Rising star Mia McKenna-Bruce has spoken candidly about the significant age difference with her latest co-star, Hollywood veteran Matt Dillon, revealing he is the same age as her own parents.
On-Screen Romance With a Real-Life Age Gap
The 28-year-old BAFTA-winning actress stars opposite Dillon, 61, in the new film The Fence. The drama, based on Bernard Marie-Koltès' 1979 play and set in West Africa, sees McKenna-Bruce play Leonie, the young wife of Dillon's character Horn, an American construction foreman. The movie explores heavy themes of masculinity, race, culture, and social divides.
Despite portraying spouses of a similar age on screen, a 33-year age gap exists between the two actors in real life. In an interview for the February issue of Tatler, where she is the cover star, McKenna-Bruce admitted she was initially uncertain about taking the role.
From Uncertainty to Admiration
"It was a bold choice," she explained, referencing Dillon being her parents' contemporary. "But mentally we were in the same place. Like Helena, Matt's got a really youthful thing going." She added that Dillon was considerate of the potential awkwardness, telling her to speak up if she ever felt the age gap, but she never did.
The actress also confessed she was unaware of Dillon's enduring heartthrob status until witnessing it firsthand. "I had no idea what a heartthrob Matt was," she said. "When we were in Toronto for the film's world premiere, there were screaming women waiting for him." She recalled joking with him, "Matt, I didn't realise you were such hot property," while praising him as humble and sweet.
A Career Reborn After Panic Attacks
The interview also touched on McKenna-Bruce's personal journey, which nearly saw her quit acting altogether. She revealed she was once so stricken by panic attacks before auditions that she dropped her agent and took a job in a call centre. "I was convinced I was done with it," she stated.
However, after a break and some travelling, she returned to acting with renewed passion. Her comeback was cemented by critical acclaim for her role in the coming-of-age drama How To Have Sex, which propelled her to BAFTA success.
Looking ahead, the actress will next appear in Netflix's upcoming Agatha Christie adaptation, The Seven Dials Mystery. On a personal note, she married actor Tom Leach last year, following the birth of their son, Leo, in summer 2023.
The full feature is available in the February Issue of Tatler, on digital download and newsstands from Thursday 8th January.
