Obsession exclusive interview: Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy talk filming new Netflix series based on steamy thriller

Hit Play above to watch the Obsession cast talk about filming intimate scenes for the new Netflix adaptation of Josephine Hart’s steamy thriller Damage.

Fifty Shades of Grey fans will want to add Netflix’s new steamy thriller Obsession to their must-watch list.

The new four-part series is an adaptation of Josephine Hart’s 1991 romantic novel Damage, which follows a passionate affair between a married man named William and Anna - the fiancée of his son, Jay. 

Their intense romance spirals into a dangerous, all-consuming obsession, with devastating consequences for the whole family.

In this latest TV adaptation - the novel was made into a film in 1992 starring Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche in the two main roles - English actor Richard Armitage (The Hobbit, The Stranger), plays William, who’s a top surgeon in this version of the story.

Irish actress Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders, Happy Valley) plays Anna, with the two characters sharing multiple intimate, seductive scenes.

Speaking exclusively to BT TV, Murphy says she felt “empowered” filming the sex scenes with Armitage as they worked closely with an intimacy co-ordinator on set.

She told us: “What made it so fun and empowering and light, despite what we were doing, is because we knew what we were doing.

“There's a real story in itself if you just look at the sex scenes.”

Armitage concurred: “Because we'd had that conversation in rehearsal [with our intimacy co-ordinator], we'd brought lots of ideas together, so we had a reference point. 

“For example you might move onto a set and the director will say 'we're moving onto a chair' and we’ll say ‘why don't we look for these shapes, or this effect?’

Armitage also discussed reading Josephine Hart’s book - which is written in the first person from William’s perspective - prior to filming the show, and what he took from it.

He says: “The book was great because it gave me the weight of the confession that's happening, because what he's about to do is appalling, but in the book he really carries the weight of conscience around. 

“He knows what he's doing and he condemns himself for it”.

BT TV also spoke to Rish Shah (Ms Marvel, Do Revenge), who plays William’s son Jay, and Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, Luther), who plays William’s wife Ingrid. 

You can check out the full video interview with the cast at the top of this page.

Obsession is on Netflix now.