Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke ‘go feral’ in ‘The Girlfriend.’ But who’s the real villain?

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This article contains spoilers for the finale of Prime Video’s “The Girlfriend.”

As I delved into the pilot script for “The Girlfriend,” I could vividly envision the entire series playing out before me. Initially, I was invited to direct the opening episode, but the captivating adaptation of Michelle Frances’ 2017 novel drew me in so profoundly that I decided to join the team not just as a director, but as an executive producer as well.

In the search for an actress to portray Laura, a strong-willed matriarch determined to shield her son, Daniel, from his latest love interest, it turned out that all potential candidates were already occupied with other projects.

As a devoted cinephile, I’ve always cherished Tilda Swinton in my cinematic dreams. During our conversation at the Ham Yard Hotel in London, alongside the brilliant Olivia Cooke, who launched her new Prime Video series, the pressure of time was becoming more intense. But then Jonathan Cavendish from Imaginarium Productions posed an intriguing question: “Would you consider portraying Laura? You’ve already developed a deep understanding of her.” The prospect of delving deeper into each character and transcending the book’s rich narrative drew me in, making this project an irresistible opportunity.

In the initial casting selection, Cooke was Wright’s preferred choice to embody Cherry, a character portraying Daniel’s working-class girlfriend. Cherry has questionable intentions and a potentially violent history that adds intrigue to her character. At the close of 2023, the actors convened over Zoom and shared an instant understanding about the suspenseful series. They were both drawn to the unique narrative structure where each episode provides a distinct perspective on the events, leaving viewers frequently questioning who is right. Is Cherry subtly trying to manipulate Laura for closer ties with Daniel, or is Laura simply overprotective and suspicious?

Cherry (Olivia Cooke), Daniel’s working-class girlfriend. (Christopher Raphael / Prime)

Laura (Robin Wright) is suspicious of Cherry and her motives. (Christopher Raphael / Prime)

Wright explains that he was drawn to the two distinct viewpoints, exploring this aspect further because it mirrors our typical human experience. He refers to this as the essence of humanity, where each individual perceives things differently. We all see ourselves as the protagonist in our own life’s story and from our unique perspective, but we might appear as an antagonist to someone else. This dynamic is evident between Cherry and Laura, as jealousy escalates into a struggle for power.

Cooke notes that it’s quite engaging to explore the cunning and deceitful characteristics of female characters, playing various aspects and abilities they possess. Intriguingly, both characters embody all these traits.

Wright adds, “Experiencing the array of being a woman felt almost identical.” The audience can effortlessly switch between sympathizing and questioning, as they may support one character at times but not always. This fluctuation stems from genuine emotions. Regardless of who Laura or Cherry represents, their experiences reflect their individual truths. Their narratives serve as their unique stories.

As a true film enthusiast, I wholeheartedly agree that immersing oneself in the characters one portrays is essential for an authentic performance. When I embarked on the role of Cherry, I felt a profound connection with her struggles – they were driven by deprivation, fear, and the constant need to persevere.

Cherry was not just surviving, but thriving amidst adversity, displaying resilience and tenacity that was truly inspiring. She fought tooth and nail for her own defense, a testament to her scrappy spirit. Without a safety net or a parachute, she had no choice but to keep moving forward, and I was honored to bring her story to life.

Over six episodes, tension between Laura and Cherry intensifies significantly. Following a rock-climbing incident causing Daniel (Laurie Davidson) to slip into a coma, Laura deceives Cherry into believing that he’s deceased. Later on, during an unsettling encounter, Cherry brandishes a knife toward Laura – or so it appears. Cooke expresses her delight in “getting the chance to act wildly” throughout this dramatic series.

Cooke notes that while Laura finds Cherry’s behavior peculiar and seemingly malicious, it seems to Cherry herself as just a desperate attempt to make a good impression and conceal her past, which a mother quickly discerns.

Cooke portrays Cherry as a determined character striving to rise above adversity. As she explains, “I aim for the audience to hold conflicting opinions about her.” Typically, women are expected to present themselves in a more reserved manner.

Wright adds, “It’s often, ‘You can’t express that or feel that,’ but this allowed us to communicate what many women yearn to say or do, yet seldom can. It was about being authentic, not just diplomatic. This was an expression of our humanity. Women are complex individuals, capable of handling numerous tasks simultaneously. I wanted to portray the various shades of a woman – her strength, depth, and resilience.

Awards

Actress from ‘House of Cards’ steps into directing for the first time with ‘Land.’ She portrays the central character, a woman grappling with grief throughout the film.

The role gave Cooke the chance to showcase her range and expressiveness.

For my own well-being, it felt incredibly relieving to express and vent my anger, to let loose and show my emotions openly,” Cooke explains. “Cherry is bubbly and always ready to burst out. She’s extremely sensitive and I’m constantly on guard for the triggers before I respond. This was like a place where you break things to release frustration.

In the chaotic ending sequence, Laura drugged Daniel to prevent him from approaching Cherry. After Cherry burst into Laura’s home, they ended up engaging in a physical confrontation in the basement pool. A disoriented Daniel witnessed their fight and jumped in an attempt to shield Cherry. Unfortunately, he held his mother beneath the water for too long by accident. This initial assessment suggests that Laura met her demise at the hands of her own son, which was filmed on set in London last year.

According to Wright, there was a bird’s-eye view of the mother deceased in the father’s arms. He found it breathtaking as he saw him holding her, mirroring how I held him during our time in Spain. However, they decided not to include this scene because it conveyed that she had passed away.

