Playing Billy Dunne in “Daisy Jones and the Six” was a particularly healing experience for Sam Claflin. The British actor faced a major life change when he landed the role in early 2020, just before the pandemic disrupted the show’s production schedule. Mr. Claflin had just separated from his wife, and he hadn’t yet dealt with his feelings. The first time Claflin was able to come to terms with himself was inside Billy’s head, both during the long run and on set in 2021 and 2022.

“Honestly, if I had filmed this show in April 2020 as originally planned, I wouldn’t have been able to handle a lot of the things I had to deal with in my personal life,” says Claflin. “I was lucky enough to have time for a lot of introspection and access to those emotions and being in a raw place, but never so raw that I broke down on set. There were certainly moments that I found it very difficult to put together, and a lot of the emotions that Billy goes through and the emotions you see in the drama are real, real emotions that pour out of me. ”

Claflin went through an audition process he described as a “tornado of mayhem” before starring in a limited Prime Video series based on the novels by Taylor Jenkins Reid. He initially met with Hello Sunshine about the second season of “The Morning Show,” but the production company soon encouraged him to read the script for “Daisy Jones and the Six.” The series, which chronicles the tumultuous rise to fame and subsequent breakup of a fictional ’70s rock band, was instantly enticing, as was the chance to play a rock musician. Claflin flew to Los Angeles in February 2020 to meet with a music coach and perform songs from the series for producers.

“It was said that [creator and writer] Scott Neustadter himself said it was a bit of a flop,” Claflin admits. “But they saw something in me. I told him where it was and said, “OK, let’s go.” It was a whirlwind, to say the least. ”

Two weeks later, Claflin moved to Los Angeles. Two weeks later, he was in quarantine on a flight back to England. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and being in lockdown at his home with his two children, Claflin was ultimately grateful for the time he had to prepare more fully for the role. He took guitar and singing lessons and met with Ryan Hommel on Zoom most days to familiarize himself with the songs written for the series. By the time he returned to Los Angeles in 2021, Claflin felt ready to become Billy.

“When I look back at the videos from when I first started playing, it was terrible,” he recalls. “I’m one of those actors. I’ve never been proud of what I’ve done. I’m very self-critical. I am very proud to have come this far.” It would have been a completely different show if it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak. There must have been a lot of camera tricks and impersonations. ”

The Daisy Jones & the Six on-screen band, led by Billy and Daisy (Riley Keough), regularly record and perform throughout the series as part of the story. So the musicians had to be able to actually play together. They went through a three-month “band camp” that included lessons, rehearsals, and actual recording. Claflin said it was very intense, but it also made them feel like a real group. And indeed, there have been some discussions about reviving the band for live concerts.

“After a year and a half of being home, the first time we played together and played a song without any tricks or magic, it was a really special moment,” recalls Claflin. “We were really surprised because they seemed okay. From my understanding, I think they auditioned quite a few people for Billy. They were looking at musicians and actors who could sing a little bit.” I don’t know where I fit in that spectrum, but I had to shape up.

To create a realistic and nuanced version of the ’70s rock star, Claflin also considered footage of musicians of the period, including Bruce Springsteen. He has Fleetwood Mac, on which his novel was loosely based, as a reference point, and his Cooler Than You Double Denim ensemble was right off the book. Ultimately, however, Claflin wanted to focus on Billy as his father, husband, friend and brother rather than as a typical musician. The character’s journey, which involves being sober, needed to feel realistic.

“I focused on things that I personally could relate to,” says Claflin. “I tried to bring a lot of myself into Billy and did everything I could to make it real and authentic. Very unique for the times, and his pain is far greater than his addiction — his father’s problems and his struggle to become a father — rather than the ‘I’m a rock star’ thought. I wanted to focus on that aspect of his personality.”

Claflin still feels a deep connection with Billy. He’s pitched ideas for a second season to the creators (“It’s not for me to decide if they’ll listen, but the will is there,” he admits) and stop playing guitar. I feel unprepared. He also realizes that as he moves forward, things feel different for him post-“Daisy Jones.”

“It’s hard to know if it was Billy and this project that changed me, or if I changed before doing this project,” says Claflin. “What I loved was having the opportunity to draw on my own experience. Playing someone close to me is really fulfilling. In Billy, on the other hand, I was playing someone I could really relate to, and it was therapeutic, and it was emotionally and spiritually amazing. It’s an opportunity for me to explore more in the future, a role that’s a little closer to home, because the truth is there, right?”