My life on screen
As she returns to the big screen in the Oscar-tipped film Women Talking, Claire Foy reflects on her most memorable roles
Since landing her first major screen role in the BBC One adaptation of Little Dorrit in 2008, Claire Foy has dazzled audiences with a succession of powerful performances. Her star turn came in 2016, when she became the first actor to take on the role of Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix series The Crown. The role secured her two Emmys and a Golden Globe award.
She will next appear in the film Women Talking, alongside Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara and Frances McDormand. Claire plays the vengeful Salome, a character living in an oppressed Mennonite community of women, who discuss whether to leave their lives of horrific abuse at the hands of men.
While she’s achieved global recognition, Claire is pragmatic about her success. ‘Luck is hard work,’ she says. ‘You can have really good karma and a lot of luck in your life, but it’s not going to turn out well unless you invest in it. You have to question yourself and push yourself; be open, curious, and interested.’
Now 38, Claire lives in London and has a seven-yearold daughter, Ivy Rose, with her ex-husband, the actor Stephen Campbell Moore.
WOMEN TALKING (2023)
‘I don’t think there’s ever been a film made like this before; it exists in its own world. It’s a fable that invites real conversation with an audience. I have never been part of a film that has such conversation around it – and the conversation is really interesting.’
THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN (2021)
‘I wanted a nice, long rest, but then [Benedict Cumberbatch] said I could still go on holiday when doing this. I thought Louis’s story was amazing and could benefit a lot of people.’
A VERY BRITISH SCANDAL (2021)
‘Margaret [Campbell, Duchess of Argyll] was very privileged and deeply flawed. She had a pathological problem with lying. She thought she could manipulate men and then she met the Duke and she couldn’t manipulate him. That kept her interested for a while.’
MY SON (2021)
‘This was a difficult film to make because of how the director shot it. He deliberately chose not to give James [McAvoy] a script or almost any information about what was going to happen. I tried to stay away from James because I knew he would want more details. It was terrifying!’
FIRST MAN (2018)
‘This film wanted to give a voice to the women living with astronauts. Ryan [Gosling, who plays Neil Armstrong] and I felt a real pressure to give justice to Jan and Neil. They were loved by so many people, and it was our responsibility to bring two really special people to life.’
