Actor Emhrys Cooper of Coronation Street has discussed his role as Rowan Cunliffe, the head of the contentious cult The Institute on the cobbles.
In the middle of the contentious cult plot, Emhrys Cooper, who plays Rowan Cunliffe in Corrie, has spilled the beans.
The actor stormed into Weatherfield earlier this year dressed as the enigmatic head of The Institute, a questionable “self-improvement group” that has been busily swindling the weak out of their money.
Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) was quickly enthralled with the cult, much to the dismay of her sister Toyah Habeeb (Georgia Taylor) and her brother Nick Tilsley (Ben Price). Leanne has been isolated from her loved ones by the gang, and they have created an unsettling artificial intelligence (AI) replica of her deceased son for her to converse with.
Leanne has been drawn in by Rowan’s shady activities while she is rising through the ranks. Drama was increased when Elle Mulvaney’s character, Amy Barlow, a young Corrie girl, became interested in the audience. Using his charm, Rowan persuaded Amy to donate her £40,000 inheritance windfall to the group.
However, during a “malware session” at the cult, during which participants yelled insults at Amy while she was blindfolded, she decided against investing in The Institute. Amy was informed that it would be challenging to get her money back because it had already been received by The Institute’s parent firm, just when she felt hopeless.
The plot itself has also caused a great deal of controversy. One fan took to Twitter to vent their frustration, saying, “I’m sorry, but the Coronation Street cult storyline just has to end.” It has really transcended the humor. It’s among the most awful things ever. “Hurry up and end this storyline it’s absolute garbage,” exclaimed an angry viewer.
However, actor Emhrys has now defended his portrayal of Rowan by claiming that the man was “brainwashed” in the first place. Last Wednesday, September 4, Emhrys admitted while sitting on the couch on This Morning, saying, “I think he [Rowan] went through a lot, and struggled with a lot of issues in his twenties, and discovered the The Institute.”
“And since it did end up saving his life, he’s basically been brainwashed. However, I prefer to believe that Rowan has some redeeming qualities and genuinely wants to help people, even though he is just after money.”
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