Iwan Rheon hopes BBC’s harrowing climate change thriller makes viewers ‘think about the world’

As Britain braces itself for the fourth heatwave of this summer, it feels alarmingly apt that the BBC’s latest thriller is set in a dystopian future where it is normal for Wales to be 42°C.

Based on Liz Jensen’s novel of the same name from 2010, The Rapture explores a near-future where temperatures continue to rise in the UK and religious cult groups run rampant.

Starring Ruth Madeley as forensic psychologist Gabrielle Fox, who believes that inmate Bethany Krall (India Amarteifio) is innocent after being convicted of murdering her mother, the psychological thriller is certainly not an easy watch.

However, for Iwan Rheon, who plays struggling journalist Dick, the 41-year-old actor hopes the series can make viewers reflect on the world around them.

Speaking to Metro, the former Game of Thrones and Misfits star says: ‘I hope people enjoy a female-led psychological drama that’s genuinely thought-provoking.

‘It might make people think a little about the world and how it works, but at its core it’s about people who’ve become a bit lost finding themselves again.

‘It’s thoughtful, but it also has humour, warmth and a bit of cheekiness as well.’

Still coming to terms with a car crash that killed her husband and left her paralysed from the waist down, Gabrielle discusses her trauma throughout the series with her own psychotherapist (Ruth Jones).

Meanwhile, after being imprisoned following the death of her mother, Bethany claims to have psychic abilities.

From religion to climate change and magical powers, Iwan admits that the series does sound ‘a bit mad’ when you list them all.

‘But really, at its heart, it’s about two women and their relationship, and two people rediscovering themselves after going through real hardship,’ he explains.

‘It’s dealing with huge themes like climate change, religion and the media, but it keeps bringing things back to believable characters. I think that’s what makes it work.’

Describing his own character, Dick, who joins forces with Gabrielle to uncover the mystery at the heart of The Rapture, Iwan says that: ‘For me personally, Dick was just a lot of fun to play. When we first meet him he’s completely lost, sitting in apathy and trying to rediscover himself.

‘We had to make sure that he didn’t become a caricature. Things like him putting vodka in his orange juice might be funny, but they’re also signs that he’s struggling.

‘I wanted people to feel that he wasn’t just a bumbling idiot – he’d genuinely lost his way.’

Asked about working with co-star Ruth, Iwan tells me that she was ‘wonderful to work with’.

‘She’s such a warm person and a real leader on set. She genuinely cared about everyone, and that creates such a positive atmosphere,’ he says.

Filmed in Wales, the Misfits star revealed that the current scorching temperatures in Britain were absent for much of their shoot.

However, getting the opportunity to return to South Wales was a highlight.

‘It was lovely to be back home,’ he says.

‘I’m really proud of what Wales offers as a filming location now. We’ve got fantastic crews, brilliant facilities and so many different landscapes.’

Renowned for playing dark, intense villains, such as the unforgettable Ramsay Bolton, Iwan admits that he’d happily take on some more straightforward roles in the future.

‘It’s always more interesting to play complex characters because there’s more to get your teeth into,’ he says.

‘Having said that, it would be nice to play someone completely straightforward every now and then. They don’t always have to be tortured!’

All episodes of The Rapture are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.