Sophie Turner has come a long way since Game of Thrones wrapped up, and her new series Joan will be unlike anything we’ve seen her before. She recently opened up about playing a single mother in this project, revealing how her own motherhood journey informed her latest role.
Turner’s new series is based on the real-life character Joan Hannington, a figure known as “the Godmother” in the British criminal underworld. ITV’s new six-part series will chronicle her journey from housewife and single mother trying to provide for her family to a petty offender and diamond thief who later transforms into one of London’s criminal masterminds.
Turned discussed her role in a recent interview with The Sunday Times, and revealed that being a mother herself helped her connect to this character.
“If I hadn’t been a mother, I don’t know if I would have been able to bring the same energy that I did into it. It’s such a struggle being a single mother. Joan doesn’t go about it in the best way … but it is amazing to see her really fighting for her daughter,” she explained.
Turner later took to social media to clarify she was referring to her character and not herself when she talked about the struggles of being a single mother. The actress shares two daughters with her ex Joe Jones, and she said she’s “very fortunate personally to have a lot of help” raising her children.