Actress Hayley Atwell is not in the mood to play a damsel in distress on screen and is glad that strong female characters have become a buzzword in the world of Hollywood. She admits that as an artist, it is her responsibility to dive deep and explore characters’ vulnerabilities.
“All the roles in my projects are not used as a gimmick. For example, my character in The task is impossible franchise or any other female character from a film, all women are unique. It’s not the same thing, and it really forced me to bring things to set every day that could take her out of one of the archetypes. You can’t put characters into boxes or describe them as femme fatales or damsels in distress. She’s subtle,” says the British-American actor.
The 41-year-old actor says there is a unanimous demand for better written characters for female actors that are more “subtle and dynamic”. She explains: “There’s a buzzword called ‘strong female characters.’ Well, we need nuanced and dynamic characters that reflect the different qualities we have as people. Because none of us are ever just one thing. We evolve over time. Now the filmmakers are really open to it, and it creates a very creatively fertile environment that we want to thrive in.”
Debuting in 2005, Atwell has made a name for herself with projects such as Duchess (2008), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Cinderella (2015), Pride (2013) and her character Grace in The task is impossible franchise.
Reflecting on her journey, the actress admits that she has had her fair share of ups and downs. “Early in your career, you’re learning the craft of filmmaking and your role in it, or learning how to interpret a script. After that, I thought what would be my next challenge… And that is to explore and explore what makes her tick? What does she want? What gets in her way? It’s my responsibility as an actor to find the details in the character naturally,” says Atwell, who reprized her famous role in the recently released film. Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One.
The actor also got to work with actor-producer Tom Cruise, which she calls an enriching experience. “We filmed the projects over three years because we did it partly because of the pandemic. During this time, I really felt his commitment to storytelling, constant exploration and asking questions with a truly deep curiosity about what comes into the frame. The process was very inclusive. Tom, along with director Christopher McQuarrie, invited me to see prints and watch other films that have their own special film language… I learned things that I can apply in future productions,” she tells us.
Given that The task is impossible The franchise is hugely popular in India as well, and Atwell ends his speech with a promise to visit the country soon. “I never had the opportunity, but I would like to come to India. I had friends who were in India and when they returned they spoke of the energy and kindness of the people. I love eating Indian food in London. This is one of my favorite cuisines. If I ever got a chance to come to India, I would jump at the opportunity,” she ends.