Anne-Marie Duff, 54, has spoken about the unexpected response to her role in the dark comedy 'Bad Sisters', where she plays Grace, a victim of coercive abuse. While walking on Hampstead Heath, she was approached by a group of affluent middle-aged runners who wanted to discuss a friend's abusive behaviour, based on what they had seen in the show. Duff felt flattered, saying, 'We nailed it. We did it properly.'
Duff, who studied at the Drama Centre, has been acting professionally since 1994. Her breakthrough came in Paul Abbott's 'Shameless' 20 years ago. Last year, she won a Bafta for her role in 'Bad Sisters'. The new series sees her character Grace become more central, with co-star Fiona Shaw noting, 'You're everywhere in the show... Even when you're not there, you're everywhere.'
Creator Sharon Horgan praised Duff's approach: 'Grace was an incredibly difficult part to play, but for Anne-Marie it was always about creating a fully believable atmosphere for the character. Then she'll do anything. She's incredible.' Duff admitted she found playing Grace overwhelming, but added, 'I'm always up for telling stories about a section of society's difficult reality. It's important, isn't it?'
Duff previously received similar depth of response when playing Joan of Arc on stage, receiving letters from young Christian women. She takes the responsibility seriously, saying, 'Your intentions are what is received. So if you take the issue seriously, people take you seriously.'
Rory Kinnear, who starred with her in 'Macbeth', described her as fearless, with a preparedness to fail that comes from a lack of personal vanity. 'She is also one of the great laughers,' he added.
