The Road Trip's Emma Appleton: 'There's a magnetism between Addie and Dylan'

When What To Watch is invited by Paramount Plus to join the cast and crew of its new romantic comedy The Road Trip on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, we’re not expecting it to be a truly immersive experience.

However, in the spirit of the six-part tale — based on Beth O’Leary’s best-selling novel of lovelorn Addie and sister Deb, en route to a wedding in Spain when they’re forced to share their campervan journey with, among others, Addie's ex Dylan (Mary & George’s Laurie Davidson) — we are soon embarking on our own scenic route, taking in many of the island’s picturesque filming locations. These include south Gran Canaria’s biggest hill town of Tunte; the mountainous Village of Tejeda; the Guayadeque Ravine and the Village of Agüimes.

"The brilliant thing about Gran Canaria is there's so many different terrains," Emma Appleton, who plays Addie, tells us during a break in filming. "There's this villa where we've spent a lot of time, that’s so green and beautiful with views of the sea, then you can be somewhere that’s dry and deserted — and a bit like the Wild West!"

Two years since Addie and Dylan last saw each other, the drama intercuts between the pair’s "holiday romance" in the past and the escapades of the present-day road trip…

"There’s a magnetism between Addie and Dylan; they challenge each other and are intrigued by each other’s differences," explains Emma. "When they meet again in the present, there's clearly something unresolved there and they handle it in different ways. Addie and Dylan have two years of unanswered questions — and they can't run from hard truths in that van!"

Indeed, Emma and her castmates spent long periods filming in the van!

"We’re in it the whole time; first in Bristol, then in Grand Canaria, finishing up in a sound studio in Madrid to film the interiors," Emma teases about the drama, which also stars Foundation’s Isabella Laughland, as Addie’s sister Deb, Industry’s David Jonsson, as Dylan’s best pal Marcus, plus The Crown’s Angus Imrie as loveable hanger-on Rodney.

"The van lends itself to that ‘pressure cooker’ situation on screen," offers Emma. "It looks claustrophobic but it’s actually quite spacious; you can fit a cameraman and a whole camera kit in there. Though, Izzy and I sat in the front while the boys were in the cheap seats!"

Amid confusion over why the pair broke up, the group must navigate secrets and revelations that cause a few bumps in the road...

"This road trip happens across two days, so the dynamics between all of these characters is really intense; it feels like anything could happen or a secret could come out at any time," reveals Emma. "It’s a real journey of self discovery; just like the road trip itself, who knows where these guys are gonna end up or how they're gonna end up as people."

The Road Trip is a six-part series that will premiere in the UK, Canada and Australia on Paramount Plus on Thursday, December 26, 2024, so a lovely Boxing Day treat! There's no US release date yet.