Gillian Anderson couldn’t even bring herself to watch Prince Andrew’s infamous jaw-dropping interview when it was first aired on BBC’s Newsnight in November 2019.
“I think I was too nervous to watch it because it was clear that it was cringe-worthy, and whether or not I just wasn’t in the mood for cringe … but eventually
I caught up with it,” the former X-Files star, who plays the formidable Newsnight journalist Emily Maitlis opposite Rufus Sewell’s Prince Andrew in Netflix drama Scoop, tells WHO.
“And then obviously, I’ve studied it intensely in preparation for this role, so I know it very well now,” she smiles.
Surrounded by all the grandeur of Buckingham Palace, Maitlis’ interview remains a high-water mark for journalism and compelling viewing, as Prince Andrew blundered from one faux pas to the next while seeking to explain his association with convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
A million memes highlighted how many found his answers ludicrous, from claiming a family visit to Pizza Express in the English town Woking provided him with an alibi, to revealing an apparent inability to sweat.
It’s still unfathomable how the late Queen’s son, often said to be her favourite, even agreed to the interview but now Scoop – told through the eyes of Newsnight producer Sam McAlister (portrayed by Billie Piper) – sets out to explain the events leading up to that shocking interview.
Stepping into Maitlis’ signature mini-skirts and sleek bob, Anderson, 55, discovered she had little in common with the award-winning journalist.
“She runs and does cold water swimming, and she is a mum of kids and she’s known in the UK as being able to balance and handle it all – and so those are fun traits to have an opportunity to play. I’m not a runner or a swimmer and I don’t wear mini-skirts!” says the American-born actress and mum-of-three who moved to London more than 20 years ago, effectively reinventing herself with roles in series The Fall and Sex Education.
“But Emily is a formidable character and I felt honoured and privileged to have an opportunity to step into her shoes,” adds Anderson, who, having played Margaret Thatcher in The Crown, is no stranger to portraying strong women.
Amazed by her co-star Sewell’s physical transformation into Andrew, she says: “I’d seen him go through the process a little bit in our makeup trailer and saw him for the camera test. What was really uncanny was once we started the interview, where I’d asked him a question as Emily Maitlis, and hearing him answer as Prince Andrew – and how accurate it was.”
“Everything about it, every last detail was so perfect and so the biggest challenge was staying focused and responding as Emily, rather than responding as Gillian going, ‘Oh my god, that’s amazing!’” Anderson tells.
While everyone knows how Scoop ends – we know that the interview happens – Anderson says the behind-the-scenes drama that plays out keeps it thrilling. And importantly, it shows how powerful women got the job done.
“These women exist in real life,” she says. “And what I love about this film is that all of the women sit prominently in the story; you see them all working together to bring this interview to light.”
Scoop is now available to stream on Netflix.
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