Zain Iqbal, star of the hit BBC and Netflix thriller A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, has opened up about the wildest moments on set and how his life has changed since the show's massive success. The first season, based on Holly Jackson's bestselling trilogy, topped Netflix charts globally in 2024, and season two is now streaming on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.
From Covent Garden to the Tube: Fame Hits
Iqbal, who plays Ravi Singh, admitted that fame has crept into his daily life. 'If I go to Covent Garden at 2pm on a Saturday, you get the occasional person trying to come up and say: "Oh, that you were great." I've had it on the tube once or twice. I've sat in front of people reading the book, and they look up, and they realise it's me,' he shared.
Handling the Pressure of a Hit Show
With a passionate fanbase and high expectations for season two, Iqbal focuses on the work rather than external pressure. 'I don't really look into it that much, because then you just put an added pressure on to yourself. I just do the work. I just make sure I know I've done the most I can before I step onto set, and it just gives me a freedom,' he explained. 'Someone's always got something to say, so I just keep my head down and stick with the work.'
Exploring Heavy Themes in a Teen Thriller
The show tackles dark subjects like murder, domestic violence, drug addiction, and sexual assault. Iqbal praised the series for addressing racial prejudice faced by his character's brother, Sal Singh. 'It's so important to tell those stories and go through with it, especially to a younger audience. It opens up their minds in terms of [what happens to marginalised groups]. As a person of colour – I can't personally relate [to Sal] – but I've seen stuff like that happen, and I think it's important to showcase that to the viewer,' he said.
Season Two: A Step Up
Season two picks up with the trial of Max Hastings, who Pip discovered had raped Andie's sister Becca and another classmate. Iqbal promised a tighter script and standout performances, particularly from new cast member Jack Rowan. 'He does a very, very good speech/monologue right at the end. There are great performances, the stories are better, and the scripts are tighter,' he said. Author Holly Jackson was on set 'almost every day,' providing 'inside out knowledge' while giving actors freedom to make roles their own.
The Wildest Moments on Set
Iqbal revealed that season two showcases Ravi's 'fun side' through a thrilling car chase scene in episode five. 'The car chase scene was good fun. It was me, Jude [Morgan-Collie], and Emma [Myers]. They closed off a road and got us in a car – we had the stunt team and everything,' he recalled. Another intense moment was a poignant speech Ravi makes in memory of his brother. 'I've never done anything like that professionally as an actor. It was a good challenge for me. They cut it up; we lost half the speech, but I had to do a full speech in front of 130 extras.'
Ravi and Pip's Relationship
Fans will see Ravi and Pip as a couple after confessing their feelings in season one. Iqbal noted the challenge of keeping their relationship interesting. 'It was a challenge carrying on the relationship with Pip and finding ways to make that interesting instead of making it stale. It's always quite difficult to make a relationship interesting through all these episodes,' he said, praising co-star Emma Myers as 'easy to work with' and 'very professional.'
Industry Inspirations and Future Plans
Iqbal cited Oscar-winning actor Riz Ahmed as an inspiration. 'He's a top, top actor, and he looks like me. When you're coming into this, you're like: "No one looks like me, can I do this, can I really get into this?" And then you see someone who looks like you, and you're like: "Okay, he's doing it." It gives you that push, that motivation that you know it is possible,' he said. Looking ahead, he hopes to do an indie film that runs a festival circuit. 'If I were being picky, I'd like to do something quirky, weird, out of the box, not your traditional film. But right now, whatever it is, just something different, and a new challenge, that's what excites me.'
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder season two is available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Netflix globally.
