The War of the Worlds’ Eleanor Tomlinson ‘thought she would die’ as heavy dress dragged her underwater in swimming scene
THE War of the Worlds’ Eleanor Tomlinson ‘thought she would die’ after her heavy dress dragged her underwater during a botched swimming scene.
The Poldark actress stars in the upcoming BBC drama alongside Rafe Spall, with the classic H.G. Wells’ science fiction novel taking place in the Edwardian period.
The setting required Eleanor, 27, to wear stunning costumes from the period, but one water scene almost ended in disaster.
Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show, the actress said: “The costume was amazing, it was pretty heavy though.
“There was a scene set in the sea, it was actually filmed in a big swimming pool. I had to dive in and I had to swim to save this child.
“That costume when it gets wet, let me tell you, I was like a lead balloon and I just went completely down and ended up sitting on the bottom of the pool just waiting for this diving team to come and rescue me and thinking ‘Oh gosh I think I might die here, this is quite strange.’
“Then sure enough there they were.”
Eleanor won a legion of fans playing Demelza in hit BBC drama Poldark opposite Aidan Turner, with the series coming to an end in August this year.
Despite it only being a few months since the final episode aired, Eleanor spoke about the possibility of a reunion.
She told Jonathan: “You never say never. I kept the corset from Poldark, just because it was so painful and I wanted to never have to wear it again but to own it and think ‘I got through it, I wore it every day’.
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“Now I can eat a burger and chips and be able to enjoy as opposed to not be able to finish it.
“I wouldn’t say no [to a reunion] we’ll see.
“It would be lovely to do a reunion, it would be amazing.”
The War of the Worlds begins on Sunday, November 17 on BBC One at 9pm.