Amy Adams names the most intense role of her career: “The most in touch with my primal self”
Amy Adams has made a career out of defying expectations. From her humble beginnings in Catch Me If You Can to her breakout appearance as a literal Disney princess in Enchanted to more ambitious roles in American Hustle and Arrival, you never quite know what you’re going to get from an Adams film. Her latest movie, Nightbitch, sees the actor channel canine energy as he struggles with motherhood, another fascinating addition to an already brimming filmography.
Another fantastic performance from the American star can be found in Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master. As Peggy Dodd, the wife of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s menacing cult leader, Adams is ringside to the psychological torment her on-screen husband inflicts on his newest disciple, played by Joaquin Phoenix. It would have been easy for Adams to get overshadowed by her two more prominent co-stars, but she is dazzling in her understated yet essential role in this gripping tale.
In conversation with the Los Angeles Times to promote Nightbitch, Adams reflected on this time in her life and drew comparisons with her upcoming project. “That’s the most in touch with my primal self I’d ever been,” she said of the character, calling it “the most intense role that I did when [my daughter] was young.” Her daughter, Aviana, was born just two years before The Master came out. Adams revealed that her schedule for making the movie consisted of spending the daytime with her daughter, taking frequent naps, and then heading to set for the multiple night shoots that were required.
This sounds gruelling, but Adams reflects on this time fondly. “I loved it,” she said of the struggle to balance her professional and personal lives. “My philosophy has always been to bring your experiences into what you’re working on. It can be very cathartic.” The Master came off the back of an intense few years for the performer. Not only had she just given birth, but she’s also worked pretty much non-stop on an array of movies, including The Fighter, The Muppets, On the Road, and Trouble with the Curve.
“I think that’s the most tired I’ve ever been,” Adams said of this period of her life. She never wanted to stop, though, as she was determined to give her daughter the upbringing she deserved. “The reason I got so exhausted is I never wanted to not be there for her,” she confessed. “I would work and then I would make sure that I was doing everything at home. I was the main breadwinner in the family. It was a different level of responsibility that I felt.”
This mindset paid off, as not only was The Master heralded upon its release, so was Adams’ performance. She was nominated for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ awards at the Baftas, Golden Globes, and Oscars, and won several prizes from various critics organisations. Though arguably not one of her more famous roles, it stands out as one of her most challenging and is held in extremely high regard by her own cult followers and those of Anderson’s work.
Being an actor requires drawing on all your life experiences, be they good or bad. Adams did just that for The Master, channelling the primal energy of motherhood into a standout performance. Now, 12 years later, she’s doing the same with Nightbitch, and it’s getting equally impressive results.
