How much of yourself is in the character?
I think there is a good proportion of me in her, and I always try to find little traits and idiosyncrasies in my characters that will hopefully make them distinctive and add some depth. When I observe people, I am always fascinated by small things and aspects of human personalities that make us all unique. I am like a sponge when I spend time with people although I never let them know which character trait I might happen to be stealing from them or exaggerating for a role; but this all adds to the mix, and I think we should all look outside in taking qualities of others to improve ourselves.
And of course this is a great film for the kids to watch?
Yes – it is definitely something we can all share in. I think becoming a mum has changed so many things in my life – it’s made me more vulnerable and more emotionally aware than I ever was before, but it’s also given me more strength because I see things more clearly. I actually think I am much more confident as an individual and I feel that I am able to not just live more intensely but also take on roles that I might have been reluctant to play before.
How do you think the #MeToo movement has evolved?
I think it’s a slow burn. I don’t know if we’ve had a tsunami-like change, more like a gentle baby wave. But I think this is a topic that has entered the Hollywood vernacular and I hope that it sticks around because women are proving time and time again that they make money and that’s really a lot of what Hollywood is geared towards.
