Girl Taken, the gripping series adapted from Hollie Overton’s novel Baby Doll, captivates viewers with its intense storyline. The drama follows twins Lily and Abby, portrayed by real-life London sisters Tallulah and Delphi Evans, as they approach the end of school. Lily faces abduction by her English teacher, played by Alfie Allen, and endures captivity in the basement of his secluded woodland “writing retreat.” Tallulah delivers a compelling breakthrough performance, showcasing Lily’s resilience in survival and escape.
Tallulah’s Preparation for the Role
Tallulah immersed herself in real-life accounts to embody the character. She reveals, “I was reading this book to prep called 3,096 Days by Natascha Kampusch about her similar real-life experience. It’s her account of what she can remember from the moment she was taken and the abuse. How she was compartmentalising everything and tried to befriend him [her kidnapper] to get to a point where she could attempt to escape. And how she dealt with it afterwards.”
She highlights the psychological depth, adding, “Victims of these crimes are often questioned about why they didn’t escape sooner. But there’s a lot more going on than people sometimes assume. There’s running away, but it’s a mental cage as well.”
Filming Challenges and On-Set Dynamics
Filming proved demanding, yet positive relationships eased the process. Tallulah credits her rapport with Allen: “He’s so lovely, it made it easier.” Her sister Delphi’s presence on set also provided comfort. At 25, Tallulah naturally gravitated toward the outgoing Lily, while 23-year-old Delphi suited Abby.
Working with a sibling brought minor tensions—“we definitely had our sister moments in the first week”—but offered relief: “It did alleviate some of the sadness and stress, it was nice to finish the day and go for dinner together or just chill.”
Family Legacy in Entertainment
Acting runs in the Evans family. Their mother, Elizabeth, performs on stage and screen. Tallulah began early with a role in Son of Rambow at age seven and later trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Delphi was still in drama school during auditions, and their younger sister Gigi pursues singing.
A Promising Future for Tallulah
The role marks Tallulah’s shift to mature characters. She notes, “It’s rare to have a character who goes through so much across a long period of time. Being able to represent that journey is very exciting. I’m interested in anything that can connect with someone. Whether it’s shock or happiness, as long as it evokes some sort of emotion.”
Admired figures include Anjelica Huston from their collaboration on The Watcher in the Woods: “She was just so cool—she can still do the splits!”
Girl Taken streams now on Paramount+.
