Chloe star opens up on being 'allergic' to social media 'Makes me want to be sick'
CHLOE is the latest BBC thriller following Becky Green as she dreams of a life like social media star, Chloe Fairbourne. One of the actors opened up about his dislike for social media.
Chloe official BBC series trailer
Chloe made its debut on BBC One and Amazon Prime Video this weekend and the series consists of six episodes. Chloe (played by Poppy Gilbert) has a seemingly picture-perfect life until she ends up dead. Actor Billy Howle, who plays Elliot Fairbourne in the series, spoke out about his views on social media.
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Chloe's charmed life has attracted Becky Green (Erin Doherty) for a long time.
She has a doting husband and a circle of high-achieving friends.
Becky's life is completely different as she cares for her mother, with early-onset dementia, in their seaside flat in Bristol.
After Chloe dies, Becky infiltrates her friendship circle to find out what happened to her.
Elliot Fairbourne is Chloe's husband in the series, and he has certain insecurities.
READ MORE: Chloe cast: Who is in episode 1 of Chloe?
Actor Howle spoke in an RTS interview about how social media creates the perfect facade.
He said: "I personally have always been a bit allergic to it, social media that is.
"But I have had to overcome this allergy and unfortunately there's no doctor really.
"Except for maybe publicists who help you with that, and there's nothing they can really prescribe.
"Except to just practise and the idea for me personally, of practising social media makes me want to be sick."
READ MORE: How many episodes are in Chloe on BBC One?
He did note the benefits of the connectivity, adding: "However, having said that, I do understand why it's there and why it could be useful.
"Why it can be beneficial to us. And actually, it's brought me in touch with people in my life who I haven't seen for a very long time.
"So I can see all the pros and I totally get that. But behind that aspect of it, behind the connectivity of it..."
Opening up on how his character relies on social media, he said: "In terms of Elliot I had to have a more deep-rooted understanding of it.
"Elliot is someone who started a tech company with someone so he's going to really understand this stuff.
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"From its natant years all the way through to where it is when we meet Elliot.
"And why that's an interesting tool for him in terms of networking and staying connected to the right people.
"And putting out messages, sometimes quite subtle, nuanced messages into the ether about his own personal life.
"And how he wishes to be perceived by other people because let's face it, that garners favour.
"So for a politician that could be incredibly useful."
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Still, the actor said he felt social media "comes under some form of manipulation".
He explained: "And that's the part of it that makes me feel slightly uncomfortable. Because I know we do that in our actual social lives anyway.
"We have to put on masks in order to go to social events, and even the people we perceive to be the most confident are often having to work really hard.
"It's like a duck swimming, what we don't see is what's under the water.
"You don't see its legs frantically going like this [gestures legs moving], all we see is this graceful bird floating across this tranquil water.
"It's important to peek behind the veil and get to know the real person, not the Instagram version of them."
Chloe airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm. The series will air on Prime Video in the US.
