The Crown star Gillian Anderson had to block out her opinions of Margaret Thatcher to play her
The late prime minister introduced the infamous Section 28 banning the 'promotion' of homosexuality in schools.
Gillian Anderson has described how she put opinions about Margaret Thatcher to the back of her mind while playing the former British prime minister on The Crown.
The fourth series of the hit Netflix series drops on 15 November 2020.
The X-Files star Gillian joins as the late Conservative politician, while actress Emma Corrin will depict the late Princess Diana.
“It is only about her as a human being”
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar about the role, Gillian said: “I had to get to a point where it’s nothing to do with my opinions of her policies, of her actions.”
The Sex Education star added: “It is only about her as a human being and her motivation as a politician and as a mother.”
One of the most infamously anti-LGBTQ+ policies under Thatcher was Section 28, which banned “the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”.
It often meant all mention of LGBTQ+ existence was suppressed in schools.
The law, which existed from 1988 to 2003, arguably inspired similar laws still in place today in countries such as Russia and Poland.
Adding she was not permitted to help shape the way her character was written, Anderson added: “For our own sanity, and actually for the benefit of the relationship, we had very clear boundaries.
“I am not going to comment on the script, but you are not allowed to comment on the performance!”
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