Celebrity
And the important off-camera talks they had about consent.
Spoilers forAnatomy of a Scandalahead.
Trigger warning: This article contains references to sexual assault.
There were quite a few gasp moments when reading the script.
The Netflix series is an adaptation of Sarah Vaughns bestselling political novel of the same name.
Yet Miller and her co-star Rupert Friend were unfamiliar with the story ahead of being given the script.
As such, they got to experience the twists and turns of the plot in real time.
An unrelenting trial ensues, both in court and in the newspapers.
QC Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery) gives Whitehouse a grilling on the stand.
The main subject being discussed?
As the story progresses, we see that Holly is more than just a ghostly figure from the past.
In fact, shes very much involved in the current proceedings.
His wife Sophie makes sure some kind of justice is delivered, but more on that later.
Due to the public interest in the case, the Whitehouses are hounded by the press.
This is something that is all too familiar for Miller and Friend, both 40.
Friend dated hisPride & Prejudiceco-star Keira Knightley from 2005 to 2010.
The series undoubtedly prompts discussions around consent.
Were you having those conversations behind the scenes during filming?
I can understand exactly what shes saying.
Things were different when we were growing up.
The blurriness of consent… and sometimes it was just easier to act yes.
Therefore, have we just enabled that entitled behaviour from men?
Rupert:The whole series is a conversation-starter for so many different topics.
We had conversations with friends and family.
Everything felt so subjective, and [the conversation] was quite spirited.
Its an uncomfortable watch at times, understandably so, as the series confronts unpleasant topics.
How did you unwind at the end of the day?
Sienna:It was COVID, so there wasnt a lot of collegial hanging out post-filming.
I was living in London, and I would just take a stab at get home.
Id spend time with my daughter or have a bath.
There wasnt that much [down] time.
Often wed finish quite late and start extremely early.
Rupert:Normally we would have been in a restaurant or something, shaking off the day.
I went for a lot of runs, actually.
Wintery hill runs and stroking of cows.
Sienna:Thats not a euphemism…
Rupert:Just stroking their noses.
The press intrusion and scrutiny builds throughout the drama.
The Whitehouses are hounded on their doorstep and outside the court by reporters.
Were you able to relate to the press intrusion aspect of the story?
With the taxis being surrounded by swarms of people… You dont know whats in their hands.
Thats what Ive always found kind of shocking.
You might think, Oh, its just a photographer.
Well, yeah, until its not.
You dont know what theyve got in their hands, theyre just in the crowd.
There was always a very real jeopardy about that for me.
It feels much less sinister, of course, than it does when its not pretend.
Sienna:Theres something you understand about it innately.
I dont know if that was particularly useful for Sophie because she is really thrown into it quite rapidly.
Rupert and I discussed how that wasnt a particularly pleasant place to revisit.
Rupert:We had each other’s backs.
To begin with, Sophie is adamant that James has been falsely accused.
What do you think the turning point is for Sophie?
She starts to sense that maybe everything she believed in isnt quite how it was.
In that case, what is she left with?
Its quite a slow turn.
I think the Holly moment is terrifying and significant.
Sophie thinks it cant get any weirder, yet it does.
Everythings unravelling for her.
I wonder, do you see Sophie as another one of James victims?
Shes not really able to self-analyse until she starts to realise her role in it.
She thinks about the kids and her husband first: thats her default setting.
But I dont think she sees herself as a victim.
Rupert:These are two people who are fundamentally not self-examined.
The hope is that Sophie will build on that and make a slightly less blinkered life for herself.
Whatever magnetised them to each other [in the early stages of their relationship] is suddenly repelling her.
As she starts to self-analyse, she leaves him behind in a place of absolute ignorance.
Odious, lying, cheating, ignorance.
Rupert:I think that ambiguity is definitely part of the thing we were leaning into.
We could all think of people in powerful positions who have that trait.
This is a work of fiction, but it deals with very real topics.
Did you feel a sense of responsibility in portraying a storyline that deals with such sensitive issues?
Sienna:Understandably, it could be triggering.
These are deep and important issues that I think need to be talked about.
I dont think a story like this would have been told five years ago.
Its exciting that the world is pivoting to focus on these topics.
I feel a responsibility to tell the story well, and thats where I draw the line.
When youre making a film [or series], youre in so many other peoples hands.
Ive made pieces of work that have become something completely different after its edited.
You dont really know how something is going to end up.
How do you feel about where we leave Sophie and James?
Sienna:Hopefully Sophies right when she says, Her Majestys government is about to implode.
I like to think that she succeeds in that.
Its difficult to wrap something up in a way where you feel completely relieved.
With these limited series, they sometimes leave a little door ajar in case theres room for expansion.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
This article was originally published onApril 22, 2022
