An Interview with Zoe Richards – The Actress who Played Louise Paxton

In the Dark was an extraordinary internet drama that was broadcast (or should I say uploaded) onto YouTube between April and July of 2007. The drama focuses on Louise Paxton, a young woman who moves from Norwich to London to begin an exciting new life. The initial videos are fairly innocent. They show Louise having a farewell party with her friends in Norwich and then enjoying her new home. But pretty soon this idyllic life begins to fall apart. Louise begins to suspect that she is being stalked, and unsettling incidents in her flat appear to confirm this.

The video series was directed by Andrew Cull, who, working with a low-budget used practical effects with remarkable results in heightening the suspense of the drama. But the real star is Louise herself. Her video diaries are heartbreaking. She is increasingly scared, exhausted and always sympathetic. When the videos first came out, YouTube was in its infancy and the internet was awash with speculation that the videos were genuine, and even years later some viewers are still taken in by the story.

In the Dark was, of course, a hoax, or a drama, whichever label you prefer. It wasn’t real. I played a role in bringing this to light when I revealed the character of Louise Paxton was played by the actress Zoe Richards. I subsequently interviewed Andrew Cull who went on to direct the film The Torment (also known as The Possession of David O’Reilly) and is now a novelist based in Australia. For some time, I’ve been trying to get in touch with Zoe Richards. Her performance as Louise is heartrending and is key to the enduring appeal of In the Dark. Zoe Richards went on to play roles in Get Him to the Greek and Mr Selfridge. I was delighted when she agreed to be interviewed by me about the experience of playing Louise Paxton:

Interviewer: How did you first become involved in the production of In the Dark?

Richards: It was one of the first auditions I went to when I came back to the UK after studying at Lee Strasberg (Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute) in New York. I signed up to an online audition website. I was working six nights a week in a bar in Soho and auditioning for anything and everything in the daytime.

Interviewer: Did you bring a lot of your own personality and experiences to the character of Louise, or would say you are two very different people?

Richards: I experienced a stalker when I was eighteen years of age at university. We had to get the police involved. Working on In the Dark made me feel like I almost made a tribute to women like me. Scared to leave their homes. I wanted to be a part of something that made people aware of it.

Interviewer: Were the videos tightly scripted or did Andy Cull allow room for improvisation?

Richards: There was a producer and writer/director. I always took instruction from them but it was a fluid creative project. So I was allowed to bring my training from Lee Strasberg in. As naturalistic as possible. I wasn’t involved in the streaming or real time posting of the project. That was all the mastermind of Cull. He had a vision. And executed it well.

Interviewer: The drama is an intense viewing experience. Was it an exhausting experience to film?

Richards: No. I was hired for a two week period. Paid expenses for travel from Victoria (where I was living) to Streatham where we filmed the project. I made no profit. I was trying to get a showreel together after finishing Drama School in New York.

Interviewer: Did playing Louise Paxton have a beneficial impact on your career?

Richards: No. I did have to audition for The Torment after In the Dark. I gained the lead female role. I only realised it had gained gravitas after receiving your message over twelve years later recently. I had no idea some of the videos had over 600 thousand views on YouTube. Well done Andy. The writer is the star not the actor.

Zoe is too modest. Her performance as Louise Paxton is stunning and will sear its way into your brain. Watch In the Dark and prepare to be emotionally haunted.