Alison Oliver praised for ‘outstanding’ Best Interest performance as a teenager between feuding parents
Views praised Alison Oliver’s “outstanding” performance as a teenager caught in the middle of her quarreling parents’ battle over their disabled daughter’s right to life.
The 26-year-old actress is currently starring alongside Sharon Horgan and Michael Sheen in the new BBC drama Best Interests, set in Cheltenham.
The latest episode, which aired last night, follows parents Andrew and Nicci as they try to decide the fate of their disabled daughter Marnie (played by Niamh Moriarty).
The four-part series begins with Marnie – who was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a baby – going into severe cardiac arrest.
As a result, the 13-year-old has brain damage and is completely dependent on a ventilator for survival.
After Marnie’s doctor Samantha (played by Noma Dumezweni) suggests taking the teen off life support, Nicci desperately tries to fight the hospital’s position.
Meanwhile, Andrew supports the medical team’s opinion and refuses to assist his wife in court, leaving their daughter Katie caught in the middle.
In last night’s episode, Katie goes to visit her father, who has moved in with his brother after the argument.
The father and daughter find themselves in a heated argument as Katie accuses Andrew of “abandoning” his family and begs him to “stand next to” her and her mother in court.
During the heartbreaking scene, Katie says to her father, “Marnie [is alive] and my job is to support mom and really try to survive. So your love didn’t help either of them.
‘No, it’s not my job. It’s not really my job to support Mom or you. I should be a fucking teenager so fuck you for doing this to me.”
In response, Andrew tells her, “I didn’t. Mary did […] I don’t blame her, I just acknowledge that her condition caused problems.’
The scene ends with Katie storming out of the house after Andrew refuses to return home – while Nicci continues to work with a ‘Pro Life’ charity to raise money for Marnie’s cause.
Andrew (played by Michael Sheen) sits down with teenage daughter Katie (played by Alison Oliver) after leaving the family home in Best Interests
The heartbreaking scene between the father and daughter struck a chord with viewers – who labeled the actors as ‘superb’
Left: Andrew played by Michael Sheen. Right: Katie played by Alison Oliver in the latest episode of Best Interests
The interaction between the father and daughter struck a chord with viewers, prompting fans to gush about the episode on Twitter as it aired.
One of them wrote, “Jesus is alive, that father-daughter scene was nothing short of fantastic.”
“Wow, what a powerful story,” added another. ‘The best thing I’ve seen on the BBC this year.
“I expect a lot of awards, I look forward to the last episode.”
A third gushed, “That head-to-head scene between Michael Sheen and Alison Oliver was pretty intense with great acting from both actors.”
“Another poignant episode,” said a fourth. “Simply brilliant.”
‘Damn. Best Interests is compelling,’ replied a fifth. “These three clues are all unbelievable.”
Katie (played by Alison Roman) with younger sister Marnie (played by Niamh Moriarty, who has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia)
The series follows Andrew and Nicci (played by Sharon Horgan) as they go to court to decide the fate of their disabled daughter.
Noma Dumezweni (pictured) plays Marnie’s doctor, who advises Nicci and Andrew to stop treatment
“Alison Oliver, you absolutely stole that episode,” said a sixth.
Another fan gave praise to the series overall, tweeting, “Despite its very sad subject matter, it remains heartwarming, deeply nuanced and true to itself, while delving into even more emotional depth with each episode.”
Elsewhere in the series, flashbacks show Nicci and Andrew discovering their daughter has muscular dystrophy and learning more about what this means for her future.
The doctor shares the news that their daughter had the incurable condition and tells them that “further deterioration seems likely, while she is unlikely to be able to walk unassisted and will see further deterioration of major organs.”
“I think you need to get ready or Marnie’s life won’t be a full one.”
He continued, “There are many beautiful stories in this life. Marnie’s life will be different. You will find so much joy as you adjust to that difference.”
Nicci wants every possible intervention for her daughter, including experimental treatments discovered on the internet.
The mother of two tells doctors, “She’s still smiling, she’s still loving.”
However, the medical team argue that continued intervention is not in Marnie’s ‘interests’, saying she is ‘deteriorating rapidly’, although there is suspicion that it is really a matter of money.
The series is written by Jack Thorne – who wrote the script for His Dark Materials.
Previously, Michael said of the project, “Jack Thorne is such an extraordinary writer and he has approached this incredibly important and urgent subject with humanity, honesty and humour.”
Niamh, who has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia, previously said of the role of Marnie: ‘I didn’t think I would ever get a chance to prove myself and my talents’ and called for casting for disabled roles to use disabled actors.
She told the Irish Independent: ‘I hope she does [young people] will feel seen because when I was a kid I never saw myself on a screen and I think if I did it would have completely brightened up my world and made me feel so represented.”
The teenage actor, who grew up in Killiney, County Dublin, said it was hugely important to her to get the character’s “physical attributes” right.