“Some of my best work in [The Rig] is when I can’t understand what the other person is saying,” laughs Emily Hampshire, who filmed the supernatural thriller series “at the height of COVID” (therefore masks) with a predominantly Scottish cast (therefore accent barrier) including Iain Glen, Mark Bonnar and Martin Compston; the latter of which she describes as the country’s “Justin Bieber”. “He is so famous,” she says. “When I posted about The Rig, Annie Murphy from Schitt’s Creek texted me like, ‘You worked with Martin Compston?! Like, Line of Duty?!’ I need to see that. He hasn’t seen Schitt’s Creek, though.” 

The Prime Video series follows the crew of the Kinlock Bravo oil rig in the ferocious waters of the North Sea, who encounter a an all-enveloping fog that halts communication with the outside world. Allegiances are formed, tattoos mysteriously vanish and Hampshire leads as the fierce Rose Mason, an oil company representative and scientist coming to terms as the newbie on board while finding her footing in a “man’s world”. “She doesn’t care about being liked,” the star explains. “It’s like Stevie in Schitt’s Creek. When people who are fans of the show meet me, they’re very disappointed that I’m not as cool as Stevie. But, I wanted to play Stevie so I can take a vacation from myself and be chill.”

Ahead of its release (all six episodes of The Rig are available to stream now), we caught up with Hampshire to discuss the acclaimed new series – including the “unimaginable” storylines that “will happen someday” – how Schitt’s Creek changed the course of queer representation on television and how her career-defining role as Stevie hasn’t “pigeonholed” her as an actor. Of course, we had to ask about that potential Schitt’s Creek film…

Emily, why are you not wearing your kilt?

Because I wore it yesterday! Was it yesterday? What is time? Anyway, you can’t wear it the day after because it’s dirty. I wore underwear. You’re supposed to wear a kilt with no underwear, but I wore underwear.

In Scotland, in that weather?

Yes! They’re so comfortable though, and now I get why guys like to wear kilts.

Right. Let’s talk about the show! I will say, I’m glad it’s not just about a rig and that there’s some supernatural elements there.

Yeah, me too. First of all, I didn’t even know what a rig was, because we [Americans] don’t know what that is. I, also, would not want to be in a show that’s just about a rig. Not that that’s not fun, but it’s not my thing! What I love about the supernatural element is, because I don’t normally like stuff that’s fantasy or supernatural, it reminds me of Black Mirror where it could happen. It’s this close because it’s based on real science. In a couple of years, this might no longer be supernatural. It might just be natural.