Former Skins star Megan Prescott has opened up in regards to the trials and tribulations of starring within the hit collection as a youngster.
The actress turned grownup content material creator was simply 16-years-old when she joined the forged of the hit E4 present as ‘Katie f***ing Fitch’ alongside her twin sister Kathryn.
The sisters starred within the second era of Skins alongside the likes of Jack O’Connell, Kaya Scodelario, Luca Pasqualino and Ollie Barbieri.
And as anybody who tuned in will keep in mind, their characters lives largely revolved round getting excessive, hooking up with each other and throwing wild home events.
Prescott advised LADbible that she and her ready-made sidekick Kathryn have been ‘beside themselves’ once they waltzed onto our screens with placing pink hair again in 2009.
“It was my favorite present and it felt like a dream come true to be in it,” the 34-year-old stated. “We have been having a whale of a time.”
However there was a darker aspect to the teenager drama too, because the writers did not draw back from controversial storylines which mirrored the uncooked realities of what life was like for a typical teenager within the UK.
Substance abuse, sexuality, teenage being pregnant, consuming problems, and psychological sickness have been all on the desk – and intercourse scenes have been additionally an everyday prevalence.
April Pearson, who performed Michelle Richardson, beforehand spoke out a couple of ‘f***ed up expertise’ she had when capturing intimate moments, whereas her co-star Nicholas Hoult who portrayed Tony Stonem additionally described it as ‘bizarre’.
Scodelario, who starred as Effy Stonem, beforehand alleged that ‘the safeguarding wasn’t there’ throughout filming, whereas O’Connell, who performed James Prepare dinner, additionally previously admitted he felt ‘compromised’ whereas capturing intercourse scenes.
In hindsight, Prescott says she realises she ‘wasn’t absolutely ready’ for the fact of being on TV at such a young age – or how ‘uncomfortable’ some elements of being a Skins star would make her.
She believes the BAFTA-winning present ‘would not be made’ at the moment and has now revealed what she thinks of the protections – or lack thereof – that have been in place for the adolescent forged.
Talking to LADbible forward of the return of her one-woman present, Actually Good Publicity, to Soho Theatre, Prescott stated: “I feel the great thing about Skins was that it was actual individuals, taking part in actual youngsters.
“Having actual youngsters was what made the present so relatable and so profitable. But it surely was new territory. Most [teen] reveals earlier than that, these individuals have been grown adults – they simply seemed younger.
“I think about there was a number of trial and error and by right this moment’s requirements, [Skins] would not be made. Intimacy coordinators did not even exist then, it wasn’t even a factor.
“There have been numerous scenes the place I used to be actually uncomfortable on the time, as a result of I used to be insecure about my physique.
“Wanting again, there actually ought to have been some model of an intimacy coordinator, even when it did not exist, to navigate [the sex scenes]. We did not know what the hell we have been doing.”
Prescott – who grew to become a stripper aged 22 to assist fund her artistic work earlier than later launching her OnlyFans profession – stated she and her forged mates ‘simply desperately wished to be on the present’.
“We might have stated sure to numerous issues,” the author, director and actor stated.
Looking back, Prescott believes that there ‘ought to have been much more protections put in place’ for the teenager actors starring within the ‘highly-sexualised’ present.
“However I’m tentative in charge Skins completely, as a result of the tradition on the time – and nonetheless to some extent now – was not ok,” the London-born star added. “I am actually grateful to be on the present. It felt like a dream come true to be in it.
“However as any teenager – particularly a teenage woman – will most likely relate, being actually insecure about your physique after which having that on tv is one thing that nobody actually tells you about earlier than it is on TV.
“You get the half, and you are like, good,” Megan continued. “After which when it is out, you are like, ‘Oh yeah, my physique and my complete life is now on show for the world’.
“I do not suppose I used to be absolutely ready for that. It was a little bit of a soar scare.”
Prescott feels far more snug in her personal pores and skin as of late and now sells attractive snaps of herself on-line – as, in line with the actress, it is a lot simpler than stripping off for a intercourse scene on set.
“After I’ve achieved OnlyFans, I have been in complete management at each step of the best way,” she advised LADbible. “I’d be far more nervous to do a intercourse scene on TV or in a movie, as a result of I do know it isn’t me who’s enhancing it, it isn’t me who’s lighting it, it isn’t me who’s selecting when to publish it. It is little or no management that I’ve. Whereas on OnlyFans, if I do not just like the footage, as soon as I’ve shot it, I can delete it. I’ve all of the management.”
Nonetheless, Prescott has been channelling ‘Katie f***ing Fitch’ as of late – pink hair and all – as she returns to the stage for the grand return of her one-woman present, Actually Good Publicity.
“It’s loosely primarily based on my life, every part in every scene I can relate to in a roundabout way,” the actress advised LADbible of the manufacturing which tells the story of a kid star who’s on the scrap heap and contemplating venturing into the porn trade.
“I wished to place it in the most straightforward and apparent approach as doable, how hypocritical it’s how we deal with girls primarily based on what they select to do with their physique,” Prescott stated.
“There’s issues about society that we don’t like, however the reply to that’s not to penalise individuals for doing what makes probably the most sense on the time.
“Me working at a Wetherspoons for £6 an hour vs going to work at a strip membership and incomes £200 an evening…that made most sense. And that’s the one purpose that I’ve been capable of proceed my artistic work.”
Prescott defined she funded the award-winning run of Actually Good Publicity at Edinburgh Fringe final yr by flogging her ‘first ever full nudes on OnlyFans together with her face in’.
“Which I used to be at all times terrified to do,” she added. “Individuals will nonetheless be like, ‘It’s such a disgrace that she appears like she must promote nudes to fund her work’.
“And I’m like no, the disgrace is that I can’t make a residing wage doing artistic work. That’s the problem that we must be making an attempt to alter.”
Actually Good Publicity returns for a two week run at London’s Soho Theatre from 2 September to 13 September. You’ll be able to take a look at extra particulars here.
