Doubt: Amy Adams interview

It was only just over a year ago that Amy Adams had her breakout role in the smash hit Disney fairy tale crossover Enchanted. Now she’s just been nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar for her performance as Sister James in Doubt, the 60s-set story of a young nun at a Catholic school in the Bronx who interprets the behaviour of Father Bernard Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) towards a black student as suspicious and takes her suspicions to the school principal, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep). We spoke to Amy and asked her about her Oscar nomination and what it was like to work with Philip, Meryl and John Patrick Shanley, who not only wrote and directed the film, but also wrote the play that the film is based on. In return, Amy told us about the perhaps surprising hobby she picked up along the way…

LOVEFiLM: Congratulations on your recent best supporting actress Oscar nomination! You must be thrilled…

Amy Adams: Yes, I’m thrilled. I’m going with John Patrick Shanley and everyone in the cast. It’s just going to be a party. We’re going to have so much fun!

LF: How do you prepare for awards ceremonies?

AA: You know, it’s nerve-wracking, it’s always overwhelming, but it’s a lot of fun too. If you can just focus on the spirit of the moment, it’s a lot of fun. I don’t take winning very seriously - I haven’t ever in my life. My perspective is that there are hundreds of films in a year, there’s thousands of actors in those films and to be even considered in close company with Marisa Tomei [The Wrestler] and Viola Davis [Doubt], that’s huge for me.

LOVEFiLM: What was it about the character of Sister James that initially drew you to the project?

AA: In this film John Patrick Shanley has constructed this exploration of the types in our society and what I love about her type is what the introduction of suspicion and doubt does to a pure soul.

LF: Working alongside Meryl and Philip must have been a huge joy for you…

AA: Oh absolutely! I knew it would be a wonderful personal as well as professional opportunity to get to share these scenes with these amazing people.

LF: And what was it like working with Meryl especially? You have a lot of scenes together…

AA: It was great. She really just gives you so much and also builds you up. She gave me so much confidence. I just always felt so supported by her.

LF: I can imagine the mood on set was very tense. The headspace that you had to get yourself into must have been very demanding…

AA: It is very demanding. And everyone has their own process. But it was also great fun and Meryl taught me to knit, so we spent a lot of time on set knitting!

LF: Did you knit anything in particular? Scarves? Hats?

AA: Oh I’m a scarf girl. I can knit a straight line like nobody’s business! But sometimes it’s not about what you make, it’s just that the process of making it is so grounding and soothing.

LF: What was it like working with John Patrick Shanley? He wrote the play, wrote the screenplay and directed the movie, so it’s completely his baby…

AA: It was very scripted. Because the language is so specific, improvisation didn’t really work. But we knew that from the beginning. Anything that was added was usually taken from the play. But he did really allow us to bring our spirits to the characters.

LF: Did you do much research into the period and the racial divide at the time?

AA: Absolutely. I did a lot of research about not only what was happening racially, but also what was happening in the Church at that time. The Church was getting ready for a big change in terms of moving to be more open and Father Brendan represents that, and Sister Aloysius represents the past. That was sort of where America was at that time - these great traditionalists and these forward thinkers. And the 60s were all about the clash of that and that’s what this film represents.

LF: What do you hope people take away from watching Doubt?

AA: I hope it brings great conversation to their life. I love it when a film does that. This film, it’s polarising. It all depends on the life experience that you go into it with. I challenge someone to go in and leave their personal experience at the door, but you can’t with this film. You know what I mean? I haven’t found anyone who’s like, “I don’t know and I’m OK with it.”

LF: It’s a very different role from Enchanted. Where would your career to go next?

AA: I’d like to keep working! [Laughs] What I have coming out is Night at the Museum 2. I play Amelia Earheart in that.

LF: Is there anyone that you’d like to work with in particular?

AA: The list is so long that to name one is not really fair. There’s so many people I’ve worked with already I’d like to work with again. I’d work with Meryl on every film if I could. She’s awesome!

Helen Cowley