Claire Foy on her ‘incredibly unique’ new film ‘Women Talking’

In the new film Women Talking, which expands to a wider theatrical release Friday, Claire Foy stars as a woman coming to terms with the years of ritualistic abuse inflicted upon her small religious community.

It’s a role that tackles a lot of complex ideas. And while those serious moments were handled, Foy tells ABC Audio that the cast was also able to extract moments of levity out of the material.

“A lot of people believe that it would be incredibly heavy and intense, and the film is actually very hopeful and full of love and also humor,” Foy says.

According to Foy, this is due in part to the film’s director, Sarah Polley.

“She’s the most incredible filmmaker. She was able to hold enough space for all of us. She was able to make us all feel valued,” Foy says. “We just were all there for her, basically. We just wanted to support her in what she was trying to make.”

And they did just that. The film consists of a cast of nearly all women — something Foy describes as an “incredibly unique” concept.

“I’ve never had that experience before,” Foy says. “Judith [Ivey] and Sheila [McCarthy], who’ve been acting the longest out of all of us, have never had that experience either, so that says everything, doesn’t it?”

Even now, Foy says the special experience of making the film left a lasting impact on her life.

“It was so profound,” Foy says. “I think the relationships that we created on and off screen are really incredible, and also a testament to Sarah, who allowed the environment for us to do that and to be supportive of us in what we were trying to do.”