Hostage star Suranne Jones: 'We need to have older women on-screen'
The actor stars opposite Julie Delpy in the new thriller, which lands on Netflix next week.
Hostage star Suranne Jones has spoken out on the importance of training younger women in the screen industries – as well as ensuring older women can still get plenty of quality leading roles.
The actor's latest gig is a Netflix original thriller in which British Prime Minister Abigail Dalton (Jones) is horrified to learn that her husband has been taken hostage, during an important summit with French President Vivienne Toussaint (Julie Delpy).
In addition to her co-leading role, Jones is an executive producer on Hostage (created by Bridge of Spies co-writer Matt Charman) and deliberately sought out female directors to tell the story.
Isabelle Sieb (Vigil) and Amy Neil (Trust Me) helmed the first and second blocks respectively, with Jones calling them simply "the best people for the job" in an interview with Radio Times magazine.
"The best people for the job were always going to be women. And Netflix agreed. If women don't use women writers, or directors, or camera operators, no new women will come up in the industry.
"We need to train women. And we also need to have older women on screen."
Questioned on whether those older female actors should feel able to age naturally on screen if they wish, as opposed to feeling pressured into cosmetic procedures, Jones shared that she was "frightened to death of any kind of Botox or anything like that".
The Gentleman Jack star proceeded to offer an example of her personal experience with the scrutiny that female stars are subjected to: "My auntie was talking to me the other day. She said, 'People always ask me, when did Suranne break her nose?'
"I've never broken my nose, but because it's not perfectly straight, or whatever… Anyway, character is about what shines from within. It's not about fixing what's outside."
The Hostage cast also includes Corey Mylchreest (Queen Charlotte), Lucian Msamati (Gangs of London), Ashley Thomas (Great Expectations), James Cosmo (His Dark Materials) and Jehnny Beth (Anatomy of a Fall).
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
