Joanna Scanlan, known for comedic roles in No Offence and The Thick Of It, delivers a powerful dramatic performance in Aleem Khan's debut film After Love. She plays Mary, an Islamic convert living in Dover whose husband dies suddenly, leading her to discover he led a double life with a woman in Calais.
Scanlan, 59, admitted she felt 'a little bit nervous' about disrobing for the role, despite being comfortable with nudity in previous films. The scene involves Mary examining her body in a mirror, revealing stretch marks and scars. 'The body bears the scars of our lives,' Scanlan explained.
In Calais, Mary meets Genevieve (Nathalie Richard), who mistakes her for a cleaner. The two women—a secular French Republican and a Muslim convert—must overcome their prejudices against the backdrop of Brexit and the refugee crisis, though these issues are never explicitly mentioned.
Scanlan underwent a rigorous audition process and then studied Islamic practices with Khan and his mother. She wore a hijab and salwar kameez in London to test reactions, finding that no one treated her differently. 'I felt very comfortable,' she said.
Her performance has been praised as explosive, showcasing vulnerability and depth. The film, developed with the BFI and BBC Film, is now in cinemas.
