Mickey Argyll
A Londoner to his bones. Crude, home-made tattoos adorn his arms. Nothing can shake the East End out of the boy, despite his adopted mother’s best intentions. He is not at ease in the entitled smugness of the Argyll family.
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Christian Cooke on Mickey
The character of Mickey always seems to exist around the periphery of the family. Describe his relationship with the rest of the Argyles?
He’s a broken hearted little boy inside and that fuels his menacing attitude
I think Mickey has a rebellious nature. He came to the house as an adopted ten-year old which would have been quite traumatic at that age. He has always resisted the conformity of certain society demands and isn’t keen on things like family photographs or stuffy family parties. He gets on with his father, Leo but his relationship with Rachel, like the other children, has always been a bit strained. I see him as a rebel of sorts within the group. He and Jack are very close and he certainly sees himself in the role as very much Jack’s protector and older brother.
What is Mickey’s relationship like with Rachel?
Mickey was a damaged child and that has continued through adolescence and early adulthood. I think Rachel has always tried to mould him (and his siblings) to be this regular child that conforms to the expectations of his mother’s class in society and that has always jarred with him. His relationship with Leo is different. Leo really sees Mickey as his son. He’s never had that relationship with Jack and I think Mickey strives to always impress Leo and have his approval. Plus Leo has been a natural father figure from the start and he hasn't replaced anybody; he is the only father figure Mickey’s ever known.
Tell us about Mickey's tattoos and what they mean?
The tattoos are something he’s done himself with Indian ink. That’s the sort of person he is, a bit of a rebel. Some are from his time spent in the army when he was posted to Korea. He’s also got two swallows on his chest that you see in an episode. They are a visual representation of his unwillingness to fit in or conform and his need to always have something to kick back against.
What sort of words would you use to describe Mickey?
There is a balance of rage and vulnerability within him and those two emotions are obviously linked. He’s a broken hearted little boy inside and that fuels his menacing attitude. He can have a short temper at times and essentially that all originates from his adoption and volatile and traumatic early years. Rage and hurt and pain all bubble beneath the surface of his stony veneer.
