Killing Eve star says playing 'controlling' mother in new film was 'easier'

The distinguished Irish actress and TV Bafta laureate, Fiona Shaw, speaks about her immersion in her latest character, Rose, a mother beleaguered by an enigmatic illness, in the movie adaptation of Deborah Levy's critically acclaimed 2016 novel 'Hot Milk'.

Against the vivid setting of a sun-drenched Spanish summer, the plot unfolds as Rose and her daughter Sofia, portrayed by 'Sex Education' star Emma Mackey, journey to Almeria's picturesque seaside town seeking healing from a quirky local remedy man.

Rose's life is dominated by an immobilising ailment, confining her to a wheelchair and riddled with unrelenting pain, rendering her utterly reliant on Sofia for even the simplest tasks such as venturing outside or fetching a drink. A growing sense of exasperation seeps into Sofia's character who pins her hopes on the exotic clinic to rejuvenate her mum's vigour, thus liberating her own aspirations for autonomy and independence.

Shaw, celebrated for her portrayal of Carolyn Martens in the hit series 'Killing Eve', lauded her youthful co-star Emma Mackey, age 29, for crafting their characters' poignant relationship amidst strenuous circumstances. "I had the easier job – it's much easier to play the selfish person," Fiona Shaw candidly admits.

"Emma had to decide, in each scene, how she would cope with her mother's behaviour – but the mother just continues on. She isn't thinking about the effects, and that's the problem," Shaw adds.

She says: "They're not two people at loggerheads. I don't think the mother is at odds at all. She adores her daughter, wishes she wouldn't visit her father, and wants her to focus on her studies.

"She can't see that she's the reason none of those things can happen properly. And that blindness is a nightmare for the other person – but Emma had to carry that. We would laugh about it, but she had to play the scenes. I just had to play Rose – she had to play the reception."

As Sofia's story unfolds, her fascination with the adventurous Ingrid, portrayed by Phantom Thread star Vicky Krieps, leads her to break free from her mother's overbearing influence. Yet, as Sofia steps into her own, her mother's inability to cope with this change brings to light unsettling truths about Rose's condition.

In her preparation for the role, Shaw delved into the complexities of psychosomatic disorders, where mental stress manifests physically, and consulted individuals who deal with such conditions. "We spoke to people with the syndrome – this tendency to not have any physiological reason why you can't walk, but you can't walk," Shaw shared.

"This syndrome comes with pain and with a twitch. I really concentrated on trying to get the stuckness of the person – and I was helped a lot by using a wheelchair."

The film Hot Milk marks Rebecca Lenkiewicz's first venture as a director at 57, and she fondly referred to Shaw and Mackey as "an inseparable couple" during filming. Renowned screenwriter Lenkiewicz, known for hits like Ida and Disobedience, described taking the reins as director for such a woman-centric narrative as "one of the most incredible experiences" of her life.

The eagerly anticipated 'Hot Milk' hits UK and Ireland cinemas on Friday, July 4.