Actress Sienna Miller speaks of 'privilege and impunity' as PM and Sunak get partygate fine
Miller tells ITV News Entertainment Reporter Rishi Davda her new project unwittingly reflects real-life events
Actress Sienna Miller said "entitlement, privilege, and impunity" have become increasingly key issues in the current political climate, with Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak having received police fines for Covid rule breaches.
The star - known for blockbusters like Alfie and American Sniper - told ITV News about her new project, and how its theme of political scandal unwittingly mirrors the row over lockdown-breaking Downing Street parties.
Anatomy of a Scandal was adapted from Sarah Vaughan's 2018 bestselling novel of the same name.
The Netflix series stars Miller in the role of Sophie Whitehouse, the wife of fictional parliamentary minister James.
Sienna Miller reflects on how real-life political scandals played out during filming
Miller said the drama's release was "perfect timing", pointing to three political scandals from the past couple of years.
She mentions: "Pretty unethical behaviour from some members of our government - whether that was breaking quarantine to drive up north or fumbling in corridors".
"This week, the news is filled with the ramifications to that party. I think that entitlement, privilege, and impunity is in the forefront of people's minds," Miller said.
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The 40-year-old also spoke about the "anxiety-inducing" experience of being in the spotlight as a young woman.
"I think it's inevitable that I would be reminded of situations, the feeling of going to bed one evening knowing that intensely public information will be published the following morning, and everybody will read about something that you would have told one person.
"That's a horrible feeling, that many women would have experienced at the time I become well known. That part of it was anxiety inducing but I knew that that would be useful to my work. Reclaiming that feeling and using it creatively feels liberating."
Do Miller and her character share experiences?
Today, she likens her experiences to that of Anatomy of a Scandal's Sophie.
Anatomy of a Scandal, also starring Rupert Friend and Michelle Dockery, can be streamed on Netflix on April 15.