Jodie Comer, who stars in Killing Eve, recently talked about her latest role in the survival film, The End We Start From. She plays a mother who tries to keep her newborn baby alive during environmental disaster and civil unrest. Comer’s character and her partner must continually flee in search of safety, food, and medical supplies. Even so, the actress has already earned two Bafta awards, and her portrayal in the film has gained high praise, with The Guardian calling it a “magnificent lead performance.”
Comer’s character, simply called Woman, appears with baby Zeb in almost every scene, so the actress had to quickly adapt to the unpredictable rhythms of babies during the six-week-long shooting schedule. It was her first time becoming familiar with the care of infants, and she coped with working with 15 babies of different ages from eight weeks old to young toddlers. Because of on-set regulations, each baby could only be present for 20 minutes per scene, requiring a lot of babies.
The film opens in London, where Comer’s character and her partner flee their flooded home due to environmental disaster. They then find refuge with his parents in the countryside. However, they must continue to move because of lawlessness and other people’s needs for medical supplies and food. Comer’s role is multifaceted, where viewers see her character develop from being overwhelmed by motherhood to taking responsibility for her baby’s careless and ultimately gaining confidence in doing so.
The director, Mahalia Belo, noted how difficult it was to juggle such a complex film, particularly with so many infants on set, but describes Comer’s presence as keeping the cast the film moving forward. Benedict Cumberbatch is a producer on the film and a peripheral actor, along with Katherine Waterston and Gina McKee. When working with Cumberbatch, Comer took time to observe and absorb what he offered his role. In contrast, her character, Woman, grows close to McKee’s character, Gina, who provides much-needed support while they flee in search of safety in the film
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