INTERVIEW: Kelly Macdonald explores issues of guilt in ‘The Victim’
Photo: Kelly Macdonald, middle, stars with John Hannah in The Victim. Photo courtesy of KCET / Provided with permission.
Kelly Macdonald, the successful actor from Boardwalk Empire and No Country for Old Men, has crafted a diverse career in film and television, portraying a wide variety of women in both comedic and dramatic roles. Whether it’s her performances in Trainspotting, Goodbye Christopher Robin or Black Mirror, the parts that Macdonald has brought to life have engaged audiences and kept her busy and creatively satisfied as a performer.
One of her newest roles is Anna Dean in the four-part TV series The Victim, which aired in the UK in 2019 and soon premieres on KCET, Southern California’s home for public programming. The show, which also stars John Hannah, kicks off Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9 p.m.
In The Victim, Macdonald’s character is accused of leaking her son’s suspected murderer’s identity online and conspiring to have him killed, according to press notes. The ensuing court case is a complex drama in which guilt is questioned and secret motives are unearthed.
“I really liked her,” Macdonald said in a recent phone interview. “She’s someone that you sympathize with. … I thought it would be a great part to play.”
Macdonald was fascinated by the intricacies of not only the legal case featured in the series, but also how her character of Anna is portrayed. She found the role compelling and was intrigued by the story after talking to Rob Williams, the creator of the show. She didn’t even have to read the script before she became interested in the part.
When Macdonald eventually read the entire story, she was so enamored of the grey areas found within each of the characters, and the dialogue was so well written that she didn’t need to fill in too many blanks.
“I go with what’s in the script always,” she said. “All actors prepare in different ways, and I have worked with people who scroll down a whole history on the back of their script that they’re giving to the character. I didn’t do that. I just read.”
Acting in a TV show, even one that only runs four parts, allows Macdonald and the ensemble to dig deeper on their respective characters and learn what makes them tick. She is used to this opportunity with TV projects, having appeared in everything from Boardwalk Empire to Line of Duty.
“I think it’s great,” said Macdonald, who is also appearing in the show Giri/Haji. “I got it in spades on Boardwalk Empire. I never had that opportunity before to go back to a character year after year, so that was amazing. I think TV is great for that. … It’s like writing a book, having that depth.”
Working on The Victim afforded Macdonald the chance to work with a “terrific” ensemble of actors who came together and had the best time they could with “pretty dark material,” as she put it.
“There was a lot of Scottish actors that I hadn’t been able to work with,” she added.
Growing up in Scotland, Macdonald always dreamed of being an actor one day, but she didn’t have many stories in the neighborhood to model her career after. It was her own drive and determination that led her to success.
“I kind of wanted to as soon as I knew it was a thing that people did, and I was very curious,” she said. “I didn’t really believe it would ever happen. I didn’t grow up somewhere where people did that for a living. … I’ve been incredibly lucky in being in the right place at the right time, and I’ve also worked very, very hard.”
That hard work has paid off, not only with The Victim, but also with a career that now includes three Golden Globe nominations, an Emmy Award, a BAFTA nomination, a Scottish BAFTA Award (for The Victim) and multiple ensemble wins at the SAG awards.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Victim, starring Kelly Macdonald, will premiere Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. on KCET in Southern California. Click here for more information.
