Forget Nidge - I want to see a female gun-toting 'Nidgella' in Love/ Hate

Love/Hate actress Mary Murray wants more gun-toting female gangsters in RTE's gangland drama.

Murray, who plays the part of brothel madam Janet, thinks it's high time a female counterpart to drug lord Nidge was introduced into the series.

"It would be great if there was a female Nidge in the next series," she told the Herald.

"We could call her 'Nidgella'. I think it would be brilliant if there was a female boss like that to balance things out."

The gangster series has been criticised in the past for the depiction of women.

Critics have labelled the female characters as "auxiliary" and "docile" but Murray believes this has been addressed in more recent series.

"I think there are more women in it now," Murray said. "I think that was a decision Stuart made a year or so ago.

"I am happy women's roles are getting bigger because women don't get enough parts on TV or in theatre."

The season premiere of the IFTA-winning drama will air tomorrow evening on RTE 1.

Murray was informed just two weeks before filming commenced that she would be reappearing in the show.

"I was completely in the dark until a week or two beforehand. It was very close to the wire," she said.

"And on top of that you don't know if you're going to be in it for the long haul or killed off within the first three seconds.

"It's very nerve wracking reading through those scripts," she added. "You can't get complacent because you never know who's going to get shot next."

Despite landing a integral role in the series Murray says she's not "minted".

"We're not all millionaires from that show," she said.

FANTASTIC

"It's another job and while it's great to get it, at the end of it nobody is being made a millionaire. The actors are not making a mint."

Murray works part-time as a drama teacher and was delighted when one of her students Lewis Harris landed the part of Janet's son, Aaron, in the series.

"I made the suggestion and was delighted when he got the part. He's a fantastic actor," she said.

The 17-year-old briefly appeared in the first series and was blown away by the reaction he received online.

"I didn't tell that many people I was going to be in it," Lewis explained.

"After I was on the show I got over 400 friend requests on Facebook. I thought my phone was going to explode."

"The next day when I went into assembly my headmaster mentioned it and all my mates were chanting my name it was mad. I turned scarlet."

Harris previously starred in TV series Roy and TV3's School Run but says being on Love/Hate is his biggest gig to date.

"Being on set with such amazing actors is an amazing experience," he said.

"I was a bit intimidated at first when I met Tom Vaughan Lawlor, but he's a lovely guy and put me at ease. He is so different from the character you see on screen."

The Hartstown native is studying for his Leaving Cert and wants to become a professional actor.

hnews@herald.ie