Claire Foy, who delivers multiple searing monologues as the steely Salome in Sarah Polley’s Oscar-nominated film Women Talking, was immersed into the world of her character in more ways than one. While appearing on Friday’s episode of The Graham Norton Show, Foy spoke about her change of physical habits while playing a woman in a Bolivian Mennonite colony.
“We had no hair and makeup at all and wore polyester dresses so what got us through filming was the thought of a party at the end when we could wear makeup and shave our legs,” she told the host [via the Daily Mail]. “I thought not worrying about shaving would be a real moment of empowerment but actually it was horrible and reminded me of puberty!”
Adapted from Miriam Toews’s 2018 novel, Foy stars in the film alongside Rooney Mara and Jessie Buckley, among others, as a group of women who convene to share their experiences surviving the repeated drugging and rapes by men in their community. Women Talking, which was co-produced by Frances McDormand, earned a pair of Oscars 2023 nominations, including best adapted screenplay for Polley and best picture. Foy and her co-stars were among those snubbed for individual nominations, meaning she’s unsure who will attend the ceremony. “There are 12 of us in the cast so it depends on who [producers] pick to go with them,” she explained. However, if Foy isn’t selected, she has a worthy engagement. “It’s my child’s birthday that day so I probably shouldn’t go,” the Emmy winner said. “Either way I’ll have a great time!”
Speaking to Vanity Fair about her experiences working on a mostly female-led production, Foy said: “I found it dynamic and unpredictable and really, really deep at moments. I went to spaces I don’t think I ever would’ve gone if the environment would have been different. We all had something different to offer. That could lead to conflict, but that was really interesting, that we were able to do that within an environment where we were all offering something. It didn’t feel like Sarah was some sort of megalomaniac director. There was a conversation, constantly.”
