American Woman star Sienna Miller on portraying every parent's worst nightmare

After ing roles in period pieces like Foxcatcher, Sienna Miller steps to the fore in perhaps her most challenging part to date, the American Woman in the title of her latest film.

Directed by Jake Scott (son of Ridley), it follows Debs, notorious in her small town for her behaviour but who has to change when the disappearance of her daughter leaves her in charge of her young grandson, an adjustment she could never have envisaged. And it’s that character arc that piqued Miller’s interest in the part, as she explains to The People’s Movies Freda Cooper, although she its that the director had decided on her for the role well before she agreed to do it.

As the film traces how Debs moves from a chaotic way of life to something calmer and more secure, it also examines how parents cope when their worst nightmare becomes traumatic reality and Miller found this one of the biggest challenges of the film. In the interview below, she also talks about working with her on-screen “sister” Christina Hendricks and looks forward to her next film in UK cinemas, 21 Bridges, a taut thriller which sees her co-starring with Chadwick Boseman.

Video interview