The world for women in Georgian times was brutal ...but it still is
SAMANTHA MORTON HAS PLAYED MANY HIGH-PROFILE ROLES, BUT SHE TELLS GEMMA DUNN THAT HER LATEST, PLAYING BROTHEL OWNER MARGARET WELLS IN ITV ENCORE’S DRAMA HARLOTS, IS ‘THE PART OF A LIFETIME’
Tell us about your Harlots’ character, brothel owner Margaret Wells
SHE’S a survivor. She’s found a language and behaviour for herself akin to her environment. She is what she is because of her surroundings. Margaret Wells has had it tough, yet she’s incredibly optimistic and joyful. She loves life and loves her children, she doesn’t suffer fools and has fought hard to get where she’s got. She’s loyal, but do not cross her.
People may see the title of the show and think it will be a saucy romp, but it’s not that, is it?
WHEN I’m shooting my scenes, they’re certainly not saucy. It’s very easy and understandable that there will be that response, and you have to rise above it.
Of course there’s going to be sex in there; its selling sex and you have to see that. It is how that is portrayed and how our show managed to do that differently. That’s the question.
Harlots is about women; the heartbreak, the cruel reality that is being a woman, the choices we are forced to make and why. Yet we still have grace, courage, hope and mostly, love. The world for women then was brutal. It still is.
Did anything about the series surprise you?
IT surprised me how modern it was. I live in an early Georgian house and it’s a period that fascinates me. I find it incredibly modern.
I think in some ways we’ve gone backwards in terms of our attitude; the world continues to be brutal, unjust and unfair for many. Child brides, child abuse, the legal age of consent varies in the world with some countries as young as nine. It’s sad the choices women have to make in this world.
Was it a different experience filming a show with such a female-centric cast?
THIS show is about women; I’m not used to that, I’m used to there being a bit more of a balance. But then the crew are predominantly male, so on the set you have a balance.
Harlots will be streamed via US platform Hulu, as well as being shown on ITV Encore. Is it important to open up British drama to international audiences?
THE way that we watch television and film now is so fascinating. But it’s brilliant; there’s so much choice and on an international level, it’s important that we make things available for other cultures. I have an issue with Downton, I have to say. A huge issue. I’m happy they’re going to see something other than Downton. We’re more than that.
Will Downton Abbey fans like this?
IF you like costume drama, you might enjoy it, but that’s not the reason to turn on. The reason to turn on is it’s a compelling drama about women and the struggles that these women have.
But in America – I live in America a lot of the time and I’ve been there since I was 19, you’ve got a sense they love what we do. We’re brilliant at what we do and we’re sharing that, and they’re brilliant at what they do. Whether it’s Transparent, Breaking Bad or Orange Is The New Black, we’re a melting pot.
Do you think we need to harden up our period dramas?
ITV is brave in what it does and, likewise, when I was working for Sky Atlantic last year, they really care about the content. I think the BBC have some issues with what they want to portray.
Shows like Poldark are brilliant, but we’ve seen it before. Every 10 years, you’ve got a Jane Eyre, you’ve got a Poldark – it’s like we re-hash and I think that we have a duty of care to the general public to commission writers like Harlot’s Moira [Buffini] to go, ‘What do you want to say?’ That’s what the BBC should be doing. It’s not about [being] harder, it’s about [being] original.
Will you do more TV after Harlots
THE future is in television. The film industry is harder for older women [Morton is 39]; they’re not making as many movies – they’re making a lot of action and superhero movies – and then the parts for women are few and far between, so competition is greater.
For me, it’s about where the real parts are. This is the part of a lifetime.
Are you writing anything at the moment?
I’VE written another film, which, fingers crossed, is going into preproduction, but you never know with money. I did a film called The Unloved, so it’s a continuation of that. It took me 10 years to get the money for The Unloved; it’s really hard and after winning the BAFTA, only one person met with me... But that’s called being a female filmmaker.