The gripping drama Out There, which delves into the harrowing journey of a father trying to rescue his son from the clutches of a drug gang, has recently launched its six-episode saga. The series spotlights farmer Nathan Williams, portrayed by Martin Clunes, who is determined to shield his teenage son Johnny Williams, played by Louis Ashbourne Serkis, from imminent danger.
Alongside them, the cast includes Mark Lewis Jones as Caleb Williams, Gerran Howell as Rhys Simpson, Michael Obiora as Scott Foley, Michael Elwyn as Owen Thomas, and Sharon Morgan as Gwen Thomas. In an exclusive chat with Express.co.uk, actor Michael Obiora revealed insights about his experience on the show.
The 38 year old Londoner lavished praise on co-star Clunes, saying it was “fantastic” to share the screen with him. “I think he’s a great actor, I’m glad most of my scenes were with him, and we got on very well. I like him a lot,” he remarked.
Obiora, whose career began as a young actor in the series Grange Hill, portrays the enigmatic Scott, who arrives in the village just as Johnny and Nathan are entangled with a dangerous drug gang. Scott quickly becomes privy to their lethal secret.
For his role, Obiora disclosed that he drew inspiration from a personal acquaintance who had been a “real pain” to him and his family. He shared, “They even shared the same name! So without thinking about it very much I found myself channelling that individual, as opposed to doing specific research.”
Martin Clunes’ gritty drama Out There was shot in Wales (Image: ITV)
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Out There, filmed in 2023, was shot across various locations in Wales, including Newport, the Black Mountains and Llandovery. Obiora reflected on the challenges of filming, stating that the unpredictable weather made things “tricky.”
He added: “Often there isn’t as much time spent on camera as one may think. And those are the times when I’d remember that my shoes were”getting muddy!
“But Wales is beautiful – I’ve worked there a lot. We shot Out There from summer to the start of winter, and it was very pretty when it was sunny.”
Michael Obiora as Scott Foley in Out There (Image: ITV)
We shot Out There from summer to the start of winter, and it was very pretty when it was sunny.”
Obiora has a long-standing career in the industry, with credits in Luther, Sexy Beast the TV series, noir drama Fortitude and the Snatch TV series. In addition to acting, Obiora is also a writer, director and producer. His short film Joe Kerr: Laughter Is Therapy, which he wrote, directed and starred in, will be released this year.
Joe Kerr: Laughter Is Therapy tells a deeply personal story about the titular comedian, who performs on stage hours after his father’s death – an event that mirrors Obiora’s own experience. At the age of 16, despite objections from his fellow cast members and the play’s director, Obiora performed at the Royal Court Theatre following his father’s death, describing the stage as the “safest place” for him. Despite the moment being one of his “proudest”, he confessed that the experience had lingered with him over the years, stating “the more I ruminated over it, the more the Joe Kerr film took shape”.
Michael Obiora is not only an actor but a writer, director and author (Image: GETTY)
Alongside the first Joe Kerr film, the star is launching a comedy album version of Laughter Is Therapy and has penned another Joe Kerr comedy special. While writing and acting for Joe Kerr was relatively straightforward for Obiora, he conceded that also serving as the film’s director was “stressful”, elaborating: “It’s quite a few plates to spin.”
“I’m very happy with the way the film turned out,” he expressed, humorously adding that he was “looking forward to directing films that I’m not in at some point”. Despite this sentiment, Obiora has scripted two more films in which he’ll be starring and directing.
He’s also publishing a poetry book and another children’s book, as well as finishing two other short films due out over the next year.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Obiora – who’s already published two novels Black Shoes and Vivian’s Couch – is releasing his debut children’s book Zee Zee The Humble Bee, which he described as a “love letter” both to his younger self and his daughter. Zee Zee The Humble Bee is an engaging rhyming tale about the joys of learning, teaching, and humility for children.
“Now I am a parent I’m mindful of encouraging all children to follow their dreams, and to never dim their light to let others shine,” he stated.
Out There is streaming on ITVX now