Anna Friel: Northerners have to work harder for acting recognition
Friel said northern actors don’t have the “connections” to hit the big time
Anna Friel believes northern actors have to work harder to become successful because they don’t have the “connections” to hit the big time.
The 41-year-old star, from Rochdale, has been nominated for the best supporting actress at this month’s Bafta TV Awards for her role as a desperate single mother in BBC drama Broken.
Her co-star in the series, Sheffield-born Sean Bean, who played a troubled Catholic priest, is also nominated for best actor. The pair discussed the drama at Annabel’s in Mayfair last night.
Friel said: “How many female northern actresses are successful in America? Does it help to have a leg up? Of course it does. And connections. Does it feel good to know you’ve done it absolutely by yourself through sheer hard work and integrity — yes it does.”
Bean, 59, added: “It is true. I’ve been passionate, stuck it out and believed in myself, and that’s it.”
Bean was also a producer on Broken, which highlighted problems in Britain such as poverty, gambling, under-funded mental health care and police corruption.
He said the series’ religious backdrop “was not trying to dictate what god you should worship”, adding: “The series looked at the poverty that exists and the contrariness of the society we live in. I felt it dealt with poverty, suicide and very upsetting subjects without apology.
He also killed rumours of a second series, saying: “I feel like I’ve gone as far as I can with this role.”
Although Friel said she disliked organised religion, Bean revealed he is a church-going Christian.
He said: “I go to church, I believe in the Catholic faith — without forcing it down anyone’s necks.”
Bean is many critics’ favourite to win the Bafta on May 13, with Friel saying: “There were so many people saying if Sean Bean doesn’t get the actor nomination then there’s something wrong and I completely agree.”
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