Cracking codes and commanding screens

Stepping into the intense, high-stakes world of cyber warfare, Alex Roach shines in Nightsleeper as Abby, a brilliant cybersecurity expert caught between her personal life and saving lives on a runaway train. Roach opens up about the challenges of portraying a character who thrives under pressure, her unique dynamic with co-star Joe Cole, and why this action-packed role marks a thrilling new chapter in her career.

hube: Abby Aysgarth, your character in Nightsleeper, is the Acting Technical Director at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre. How did you approach developing Abby’s character, particularly her journey from a teenage hacker to a top cybersecurity expert?

Alex Roach: One of the things that really intrigued me about Abby was how deeply committed she is to her work. Over the years, she’s completely immersed herself in the cyber world, almost to the point of losing her sense of self outside of it. When I first started exploring her character, I was fascinated by her backstory – this teenager in South Wales, hacking for fun, who then gets headhunted and pulled into this high-stakes government role.

She’s so dedicated to her job that she’s practically forgotten how to exist outside of it. We meet her just as she’s about to go on her first holiday in years, but she can’t even enjoy that because work pulls her right back in. What I loved most was her intuition – she’s always two steps ahead, always sensing when something’s wrong. That’s where the series kicks off, with her getting pulled back to the office just as she’s about to switch off.

h: The show explores themes of isolation and connectivity, both physically on the train and digitally in the cybersecurity centre. How did you convey these themes through Abby’s interactions and decisions?

AR: That sense of isolation was really driven home by the intense pressure Abby’s under. She’s responsible for saving these people on the train, and it’s all on her shoulders. But at the same time, she thrives on that pressure. There’s a moment in the first episode where it’s clear: it’s not the police, it’s not the army – Abby’s in charge. And while that responsibility is isolating, she loves it.

There’s a duality I enjoyed playing with – on the one hand, she’s in her element, in a flow state with the tech and hacking, but on the other, she’s grappling with self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Am I capable of this? Should someone else be doing this? The camera work really added to that sense of claustrophobia, with 360-degree shots that made it feel like the walls were closing in on her.

h: Abby and Joe Roag, played by Joe Cole, must work together under intense pressure without ever meeting in person. How did you and Joe prepare for this unique dynamic, and what challenges did it present?

AR: It was definitely a challenge acting opposite someone who’s never physically in the same space. But that challenge actually worked in our favour. There’s something very intimate about just hearing a voice at the other end of the line – no visual cues, no body language to rely on. It strips everything back to just the voice, and that makes the connection between Abby and Joe’s character even more intense.

At first, Joe and I would be on set together, off-camera, to give each other that energy. But as the series progressed, I worked with a brilliant actor named John Scoogle who would call me from a real phone while I was on set. That intimacy of just hearing a voice, especially in such high-stakes situations, gave Abby moments to breathe and collect herself. It was a great way to show her growing trust in this person she’s never met.

h: Throughout your career, you’ve portrayed a wide range of characters, from comedy to drama. How do you approach preparing for such diverse roles, and what draws you to a character when you first read a script?

AR: It’s different with every role. Sometimes, I don’t connect with a character until I’m halfway through filming! Other times, I’ll read a script and know exactly who this character is within the first few pages. With Abby, it was the latter. I knew straight away that I had to play her – it was an instinctive feeling like she was fully formed in my mind already.

For other roles, it’s more of a journey. I’ll dive into research – what they do for work, what they are into – and from there, I build out their world. It’s a loose, open process, but over time, I’ve become more confident in trusting my technique. Now, I don’t question whether I’m doing enough – I just embrace my process and let the character take shape.

h: Who are some of the actors or performances that have influenced your acting style, and how have they impacted your approach to your technique?

AR: Working with Meryl Streep was a formative experience for me. I was fresh out of drama school, and to not only act in the same film but play the younger version of her character, Margaret Thatcher, was surreal. Watching her work was an education in itself – she’s so precise with her craft, but also so gracious and kind to everyone on set.

What struck me most was how she conducted herself as the leading actor. She set the tone for the entire production with her professionalism and warmth. That’s something I’ll never forget, and it’s influenced how I approach my work and how I treat people on set. She had such grace and power, and I learned so much just by observing her.

h: Looking ahead, are there any genres or types of characters you haven’t yet explored but are eager to? What excites you about these potential new directions in your career?

AR: I’ve loved stepping into action drama with Night Sleeper. It’s been a new challenge, and I’m excited to keep pushing myself in that direction. But one thing I haven’t done yet is sci-fi, and I’d love to try that. I’m a huge fan of realism, so the idea of bringing real, truthful emotions into a completely otherworldly setting – green screens, special effects, the whole deal – would be such a fascinating challenge.

On the flip side, I’m also doing a lot of writing at the moment, and I’m really drawn to the idea of directing one day. Working with actors I admire and stepping behind the camera to shape their performances is something that’s been on my mind a lot lately. Who knows what that could lead to?