent was kind of a different version [of this show], but it was just highly entertaining. I was intrigued by this character, Danny, and the story and the journey he goes on and the kind of mess that he creates around himself. And then I got to find out that this amazing cast was all on board and it was just [clear] to sign up for it. A different character perhaps as well than what I’ve been playing on ‘Outlander’…But yeah, just a great opportunity.
Jessica, your character ends up having a lot of interesting dynamics on the show. Was there one relationship on screen that was interesting for you, personally, to explore?
De Gouw: I think the relationship with Danny first and foremost because that’s the center of everything for her. The fact that they have chosen to live this quite alternative lifestyle and have this relationship that lives outside of what you would normally expect with monotonous relationships… I think there’s an interesting conversation there. We play these characters without judgment and with a foundation of love. We meet them at a point where there’s a disconnect and they do actually need to be shaken out of their, I guess, sort of dishonesty and acceptance of a situation that isn’t good and healthy for them anymore. So they needed to learn that through a lot of hardship, but I think the story is really interesting.
In terms of her relationships with Evie and Pete, I think she finds someone that she really, really loves in Evie. They have a lot in common, and there’s a playfulness there and a real friendship. And with Pete, I think she’s just very curious about this incredibly smart man, and obviously, very beautiful man as well. She’s been looking for connection. She feels very isolated in this neighborhood and in this town that she’s living in. So while she’s been looking for connection, she finds that in different ways.
Sam, with Danny, there’s obviously a lot more brewing underneath the surface with him. As an actor, how do you approach a role where a character has a lot to hide, even from the audience?
Heughan: I think that’s appealing about him…the audience and indeed the new neighbors have the first reaction or the first impression of him: That he’s this slightly British alpha male. And compared to Pete, he is. He’s perhaps not the intellectual that Pete is, but he has so much going on in his life. I was always impressed by the opportunity to have scenes where he sits down and takes his son out, who’s deaf, to a bowling alley and where they have this bonding moment—even if it doesn’t turn out so well.
But there were just so many relationships as well outside of his and Beck’s that were interesting. Whether it’s the one with Spencer (Mark Frost) or with Gary (Joel Morris.), it was fun to explore what those relationships are. But at the heart of it, Danny and Beck’s relationship, that’s the most important thing, and that’s what he’s fighting for. That’s what he’s trying to protect. So working with Jess was a dream to try and explore and discover what that all really means.
‘The Couple Next Door’ will premiere Jan. 17 on STARZ. New episodes will be available to stream weekly on Fridays on the STARZ app, plus all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms.
