Esther Smith, the West Midlands actress from Stourbridge, has spoken about the experience of acting alongside her real-life partner Rafe Spall in the Apple TV+ and BBC comedy Trying. In a new interview with the Radio Times, she joked that sharing a car home with her co-star might save the producers money.
Joking About Shared Commutes
Smith, who turns 40 next month, told the Radio Times: “It’s funny to spend all day calling each other different names, then go home and be Esther and Rafe.” She added, with humour: “We’re so tired that we don’t really get to debrief on the day. But we get to share a car home, so maybe it’s cheaper for the producers.”
The couple, who became partners two years after Trying premiered, welcomed their first child together in 2024. Smith recently became a mum in real life, mirroring the parenting themes of the show.
About Trying and Its Cast
Trying, created by Andy Wolton, follows Nikki and Jason, a couple who struggle to conceive and decide to adopt. The series premiered in May 2020 on Apple TV+ and is now in its fifth and final run. All five series are available on BBC iPlayer, according to the Mirror.
Smith is best known for her roles in Uncle, Cuckoo, and Trying. She originated the role of Delphi Diggory in the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. She rose to fame in 2010 as Trish in Material Girl and later had guest appearances on Skins and The Midnight Beast. In 2014, she replaced Tamla Kari as Rachel in the second series of Cuckoo on BBC Three, and she also starred in the ITV2 comedy Cockroaches and had a recurring role in Uncle as Melodie.
Chemistry On and Off Screen
Rafe Spall, who has three children with his ex-wife, actress Elize du Toit, previously told The Guardian about working with Smith: “I really love acting with Esther, who’s now my partner. They had Esther in mind before they had me,” he said of the show’s casting directors. “We had acting chemistry before we had chemistry chemistry.”
The interview appears in this week’s Radio Times, a football special marking the return of the Premier League. Trying is available to watch on BBC iPlayer, and Secret Service is on ITVX.
