Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle, who had only just met, found themselves chained together from their very first moments on set, even performing somersaults in their predicament. The stars of the Sky drama “Prisoner” share their experiences regarding bravery, nursing mothers, and their admiration for Denzel Washington.
The trope of an unlikely pair shackled together is a classic in film and television, a device that has captivated audiences for decades. From Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” to Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis in “The Defiant Ones,” and even the animated antics of Bob Hoskins with Roger Rabbit, this scenario has been explored, parodied, and revisited. Yet, as evidenced by Sky’s new series “Prisoner,” the concept of being forcibly connected to a stranger still holds significant dramatic power.
In “Prisoner,” the central pairing consists of Amber Todd, a prisoner transport officer portrayed by the rapidly emerging talent Izuka Hoyle (“Boiling Point,” “Big Boys”) in her debut leading role, and Tibor Stone, a contract killer played by the acclaimed French actor Tahar Rahim (“The Serpent,” “The Mauritanian”). Todd’s mission is to escort Tibor to a crucial court hearing at the Old Bailey. However, their journey takes a dangerous turn when their convoy is ambushed, forcing them to escape a relentless criminal syndicate.
The series unfolds as a dynamic six-part drama, brimming with unexpected plot twists, suspenseful turns, and intense fight sequences, all while the protagonists remain bound by handcuffs.
‘It was like a spiritual experience’: two TV stars on being handcuffed together in every scene
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle had only just met when the crew snapped cuffs on their wrists – and made them do roly-polys. The stars of Sky drama Prisoner talk bravery, breast milk and Denzel Washington.
Few devices in film and television are as enduring as the “odd couple handcuffed together”. Think Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis in The Defiant Ones, or Bob Hoskins sawing cuffs off a cartoon Roger Rabbit. It has been parodied and recycled – and yet, as Sky’s new show Prisoner makes clear, the idea of being stuck with a stranger still packs a punch.
In Prisoner, the odd couple are Amber Todd, a prisoner transport officer played by rising star Izuka Hoyle (Boiling Point, Big Boys) in her first leading role, and Tibor Stone, a contract killer played by French star Tahar Rahim ( The Serpent , The Mauritanian ). It is Todd’s job to get Tibor to his high-profile court hearing at the Old Bailey. But when their convoy is ambushed, they’re forced to flee a relentless crime syndicate.
The result is a propulsive six-parter with plenty of twists, turns and handcuffed fight scenes.