Jodie Comer's latest drama, "The End We Start From," delves into the challenges of motherhood in the midst of a climate crisis. In the movie, the British actress portrays the character known as "Woman," a new mother who experiences labor while witnessing London being inundated by heavy rain and flooding. The environmental catastrophe compels Woman, along with her partner "R" (played by Joel Fry), and their newborn, to escape the city in pursuit of a safe haven as the situation in Britain deteriorates into turmoil.
"I always felt like I didn't really necessarily have a maternal instinct. And then I felt like throughout this process I kind of found that within myself, which was really beautiful," Comer said as she premiered the film in London on Tuesday.
"I'm realising more and more that the roles you choose, you learn something from them. And that's definitely something I felt on this," said the 30-year-old "Killing Eve" star. The actress also served as an executive producer for the film.
"Being the lead in this film and being an exec and being so supported by the production company and sharing my opinions, that felt really validating.”
Adapted from Megan Hunter's 2017 novel of the same name by screenwriter Alice Birch, "The End We Start From" is directed by Mahalia Belo. The film aims to capture both the joys and challenges of the first year of motherhood on the screen.
"I found it one of the most beautiful periods in my life, but also probably the most traumatic," Belo said. "I felt the most vulnerable and the most strong. All these kinds of complex ideas were running through my feelings that I couldn't quite nail down. And it was really interesting in this film to look at that and explore that.”
During her quest for survival, the character known as Woman seeks refuge with R's parents, portrayed by Mark Strong and Nina Sosanya. She also forges a deep connection with a fellow young mother, who goes by the name "O" and is played by Katherine Waterston. Additionally, Benedict Cumberbatch, who is also an executive producer for the project, makes a brief cameo appearance.
Jodie Comer, hailing from Liverpool, England, is a British actress renowned for her roles in various films and TV shows. Her notable performances include portraying Rey's mother in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Villanelle in Killing Eve, Marguerite de Carrouges in The Last Duel, Kate Parks in Doctor Foster, Millie Rusk in Free Guy, and Chloe Gemell in My Mad Fat Diary.
"The End We Start From" is set to premiere in cinemas in the United Kingdom and Ireland on January 19th.
