Sienna Miller Says It Was 'Cathartic' to Play a Wife Who's Been Cheated On in 'Anatomy of a Scandal'
Sienna Miller is getting candid about her role in Anatomy of a Scandal.
The 40-year-old actress appeared on the cover of Elle UK this month, where she discussed the Netflix series, as well as her time in the entertainment industry.
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Here’s what she had to share with the mag:
On being catapulted to fame overnight in her twenties: “I was just catapulted into a totally parallel universe, while being in love [with Jude Law]. There was a lot of magic at that time. At first, it was kind of comical, but very quickly it became insidious and, yeah, scary. And my boyfriend [at the time] had been experiencing it for years and felt, understandably, a lot of hostility towards that kind of attention. So, my initial reaction was the same. I became so litigious, just to try and carve out an existence that I could manage. You’ve seen women implode as a result of that. You can’t hold onto sanity or grounding.”
On her frustration with being underestimated as an actor: “I don’t know what more I have to do. I feel like, from a young age, I’ve proven myself. Without sounding arrogant, because I’m riddled with insecurity and the lowest self-esteem – and that’s the truth, I’m not just saying it – but I think I’ve reached a point of nihilism, which I’m quite happy about. I don’t know whether that’s [because of] Covid, but I just don’t really care.”
On feeling relieved to have left her twenties and thirties behind and freezing her eggs: “[I felt] pressure [about] kids, and should I have more, and why haven’t I, and all of that, which is a really loud noise. Biology is incredibly cruel on women in that decade – that’s the headline, or it certainly was for me. Then I got to 40 and I froze some eggs. Having been really focused on the need to have another baby, I’m just like, “If it happens, it happens.” That kind of existential threat has dissipated.”
On turning 40 and life priorities: “I like the tranquillity of it [life]. There’s just much less anxiety, for no specific reason, other than maybe turning 40 and surrendering to being on some sort of life journey that is completely irrelevant. I think I know what matters to me: my friendships, my child and, ultimately, trying to be happy. That really is enough, with bursts of intensity and creativity. And, you know, way too much fun still at times, but I feel more in control of my life. And that’s really, really relieving.”
On playing her character, Sophie Whitehouse, in Netflix’s Anatomy of a Scandal: “It was familiar terrain, because I’ve experienced some of the things that she experienced. And the feelings were familiar. [But] her way of dealing with what’s thrown at her is the absolute antithesis of what my way is. And so, in a kind of twisted, tourism sense, I just wanted to see how it would feel to react differently. I know that sounds weird because you’d think it would be deeply unpleasant to sit in that space. There is something cathartic, I suppose, about spending time in an ugly space that’s familiar. And maybe reclaiming it? I don’t know what the psychology of it is. But there is something where maybe you can substitute a memory with something else.”
On optimism and love: “I love love more than anything. That’s the most important thing to me and it always will be. So, in spite of whatever ups and down that I’ve had – many joyful and many extremely painful – I feel pathologically optimistic about my ability to give and receive love.”
Sienna‘s cover story hits newsstands on April 7. For more from her interview, check out Elle.com.
The new season of Anatomy of a Scandal will debut on Netflix on April 15 and you can see the trailer here!