Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge says the Hot Priest broke the fourth wall in show’s plot twist ending because she wanted his character to ‘mirror’ hers
Phoebe Waller-Bridge has spoken about why Andrew Scott’s Hot Priest broke the fourth wall in Fleabag’s second season.
The actress, 35, spoke with BAFTA about the plot twist during their TV session on The Making of Fleabag via Facebook on Tuesday, and detailed why Fleabag and The Priest felt ‘witnessed’ during the entirety of the season.
Saying she wanted a love interest for Fleabag who would ‘match her intelligence and perceptiveness’, she explained that she was keen for The Priest to ‘mirror’ her character’s experience with the camera, but with God.
Explanation: Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge discussed why the Hot Priest broke the fourth wall in show’s plot twist ending during a chat with BAFTA about the show on Tuesday
Phoebe detailed: ‘[Fleabag] has a relationship with the camera the whole way through, and it was interesting to have someone who has a similar thing, he’s mirrored [because] he has God.
‘And she’s witnessed by the camera the whole way through, and in the end, the big question for her is whether or not she can let go of the camera – and he’s witnessed by God the whole time, and is always having to check into that the whole time.
‘And in the end he has the same question, so I just felt like it would be a really good way to mirror each other’s journeys.’
Interesting: Phoebe claimed she wanted Andrew Scott’s character to ‘mirror’ hers as Fleabag felt ‘witnessed’ by the camera while he felt the unseen presence of God
When asked if she felt like Fleabag was speaking to someone in particular when she breaks the fourth wall, Phoebe claimed it was more of a symbolic presence in a similar vein to how The Priest would see God.
She added: ‘I feel like it’s that pressure of being watched, and feeling watched, and feeling like if you’re not being witnessed, does what you’re doing count for anything, does it matter?
‘She’s constantly grappling with this need for the audience to validate her. It’s a really fraught… relationship.
Matching: Phoebe added that she wanted a love interest for Fleabag who would ‘match her intelligence and perceptiveness’ and who could ‘mirror’ her experiences with the camera
‘For me it was more about that, and the same for him [The Priest], constantly questioning – there’s a pressure on him the whole time, asking him if he’s a good person.’
Fleabag’s second season ended with the titular character bidding goodbye to the camera, while The Priest chose to remain with God by keeping his priesthood.
Phoebe concluded the show with its second outing and has remained firm on that stance, despite fans calling for more, as she felt it was the ‘right decision’.
Thought process: Of the two characters, she said: ‘In the end, the big question for her is whether or not she can let go of the camera – and he’s witnessed by God the whole time’