Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley on Women Talking: ‘We don’t need to be protected or looked after’
Inspired by a true story, Women Talking sees a group of women tasked with deciding what action to take after discovering the men in their religious colony have been drugging and raping the female members for years.
The Oscar-nominated film’s themes of misogyny and power are pertinent – especially perhaps to its star Claire Foy, following a highly publicised court case during which a man pleaded guilty to stalking her.
“I don’t think women do need to be protected or looked after, I think we’re quite capable – I mean, I can only speak for myself – but of looking after ourselves,” she told Sky News.
“It’s that the world that we live in doesn’t agree, and that’s why so many women and young girls are put into such dangerous… maybe situations that are very similar to this movie.
“The film is really interesting because I think it deals with power and how power affects people.”
Women Talking is set in a remote, devout community, but perhaps as we hear so much about violence against women, it still resonates within our own society.
“I think one of the things the film’s about is that the patriarchy doesn’t serve men either,” says Ben Whishaw, the movie’s only male star. “It’s not a happy situation for anybody, I think that’s very important to understand.”
Jessie Buckley, who plays a woman who is physically abused by her husband, thinks Women Talking reminds us how important debate is when it comes to initiating change.
“I think the way we can move forward is through conversation and allowing all of us and all of our different worlds and the way we come into the world and how we see the world to change each other,” she said. “You know, constructively rather than kind of aggressively in a way.”
Women Talking, which is based on a book of the same name by Miriam Toews, is up for best picture and best adapted screenplay at the Oscars.
However, it was overlooked in the best director category – which is an all-male shortlist this year.
It’s something the Academy is facing criticism for as Hollywood continues to face pressure to ensure equality in the industry.
L-R: Mara, Ivey and Foy on set with director Sarah Polley. Pic: Orion Pictures/ Michael Gibson
Canadian director Sarah Polley says the lack of female nominees isn’t the only issue.
“For me, the biggest disappointment in that category was there was an opportunity to have the first black woman ever nominated for an Oscar in the directing category, and that opportunity wasn’t taken.
“So when I think about movies like Till or The Woman King or St Omer, there were a lot of options.”
Women Talking is out in cinemas in the UK now
Jeffrey Epstein led two different lives – sex offender and celebrity networker – and he did that in the UK as well as the US.
The newly released Epstein documents reveal, in particular, how the paedophile financier ascended into the highest levels of British society.
This photo of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor sprawled across the lap of several women, whose identities have been protected, speaks to his close relationship with Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was jailed for child sex trafficking and other offences in connection with Epstein. But the furnishings are even more revealing.
Epstein files – latest updates
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor pictured with Ghislaine Maxwell. Note: inclusion in Epstein files does not infer wrongdoing
Sky News matched the fireplace in this photo with the one in Sandringham, the estate where the royals tend to spend Christmas – (Andrew is not invited this year).
Andrew has vigorously denied any accusations against him.
Prince Charles, now King Charles III, at Sandringham with Prince Edward. Pic: PA
Also included in the latest release are Epstein’s flight records. They provide some useful corroborating evidence.
A flight log from the Epstein files
On 9 March 2001, his plane landed at “EGGW” – Luton Airport – with JE, GM and VR on board – Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Virginia Roberts, better known by her married name of Virginia Giuffre and perhaps Epstein’s most famous accuser.
The next day is when this photo was alleged to have been taken, in London, of Giuffre and Andrew.
Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ghislaine Maxwell’s townhouse in London, in March 2001
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell hunting, date unknown. Pic: US DoJ
Other photos show Maxwell on the steps of Downing Street – and power was as much a draw as celebrity.
Ghislaine Maxwell outside 10 Downing Street, date unknown. Pic: US DoJ
On 15 May 2002, the flight records show Epstein again arriving at Luton.
A flight log from the Epstein files
The next day is when he met Tony Blair, prime minister at the time. This was before Epstein’s first arrest and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing.
Read more:
New photos of Jeffrey Epstein’s circle released
Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case material to be released
The meeting was arranged by Peter Mandelson, who lost his job as ambassador to the US because of his Epstein connections, and who features prominently in the files.
Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein. Pic: US DoJ
The UK was a draw for Epstein’s wider circle too – Maxwell here is pictured touring the Churchill War Rooms with Bill Clinton and Kevin Spacey. Neither are accused of wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
(L-R) Ghislaine Maxwell, Kevin Spacey and Bill Clinton, with three other men. Pic: US DoJ
And the other grim life that Epstein led, of sex trafficking, also had British links.
A page from the Epstein files
Another document released in the files, from 2019, shows witness testimony from Maxwell’s trial. In it, a victim is mentioned who is “17 years old” and who grew up “in England”. She would later be taken to Epstein’s private Caribbean island.
Police have announced a £20,000 reward in the hunt for the killers of a man in north London in March.
Mahad Abdi Mohamed, 27, died after being shot in the head in Waverley Road, Tottenham at 8.45pm on 20 March, the Metropolitan Police said.
The Met, which announced the reward from the independent charity Crimestoppers, said officers believed the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
Police now want to speak to two people in connection with the incident.
DCI Rebecca Woodsford, who is leading the investigation, said: “There is someone out there who knows what happened that night, and we are urging those individuals to find it in their heart to come forward. It could be exactly what we need to locate those responsible.”
Images of the two people police would like to speak to. Pics: Metropolitan Police
A targeted attack
Police believe the suspects, who got out of a stolen Mitsubishi Outlander, which was later recovered burned out, were taking part in a targeted attack.
On the night of the murder, Mahad had spent the early evening with his friend at their home.
They were breaking their fast outside when the Mitsubishi Outlander approached and the suspects opened fire, striking Mahad and his friend multiple times.
Mahad’s 26-year-old friend received treatment for a gunshot wound to his leg.
The force suspects another stolen vehicle, a blue Jaguar, was used to transport the suspects to and from the Mitsubishi.
Read more from Sky News:
Driver guilty of murder in Christmas Day rampage
Ukraine “hits Russian tanker in Mediterranean Sea for first time”
The stolen cars from the night. Pics: Metropolitan Police
Police arrested four adult men in March and April on suspicion of murder, who were subsequently bailed.
The investigation so far has led officers to believe whoever killed Mahad set out to hurt someone else in a pre-planned, targeted attack.
Appealing to the public for information, Mahad’s youngest sister said: “To stay silent is to be complicit. To stay silent is to let a grieving mother suffer in confusion. To stay silent is to let a little boy grow up not knowing what happened to his father.”
Pic: Metropolitan Police
The reward, which is offered for information that leads to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible, is available for three months and is due to expire on 20 March 2026.
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