The choice between having Daniel unintentionally or intentionally harm Laura stemmed from a lengthy conversation, according to Wright’s description. While the apparent resolution seemed to be for Cherry to deliberately kill Laura, Wright advocated against this scenario.

Wright explains, “I remarked, ‘It’s only their son who can end his entanglement with his mother as long as she lives,'” referring to the ongoing conflict in his character’s life. “When he reaches the pool, he’s bewildered, almost delusional,” Wright adds, describing the scene where he witnesses Laura attempting to drown his girlfriend. “He hasn’t fully grasped what led up to that moment – he doesn’t know about Laura’s attempt on his mother’s life. His perception of time and space is skewed due to his intoxication.

Cooke clarifies that she portrayed Cherry not as wishing for Laura’s death, although others might interpret it that way. Instead, she emphasized that Cherry realizes things have gone too far and is shouting at Daniel to come to his senses. However, it’s important to note that in the scene, Cherry did manage to secure the house.

Filming the pool scene was quite a difficult day due to the chilly temperature of the indoor pool located in the basement of a private house in London’s St. John’s Wood area. Despite claims that it was heated, the actors felt no warmth during the filming process.

Wright remembers it being extremely challenging. For him, filming those scenes was akin to waterboarding. People might assume that acting in them would be enjoyable, but on the contrary, they were incredibly demanding. We all felt like drenched and frozen rats.

Still, Cooke says it was enjoyable to go to such intense limits emotionally.

She explains that it’s enjoyable to explore the limits of your emotions in an atmosphere that is secure, entertaining, and supportive. We wouldn’t have been able to perform such extreme acts and then laugh about it if there wasn’t a foundation of trust and affection. These characters engage in highly intense and absurd behavior, but it’s always grounded in authenticity and realism, which are crucial for the journey we embark on.

Robin Wright found the pool scene particularly challenging and compared it to experiencing waterboarding. On the other hand, Olivia Cooke enjoyed pushing her emotional boundaries during filming, describing it as an entertaining experience that took her to the brink of her emotional limits. (Paraphrased by Mistral AI)

Towards the end of the final episode, Cherry and Daniel decide to reside in Laura’s grand estate, granted permission by Daniel’s father, Howard (played by Waleed Zuaiter). Upon discovering a voicemail from Laura, Daniel learns that Tracey (Karen Henthorn) had forewarned her of Cherry’s potentially harmful intentions. However, the series creator, Wright, suggests that viewers may not necessarily conclude that Laura is completely absent from the storyline moving forward.

She mentions that they purposefully left some ambiguity, “she says.” By observing a family who appear to be expecting a child in the Sanderson house with no sign of the mother, one might wonder if Laura is indeed alive. Could it be possible she didn’t die? Or perhaps she was secluded somewhere like the priory?

Wright says they wanted to leave it to the audience to decide what happened.

“She continues by stating that Daniel has woken up. If Laura is still alive, he might return to her and express, ‘I now trust you, but I’m currently with a woman who seems unstable and I fear she may harm me in my sleep.’ There are numerous possibilities for how things could unfold if there’s a Season 2.”

Television

In the second season of HBO’s “House of the Dragon,” Olivia Cooke reappears in her role as Alicent Hightower. Despite a decline in her power, Alicent Hightower possesses untapped potential and capabilities yet to be fully explored.

Currently, no news has been shared regarding another season. Emily Carey, who plays Alicent Hightower in “House of the Dragon,” mentioned she’d need approval from HBO to join a simultaneous series. Wright also mentioned that success is determined by an algorithm – you have to wait and see if it’s moderately successful. Jokingly, Wright suggested, turning to Carey, “If there is a Season 2, I think you should kill the cat in the first episode, skin it, and wear it as a hat.

For Wright, being an executive producer offers a thrilling aspect – she relishes the opportunity to envision wild plot twists among the characters. She enjoys concocting narrative concepts and crafting character histories, while shaping the deviating finale brings her immense pleasure.

Wright explains that this was his initial chance to create something entirely from scratch. He gathered various personal stories and anecdotes, incorporating them into the project. For instance, the scene of Laura kissing her son on the lips originated from a friend’s tale, while the moment where Laura sprays Cherry with perfume in the shop and mentions “Daniel loves this” was inspired by someone on set. Ideas were always evolving throughout the process.

Wright handled the first three episodes, establishing the visual and thematic style for the series, whereas Harkin managed the last three. The actor claims that during filming, there was a significant sense of creative freedom, which was enhanced by the pre-filming rehearsals the cast was afforded. Notably, she emphasized offering each actor their unique interpretation for every scene.

She notes, “Typically, I prefer using the phrase ‘free-for-all’ to describe where they went. When you remove the boundaries, as actors we’re all confined in a box. We make decisions and stick with them. However, when those rules are discarded, the extraordinary things actors express are astounding. That’s what makes directing, especially since I am an actor too, so captivating. I find it fascinating to witness how the performance develops, the insights that emerge, and the deep emotions brought to light.

In his own words, Cooke mentions that he had never worked directly with the director before, creating a unique dynamic on set. Instead, Robin acted alongside him while simultaneously observing his actions and modifying her performance based on his reactions. This interaction made the entire experience feel lively and energetic.

In the end, it’s for the audience to determine if Laura or Cherry takes on the role of the ‘villain’ in “The Girlfriend”. As Wright puts it, this decision largely depends on one’s personal perspective.

She emphasizes that it’s up to you as an observer to decide whether there’s a universal truth or if it’s merely a matter of personal perspective. Since everyone perceives things differently, each person has their own version of events. Yet, the actual truth might be found somewhere in the middle of these individual perspectives.

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2025-09-10 15:31