The Grass is Always Greener: A Conversation with Andrea Valls of BBC One’s Cheaters
Earlier this year, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit and chat with actress, writer, and comic extraordinaire Andrea Valls on her current work in BBC One’s Cheaters, love in the age of social media, and how to stay creative during even the most uncertain times!
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You are a writer, actress, and comedian. Which came first?
I would probably say the acting first for sure! I always knew I wanted to be an actor.
As a female comedian, what do you think is the best reaction to the phrase, “women aren’t funny”?
Oh God, probably just to chuck their pint over them! I feel like it’s such a man in the pub thing to be said, and I am just like…nah shut up! I mean that’s fair enough but they probably just haven’t met a lot of women, or just have a really crap sense of humor.
Absolutely! you do such a good job on your social media ignoring the trolls and hate on your social media! Has it always been easy for you to ignore that type of criticism?
Ya know I am lucky in that I haven’t received a lot of that type of backlash, but if I do I just think it’s funny! I only really would care if someone I care about was saying something negative like that and no one has!
You have recently starred in Cheaters, a new BBC comedy-drama about the trials and tribulations of love in the modern era and the exploration of interconnected relationships. Do you protect your heart in a cage or are you the heart on the sleeve type?
I am SO the heart on my sleeve type, I will fall in love in five seconds and I will let you know about it. Sometimes it gets me in trouble but I genuinely believe in that very cliche saying “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” There is no point in being cagey about it. I am just over-exuberant in every aspect, so my heart is on my sleeve all the way!
Love that. I am 100% the same way! Do you think that kind of attitude helps your creative process?
Yeah I think it just makes you more emotionally available. You are able to tap into a lot of different emotions quite easily, which is an important trait for actors to have!
Totally. And with that in mind, your character on Cheaters seems to be more a voice of reason, even when she has her own issues to work out. Do you think you’re often the go-to person for love advice when it comes to your friends and loved ones?
I think I am a nice even balance of the two! I definitely like to think I am quite reasoned, yet I don’t like to take my own advice so I am always seeking it out as well. Like I could give someone the best advice ever, and the exact same thing could be applied to me and I just don't take it.
And that's why we have shows like Cheaters so we can look at other advice and think, “well at least I am not them!”
Exactly. But yes I think for the most part I am a good voice of reason.
Cheaters also explores how infidelity and its effects are not always as black-and-white as we think they are. Many feel that monogamy is becoming impossible, what’s your stance on that?
I genuinely think that it's actually something quite difficult. In our day and age, the grass is always greener with Instagram and social media, and stuff like being able to find your ex from high school, and all that. People have so many options now, like kids in candy stores they just want to pick whatever they can that day. So I think it's not as easy as it used to be. Cheaters explores that well, as you can understand why each character might cheat. We as an audience don’t always want the cheaters to be discovered. It explores the nuances really well, while still highlighting the general problem as negative.
Beyond your current work, you had a brilliant segment on Comedy Central’s Comedians In Quarantine that showed different types of moms coping with the lockdown. What helped you stay at least somewhat creatively motivated during that seemingly infinite period?
For me, it was doing those sketches, because lockdown felt like an extension of how I feel between creative projects. Those sketches were a way to stay creative in a period of time where I felt less creative, and the FOMO wasn’t there because we all were stuck at home!
In addition to that, your Instagram is genuinely a work of art. Your American accent is frighteningly spot on. How did you start approaching social media as a way to market your kind of work? Did you intend it for a specific audience?
I think just before lockdown. Then of course in lockdown, it boomed a lot more. I really enjoy using the story feature because it makes the observational sketches even more casual and every day which I like with that humor. There was never a specific audience intended, it just kind of grew with my following in lockdown!
Is there a person, video, joke, or meme that never fails to make you laugh?
So many people, but right now I will say Megan Stalter just makes me die! I would love to meet her one day and just vibe with her!
And finally, what is a current obsession you could talk about for hours and hours?
I don’t look like a rocket pocket bodybuilder, but honestly the gym! It’s my side hobby, and I know people say it sounds boring but honestly I love it!
No…passion is passion! Never boring!
Exactly!