"Ianto dies? Shit! I didn’t see that coming..." she cried, causing a few moments of laughter. Eve played Gwen Cooper on the series – starting out as "the girl next door" type of character but hardening into a very formidable female action figure.

Eve told us the general strong fan response people have to Torchwood was both due to the writing and the acting. She has done a lot of other work in various genres and on different mediums beside Torchwood but "it reached out to millions of people...because it was such a special show and when you have the reaction like you did with Ianto - and we also had a massive reaction when the other two characters died (Owen and Toshiko)...when we do get that kind of reaction means people care a great deal and that’s a huge compliment to us as a team...that we’ve made something that people are passionate about."

For this expo, she will get a chance to see up close the fan reaction. On the Friday night of the Expo there will be an evening reception ("The Hub") with the three actors. Eve was very excited for this event, as at most expos "you go to signings and nine times out of ten you don’t really get a chance to talk to the most important people there – which are the fans, because they’ve paid and saved up and look forward to the event."

Yet as a performer in the series she does love to hear the direct fan response to Torchwood. "Having that event gives me that time to sit down and chew the fat...and just give them a special evening. I look forward to doing that." Generally, though, she enjoys doing signings like at the Calgary Expo because she gets to hook up with her work buddies John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness) and Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones): "you all go away and do different things and then you come and you do a signing and it brings us back together...it’s super exciting and it kind of rekindles everything again."

There’s a lot of great chemistry between the cast - especially in previous panels at other conventions, it has been noted how well the cast gets along and plays off of each other. Eve agrees, adding, "the great thing about having them (John and Gareth) on a panel is sometimes I can just lay back and it’s kind of like...wind the clock and let it go...it makes it a bit easier for me because they get into trouble."

Sadly, the Torchwood gang won’t be getting into any kind of trouble in a new series – it has been put on an indefinite hiatus because creator Russell T Davies is busy, which is unfortunate because many fans would love to see the continuing development of Eve’s character Gwen Cooper. We’ve seen her become more militant, more grown up, more matter of fact; but now she has a child and this is something which she shares with actress Eve. This addition to the character was a bit of a hard challenge for Eve because, "I realize what it is to go to work every day and not have my daughter with me. It’s really, really difficult...never mind going to work every day and not knowing whether you’re going to come home. With what Gwen Cooper has to go through she could be killed any point..."

However, Eve adores the character and would love to have her return to kick ass: "I’d love to come back and play her for a little bit more before I’m too old to be running around in leather and jumping out of helicopters." Gwen has become physically and mentally tougher and this evolution is so fascinating. Granted, Eve does admit there’s a chance Gwen could be killed off, but "I respect that...because that’s what the show is about. It’s about not being safe, it’s about turning things on its head, and surprising people."

Speaking of surprising – it is always amusing to find out talent appearing at the Expo are also there as fans themselves. Eve has had crushes on various actors she’s seen at other conventions, and has had her fan girl moments. "Look I’m the biggest fan girl that lives. I’m ridiculously star struck constantly at the signings...I make a complete ass of myself at almost every signing I go to because I get over-excited...sweaty...hot and bothered...loud and giggly. So you can guarantee that would be pretty much how I behave in Calgary. It’s having all these brilliant people who you watch and admire under one roof in a weekend – condensed - is very exciting. But of course I’ve heard there’s John Barrowman going, so I’m super excited to meet him. I’ve heard he’s a bit crazy and I’ve heard he’s shown his bits off when he’s had a few glasses of wine."

Finally, while we’re waiting for more Torchwood, do look for Eve starring in a new series on BBC 1 called Frankie. "It’s a new six-part drama...it’s very modern, warm drama about Frankie who is a senior district nurse who faces death every day and with that comes a little bit of comedy. Brilliant cast..it’s very quirky and I’m very excited for people to see it."

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Contributor Evan Kayne | Jason Clevett |

Locale Calgary |

Person Eve Myles |

Topic Calgary Expo | Celebrity Interview | Comic Expo | Torchwood |