We spoke to Hannah Murray about Detroit, Game of Thrones and whether she still hangs out with her Skins co-stars…
Best-known for her roles as the wildling Gilly in Game of Thrones or Cassie in Skins, Hannah Murray has been acting since she was 16 years old. The now 28-year-old Bristol-born actress features in Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film Detroit that brings the reality of the police brutality during the 1967 Detroit rebellion to the big screen, in cinemas Thursday.
We caught up with the actress to talk all things Detroit, Skins and Game of Thrones.
Hannah Murray on… Detroit
The story follows several African-American men and two white girls as they are verbally and physically abused by racist policemen. In an all-too-relevant documentary-style film, it draws ominous parallels to the present. Hannah Murray plays Julie, who is caught up in the events after going to Detroit to innocently listen to Motown.
Q. The film has been released at a very poignant time, what with the Charlottesville rally…
“Every time you turned on the news, even when we were making it, it felt very front and centre. The film in that sense has been a real education for me. It’s important for audiences to understand that these are peoples’ reality and still their reality that they still live in fear of law enforcement every day.”
Q. Would you consider your character’s views towards race ahead of her time?
“We are talking about a time when interracial was still illegal in about 17 states, so the idea of that sort of intermingling was shocking to some people. I think it is very forward thinking that these girls don’t ‘see’ colour, but I think to an extent there’s a kind of privilege inherent in saying you don’t ‘see’ colour, because in being white, you get to ignore issues of race. Julie’s ability for stand up for herself and constantly
advocate for herself comes from a place of and a feeling of greater safety than the young men experience.”
Q. The film has been criticised for being ‘by white people, for white people’, what are your thoughts on this?
“I really disagree with that statement. I think that everyone should be involved in these conversations and I think for Katherine to use her platform and her privilege to explore racism is exactly the way that people need to, it shouldn’t be a thing that white people aren’t willing to engage with.”
Hannah Murray…on Skins
Hannah Murray began her acting career on the set of Skins. At only 16 years old, she played Cassie, a young teenager suffering from an eating disorder who was in and out of rehab.
Q. There was criticism towards Skins at the time but considering the backlash of shows like 13 Reasons Why and To The Bone, do you think you would be less likely to get away with some of the themes explored nowadays?
“Yeah, I don’t know. I think it’s amazing to me that it’s been 10 years since the show came out and the landscape has changed so much particularly for young people with social media. But, we thought that it was very much a show for teenagers and the whole point was to not talk down to them, in the same way that I didn’t feel talked down to by the material. I was really excited to be given a responsibility to tell a story that was so important. I also never felt like the show was trying to be shocking. I think we were just dealing with issues that were of real concern and interest of young people.”
Q. Do you ever meet up with any of your Skins co-stars? “All the time, we are really, really close. They are a special group of people, they are like my family.”
Hannah Murray…on Game of Thrones
Hannah joined the cast of Game of Thrones in season 2 as wildling Gilly and has remained in the show ever since- an impressive feat for a show so willing to kill off anyone at any time.
Q. Do you agree with the ‘misogynistic’ label that has been assigned to the HBO show?
“I don’t agree at all. I think it has some of the greatest roles for women that have ever been written about on TV. It portrays women in a really complex three dimensional way and shows female characters with incredible power.”
Q. About *that* mansplaining…
“I didn’t expect such a big reaction. It is one of the most important information reveals of the entire show and that he just doesn’t listen to her is just infuriating, a lot of women can relate to it.”
Q. Gilly has been criticised as a passive figure, do you agree?
“She has a really interesting strength of her own that is different to the obvious strong characters in the show. She has an incredible determination to take care of the things that are important to her like her baby and Sam. Her resilience in the face of the trauma she has experienced is very empowering. To leave such a really horrific extreme dynamic of abuse, where she has been indoctrinated to believe there is nothing outside of this world and the fact that she escapes from it is really remarkable.”
Q. Which character would you like to come face-to-face with?
“I keep hoping that my storylines are going to cross with [Skins co-star] Joe Dempsie at some point. But, I would really like to work with Conleth Hill who plays Varys.”
Q. When Game of Thrones ends, will you follow in the lead of the Lord of the Rings cast and get matching tattoos?
“I know Sophie and Maisie got matching tattoos, I think it was of the day they both got offered the part, which is very sweet. But I don’t think that I would personally go for that – maybe some of the others would that have been involved in it from the pilot. They have talked about doing something like that.
Q. I have to ask; can you tell me anything about the up-coming series?
“I like to believe that the real fans of the show don’t want things to be spoilt and don’t want to find out the secrets. I personally, for myself, try to find out as little as possible about the narratives of the show so that I can watch it as a fan and watch it unfold.”
courtesy= .glamourmagazine.co.uk .com
