British actor Anna Friel stars in the new Australian medical drama The F Ward, playing the no-nonsense surgeon Dr. Gloria Wall. In a recent interview, Friel shared insights from the set, her personal habits, and reflections on her career.
Medical Facts and Female Surgeons
Friel revealed that she studied real operations to prepare for her role. "Some of the operations I studied and watched in order to emulate them, I couldn't believe that the patient was alive. Half of their body was outside of them; that should be inside!" The show employed two surgeons on maternity leave as consultants, who discussed the challenges women face in surgery. "They said, 'No, she has to be [tough] and we love her,'" Friel noted, allaying her fears that the character might be seen as a "hard bitch."
No-Nonsense Women and Australian Observations
Friel admires real and fictional strong women like the late Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, her mother, and her daughter. She recalled meeting Smith and Dench on Broadway at age 22. "The times I met Maggie, there was never any nonsense," she said.
Filming in Australia, Friel was struck by the locals' daily swimming habit, even in darkness. "The nonchalance! 'You didn't go for a swim!' 'Obviously not, it's dark!'" She also commented on Australians' confidence and beauty. "I don't think I've ever seen so many beautiful people walking down the street. The nation of beautiful people." She contrasted this with British apologies: "Rather than the 'sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry' of the Brits."
Memorable Fan Interaction and Learning Lines
Friel's daughter Gracie is partly named after singer Gracie Fields. A fan collected newspaper clippings of Fields from the 1940s into a book for Friel. "I thought that was one of the most extraordinarily kind things to do," she said.
Friel confirmed she learns her lines in the bath. "I blow up my pages and stick them everywhere and I am not able to get out of the bath until I've learned that bit." She recommends this method for studying: "If you've got to study for exams, folks, the bath is a good shout."
Secret Skill: Lighting
Friel collects Arts and Crafts period furniture (1880-1920) and Vaseline glass, which mimics candlelight. "Light affects the brain – we're meant to have natural light," she said. She carries lightbulbs to sets and homes, suggesting dimmers and warm lighting. "I think that really affects how one thinks. And it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. You'll never find me with a suitcase without a fairy light."
Advice and Pushing Daisies
Friel lives by the advice: "Hope for the best, expect the worst, and that way you're not disappointed." She sees this as preparation, not negativity.
Reflecting on the cancelled show Pushing Daisies, Friel said it was "ahead of its time" and a "love story with music and colour and imagination." She noted that fans still ask about it. "I think there's a call for it to come back. We're almost 20 years older now – time goes so quickly. But it would be great to get that group of people back again."
Comfort Films and Love Story
Friel finds comfort in 80s and 90s movies like Pretty Woman, Ghost, and The Goonies. "When we used to watch a movie, we knew it wasn't real life but we all thought life could be like that." She enjoys reliving them with her daughter.
On meeting former partner David Thewlis, Friel recalled approaching him confidently on a plane to Cannes. "Two years later he said: 'I liked you from that moment.' We went out for dinner and we didn't spend a night apart for a year." They exchanged weekly gifts for that first year, a tradition she now misses.
All episodes of The F Ward are available to stream on Stan in Australia.
