Having won acclaim and a host of awards (two Emmy Awards, two SAG Awards, a Golden Globe and a Broadcasting Press Guild Award) for her breakout role as Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of “The Crown,” Claire Foy is earning some of the best reviews of her career (and some Oscar buzz) for her key supporting role in Sarah Polley’s awards season favorite, “Talking Women.”
Foy stands out alongside an excellent ensemble, in part because she’s among the most confrontational and conventionally outraged of the bunch. After learning that men from her isolated Mennonite colony are drugging and raping her women in the middle of the night, her Salome wants something akin to violent retribution, if not outright war. Meanwhile, those around her debate whether to forgive, run, or fight back.
“She’s really frustrated, she feels betrayed, murderous,” Foy said. “Her anger from her and her rage are pretty fair and proportional.”
Speaking with TheWrap co-founder and CEO Sharon Waxman about the challenges women still face in the industry today and the specific value of a film like “Talking Women,” Foy also noted that she had never read a film before. script that was only about women arguing. the conflicts and struggles within their lives. She said that she was honored that Polley entrusted her with the material.
“Mujeres Hablando” is based on the novel by Miriam Toews and inspired by real events that occurred in the Manitoba Colony in Bolivia. The film also stars Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw and, in a brief but impactful extended cameo, Frances McDormand, who also produced the film alongside Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner.
Foy noted that the film’s specific narrative represented the world we live in and the experience of women living in the modern world. However, it’s not just women who can relate to his themes.
“This is about any marginalized group of people,” Foy mused. “It is not safe for them to imagine a world without their oppressors. We do not believe that we have the right to imagine a better world.”
Foy also spoke briefly about her career-changing role on “The Crown,” as she and Waxman brought up the differences in perception between Americans and those in the UK when it comes to the royal family. In the end, the actress argued that “The Crown” was a vehicle for empathy, showing that everyone, even kings and queens, are human beings.
She concluded the conversation by discussing her hopes for genuine change in terms of how women are treated within the entertainment industry and, by proxy, around the world.
“Some days I’m upbeat and other days I’m down,” Foy admitted. “I would be lying if I felt there was a general fix in progress. That will come with the next generation. It’s not an easy solution.”
the Powerful Women Summit (PWS) is the largest annual gathering of the most influential women in entertainment, media and technology. The event aims to inspire and empower women across the landscape of their professional careers and personal lives. This year’s PWS offers two days of education, mentoring, workshops and networking around the world, to promote this year’s theme, “A Time to Unite.” Learn more here: thewrap.com/pws.