‘Affair’ over, Wilson moves on
Now we know the fate of Ruth Wilson’s revered character Alison on the Showtime melodrama “The Affair.” On an episode earlier this month, she’s beaten up by a duplicitous lover, fatally hitting her head on a statue during a fall. Her attacker scoops her body into his arms and unceremoniously dumps her into the Atlantic Ocean like so much debris.
While Alison hangs out with the fishes, Wilson will soon be back on the screen in “The Little Stranger.” She plays Caroline, a fading local aristocrat in postwar England. Bright and ambitious, she’s been summoned back to their decaying family mansion after her brother is seriously wounded in the war. Domhnall Gleeson appears as the county doctor, who dares to try to rise above his station by courting Caroline.
The role allows Wilson to show off her serious drama chops. The 36-year-old British actress has moved fluidly from the stage, starring in “Anna Christie” and “Hedda Gabler,” to movies, including the misfire “The Lone Ranger,” and television, accumulating a Golden Globe and two Olivier awards. She initially got noticed for her Jane Eyre on “Masterpiece Theater” and attracted a cult following as a brilliant sociopath on “Luther,” along with playing Alison in “The Affair.” Speaking by phone from New York, where Wilson is promoting “The Little Stranger,” she talks about Alison’s untimely de-
mise. Q: At what point did you know that Alison would die? A: I knew from the beginning of season four that she was not going to make it to the fifth season. But I didn’t know how she would die or who would be responsible. Q: The violent nature of her death felt like she was being punished for her adulterous affairs. I was reminded of the old Hollywood Production Code that dictated women pay for expressing sexuality outside of marriage. A: I agree it felt like a punishment. You wanted something more for Alison. I always hoped she would be able to face her issues and the tragedy in her life (losing a child). I know women who have survived tragedies and they are amazing people. I hoped that would be Alison’s case. Q: Did you mention your hopes for her to the writers? A: No. Those decisions are all made by the writing team and the producers. I just have to execute it. Q: Some commentators speculated you were written out of the show because you complained in the press that you weren’t earning as much as your co-star, Dominic West. Any truth to this? A: That wasn’t the reason. I am not allowed to talk about why my character was killed. Q: Have you noticed your fans’ complaints about Alison’s demise echo sentiments when your character, Alice Morgan, in “Luther” appears to be dead? A: I have been really moved by fans’ responses to both shows. It is fascinating to me that people would respond to those very complex characters. I do my job, which is to try to connect with an audience and get people to be moved and entertained. It’s really flattering when that happens, and I would like to thank everyone who responded. Q: Caroline in “The Little Stranger” is another complex character. What drew you to the role? A: My continued interest in complicated women. If something challenges me I will take it, and this was a challenge. Q: The first challenge was to transform you into a character described by one critic as “plain, graceless and bossy with thick legs yet with a certain sexual appeal.” A: My director (Lenny Abrahamson, who made “Room”) asked me, “Do you want to gain weight for this role?” I told him I didn’t want to do it because it would make me feel bad about myself. I care about mental health during filming. If I had to load up on doughnuts every day I would just feel miserable. I thought we could change my image without having to physically put myself through all that. We used padding on my bottom and I have fake teeth. I walk heavy footed and wear trousers and big jumpers. Q: There’s a lot of repressed sexuality between Caroline and Domhnall Gleeson as the doctor who desires her. How did you two play that? A: I emailed Sarah Waters (author of the novel the movie is based on) because I was curious about whether Caroline is a virgin when they meet. She said to me that Caroline would have had sexual experiences during the war but was then thrown back into this very suffocating environment and class system and patriarchal system. There is one scene where she gets more and more drunk at a party and is incredibly flirtatious (with Gleeson). She is feeling horny because of having denied her sexuality for so long. Q: You’ve been cast as the sinister Mrs. Coulter in “His Dark Materials” for the BBC. This is your first foray into the world of fantasy. How are you finding it? A: It’s fun. Everyone has a spirit animal who is their soul mate, and mine is a golden monkey. So I have to act alongside a puppeteer, which is very bizarre. My character is supposed to be the cesspit of moral filth. That is why I took the job. She’s a very dark woman, but I have to find humanity in her.