The Luminaries’ Eva Green insists villainous Lydia is a ‘feminist’ despite being ‘blinded by her own greed’ in BBC drama

THE Luminaries’ Eva Green has insisted villainous Lydia Wells is a ‘feminist’ despite being ‘blinded by her own greed’ in the BBC drama. The French actress plays the American fortune parlour owner in the six-part series based on the Man Booker Prize-winning novel by Eleanor Catton. Set on New Zealand’s South Island during the 19th […]

THE Luminaries’ Eva Green has insisted villainous Lydia Wells is a ‘feminist’ despite being ‘blinded by her own greed’ in the BBC drama.

The French actress plays the American fortune parlour owner in the six-part series based on the Man Booker Prize-winning novel by Eleanor Catton.

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Set on New Zealand’s South Island during the 19th Century gold rush, Lydia is a ‘survivor’ in a man’s world.

Eva explained to Vogue.co.uk: “Yes, she’s a villain who’s blinded by her own greed, but I also see her as a feminist who’s really ahead of her time.

“She has a lot of ambitions for herself in a world where she’s outnumbered by men ten to one, and she’s also got this romantic Achilles heel, which made her feel human to me.”

That Achilles heel comes in the form of violent ex-convict Francis Carver who Eva has described as the love of Lydia’s life. 

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BBC Press Handout

Eva also revealed she chose not to read the original book ahead of filming, saying: “I actually made a conscious decision just to read the script.

“It’s such a departure from the novel in so many ways, particularly in terms of Lydia’s character, who is obviously really complex.”

Lydia certainly stands apart from the other characters in the show, none more so than in terms of how she dresses.

Eva said: “The costume designer Edward K. Gibbons and I were keen that Lydia’s wardrobe felt different from everyone else’s.

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“She’s a bit more avant-garde than the other female characters – including her hair and make-up.

“In reality, the hair from that period was incredibly flat and severe – but Lydia’s is loose and flowing.

“We also made sure that she never appeared “trapped” in a corset – she’s a free spirit – and that her clothes were really dramatic enough to match her personality.”

The Luminaries continues tonight at 9pm on BBC One.