“This is for me, one of those shows I’d really like to watch myself”: Vicky McClure on Insomnia

This six-part psychological thriller series, Insomnia, delves into the lives of a dysfunctional family affected by a past that resurfaces after a family death. Adapted from the 2022 novel of the same name by Sarah Pinborough, the story unravels around a successful lawyer called Emma Averill (Vicky McClure) who starts suffering from bouts of severe insomnia as she approaches her milestone 40^th birthday.

After a troubled childhood where Emma and her sister Phoebe (Leanne Best) are put into foster care when their mother is committed to a secure unit after a breakdown, the sisters become estranged. The pair are then reunited under tragic circumstances, where they begin to forge their lost connection and find out more about their troubled past. Intertwined into this narrative are the relationships between Emma and her husband Robert (Tom Cullin), their children, friends and work colleagues.

The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking to McClure about the storylines and what made her want to be part of this project, the elements of horror that weave their way through the narrative and how she prepared to play someone suffering with acute insomnia.

Ezelle Alblas

Insomnia is released on Paramount+ on 24^th May 2024.

Watch the trailer for Insomnia here: