E4 FRIDAY
EX-EASTENDERS STAR JONNY LABEY ON SWAPPING WALFORD FOR HOLLYOAKS…
Move over Warren Fox, there’s a new gangster in town! Meet Rex, an underworld associate of Warren’s with an air of danger and a glint in his eye. Enigmatic Rex may be a newcomer to Hollyoaks village, but his face will be familiar to EastEnders fans – as actor Jonny Labey previously played Paul Coker, the doomed lover of Ben Mitchell who was tragically murdered back in 2016.
So what’s it like to go from being Walford’s boy next door to playing a scary sociopath set to stir up trouble in Hollyoaks? Let’s ask the man himself…
Hi, Jonny! Tell us about Rex…
He’s definitely here to cause a stir, and comes in at full throttle! Rex has a troubled background and comes from the criminal world. Importance and status are everything to him – when he arrives, he’s protected by two bodyguards. He’s a man who won’t mind getting his hands dirty.
Is Rex set to be a friend or enemy of Warren’s, can you tell us?
Rex is going straight for the jugular with Warren. My first scenes are with Hollyoaks royalty! It’s clear he’s come marching in wanting to take over that empire. I describe him as a bull in a china shop – very active and energised.
Have you based him on anyone?
I actually compare him to Gnasher the dog from Dennis & Gnasher! There’s a crazed look in his eye all the time, there’s an unpredictability and you never quite know what he’s after. He’s so different to other roles I’ve had and he’s a joy to play.
He’s also involved with Ste – what’s their dynamic?
Without going into too much detail their relationship gets very interesting! There’s a flirty energy that’s set up between them, but you don’t know what Rex’s genuine intentions are. He enjoys having power over people and turning them against each other. He manipulates Ste, and it becomes a dangerous situation…
Does Rex have a nice side?
There’s charm in there somewhere. You can’t just be a bad guy, you need something the audience wants to understand. Initially Rex was meant to be this towering guy with rippling muscles – some of the other guys who went for the part were massive! We’ve gone down the Peaky Blinders route – a swindling, gregarious
