‘Women Talking’ Interview: Actress Claire Foy

Opening in theaters on January 6 is the new film from actress and director Sarah Polley (‘Take This Waltz’) called ‘Women Talking.’

Set in 2010, women from an isolated religious community grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their beliefs after it is revealed that men from their community drugged and raped women at night for years.

The film stars Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, Michelle McLeod, Liv McNeil, and Kate Hallett, Ben Whishaw and three-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actress Claire Foy about her work on ‘Women Talking’, the subject matter, her character choices, working with the cast, and director Sarah Polley.

Moviefone: First of all, can you talk about the urgency of the situation your character finds himself in at the start of the film?

Claire Foy: The urgency is that these women have experienced quite tragic circumstances. They have been sexually abused, and they just discovered this. My character wants to take revenge on people who have committed crimes. So, the guys are kicked out, and they have 24 hours until the guys get back to the colony, and they have to decide what they’re going to do.

So these women who are in the hayloft have been put in the position of deciding for the whole community of women whether they are going to stay and fight, whether they are going to stay and do nothing, or whether they are going to leave. They are under time pressure. They only have 24 hours. Also, it’s about them deciding what world they want to live in. They’ve been given a tragic situation, and they can see what they’re doing with it, I think.

MF: Do you agree with your character’s point of view and what challenges did you face as the actress playing this role?

CFs: Yes, I really do. I really identify with Salome’s approach to her position. I think everyone does. I think, all the actors in the film are really supporting and fighting for their character’s point of view, but I really did. I felt like it was a very appropriate reaction to what she was going through, and what her daughter was going through.

There are many challenges in it. I think he was challenged a lot in the film. Her position is challenged as are all women, and it’s about them all coming to a collective conclusion as one about what they’re going to do. That means sometimes you have to change your mind.

MF: What was it like to be on set surrounded by these amazing actresses?

CFs: It’s really amazing. I am so grateful every day to be there. I’ve just watched the most incredible work produced and am so proud to see the performances people were able to put on, and also how dedicated we all are to what we create, and to Sarah, and to the story. It was a very supportive, collaborative, amazing environment.

MF: Finally, what was your experience like working with director Sarah Polley?

CFs: Only the best. He is very affectionate. He is very intelligent. He was very open to learning, and he was very self-aware. He was very generous with everyone on set. He believes everyone has the right to be involved in the films they make and have an opinion. He was supposed to be a director and what a leader should be like. He is very good at setting an example and leading people.