Matthew plays James Rafferty, a character who is always getting up to all sorts of mischief with wife Hayley, on the long-running RTÉ soap opera but believes his character is a good father
Fair City actor Matthew O’Brien, who plays James Rafferty(Image: Beta Bajgart)
Matthew O’Brien says playing Fair City’s James Rafferty is very interesting as a dad himself.
The actor plays the Carrigstown favourite, who, alongside wife Hayley Collins, always seems to find himself in the centre of drama.
As well as ups and downs with Hayley, James has also had to contend with his parents, Emma and Con, as well as co-parenting son Milo with his ex – and current enemy – Holly.
Despite drama with Holly, James wants to have a good relationship with his son, which Matthew says is “the real crux of the matter”.
Matthew said: “I do think James is a good father. I really do.
“As a father myself, I find that dynamic very interesting to play.
“He can be very ruthless, but I think he’s trying not to be the father his father was to him.
“I think he finds himself falling into the same rut sometimes as his dad Con.
“It’s the inevitable curse of eventually becoming our parents in one way, shape or form.
“I think it’s a very interesting thing to play, especially having such a young infant in the house and then Milo getting older by the minute.
“He needs more attention and he needs that father figure present, so it’s nice that they show that.”
Teasing what could happen with Milo in the future, James teased: “Potentially, what might happen with that dynamic is interesting too because Holly is well able to hold that over James’ head.
“That’s the gun to his head constantly. Otherwise there would be no living in the house.
“I think when there is plotting and scheming to be done against Holly, James would only bring it so far because she is ultimately the father of his son.”
James and Hayley never seem to be drama-free, but always find a way to put their past behind them.
Matthew told TV Now: “Sometimes in between scenes, Rebecca [Grimes, who plays Hayley] and I joke and go, ‘Remember that time I tried to kidnap your mother?’.
“Normal couples have all these little gripes that are constantly brought up.
“James and Hayley should be held up as ambassadors for getting over stuff.”
The actor also praised his co-star Rebecca for their characters’ onscreen chemistry.
He added: “It’s like a godsend. It really is a godsend.
“Rebecca is just a very generous performer in general and funny.
“I think that’s what allows you to have that chemistry because you’re doing quite intense scenes.
“If you’re plotting and scheming, you have to have a little laugh in between scenes to cleanse the palate.”
Fair City airs four nights a week on RTE One and RTE Player. Have you been following any of the storylines recently?
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