For W’s annual The Originals portfolio, we asked stars of film, fashion, art, music, and more to share their insights on staying true to themselves. See this year’s full class of creatives here.
In Baby Reindeer, for which you won an Emmy award, you play Martha, a woman who stalks Donny Dunn, a lonely comedian she meets in the pub where he works. The twist is that Martha also has a genuine emotional connection to Dunn—she’s not just crazy. How did this fascinating role come into your life?
Richard Gadd, who plays Donny and who created Baby Reindeer, had written an earlier show called Monkey See Monkey Do, and I had seen that. It was an intense show to watch—he was on a treadmill, running, for most of it. I was gripped by it—I kept thinking, This man is brave. His next show was Baby Reindeer, and I couldn’t get tickets. I actually bought the script version of the play and found it absolutely riveting. Four years later, they sent me the script to audition for Martha. I read all seven episodes and knew I had to play her.
Initially, Netflix and the producers were worried that you were too young—Martha is 42, and you are 38.
There was an age gap that concerned the people who had to approve the casting. I asked a friend, an amazing makeup artist named Nadia Stacey, who won an Oscar for Poor Things, to make me look a bit older. I bought a wig—Richard says it looked like a wig from a joke shop—and I put myself on tape. I was so desperate to get the part, I just wore them down.
Were you theatrical as a child?
I always wanted to be an actor. My sister and I made up these characters—Mavis and Mildred, who were house cleaners—and we would perform for the family. When I heard about my Emmy nomination for Baby Reindeer, I was at my parents’ house, looking out the window and thinking about the younger me. I was always daydreaming about this career, how fun it would be.
An interesting aspect of Martha’s personality is her confidence.
Yes, exactly. She thinks she’s a catch! She says, “Men who don’t fancy me are either gay or blind!” I loved that. People often ask me if I like her, if it’s hard to portray her, but I always saw her sweetness and vulnerability. Baby Reindeer is quite honest: These are two lost people who feel seen by each other. They have a true bond—they have both lived through trauma.
What film makes you cry?
All of Us Strangers made me cry three times. Andrew Scott is incredible, and so is Paul Mescal. Claire Foy, as the mother, is one of the best actors out there. She’s never sentimental, and yet she’s so sensitive.
Who do you see as an original?
Cate Blanchett. I acted with her in a play called When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other. I played a bisexual dominatrix who was in love with Cate’s character. We were engaged in an S&M game onstage, and Cate was dressed in a wedding gown. I had to put tights on her at every performance, and we had to time it with a monologue. Not easy. It was intense but amazing. Cate’s so present, so in the moment. I was a fan before, but watching her onstage was thrilling. She’s also a brilliant person, a true original.
Hair by Ben Cooke for Lockonego at One Represents; Makeup by Zoë Taylor for Sisley Paris at C/O Management; Photo Assistant: Jodie Herbage. Special Thanks to Rose Bruford College.
