Natalie Dormer, known for playing strong women who challenge society’s limits, is finally taking on the role of Anna Karenina in a new adaptation by Phillip Breen at the Chichester Festival Theatre. The role was first offered to her in 2019, but after six years, several screen roles, a pandemic, and having two children, Dormer is ready. She believes the delay helped her connect more deeply with the character, especially since Breen’s version focuses on Anna’s guilt and grief, showing how she replaced her maternal love with romantic passion, which led to her downfall.
Dormer, 43, says becoming a mother has enriched her portrayal of Anna Karenina. Although she could have played the role without being a mother, the experience has added layers to her performance. She explains that life experience, including loss and growth, changes how actors interpret roles. Dormer points out that if she played Anne Boleyn today, she would do so differently than when she was younger because she is a different person now.
Known for her high-profile roles such as Anne Boleyn in *The Tudors*, Margaery Tyrell in *Game of Thrones*, and Cressida in *The Hunger Games*, Dormer enjoys returning to the theatre, where she first found her passion through childhood trips with her grandmother. She feels energized by working on a production with a large ensemble cast that includes her partner, David Oakes. Although they act in the same play, their characters do not interact much, allowing them to work together professionally without overlap. At home, they practice lines together, which Dormer finds helpful.
Dormer describes Anna Karenina as a “proto-feminist,” though she understands it can be controversial to apply modern ideas to historical figures. She shares how historian Hallie Rubenhold recently expressed discomfort about Dormer’s portrayal of Lady Worsley in *The Scandalous Lady W* being too feminist. Dormer respects historians but says her job is to make characters feel human and three-dimensional, while decisions about historical accuracy are up to others. She fought to show Anne Boleyn as an educated reformer, reflecting the religious changes of her time.
Growing up in Reading as an only child, Dormer often played alone, using her imagination to explore different characters. As an adult, she finds storytelling a way to understand complex emotions like pain, anger, and joy. She says *Anna Karenina* captures universal themes about fear of a changing world and concern for the future we leave to children.
Dormer supports children’s charities like Childline and NSPCC, focusing on online safety campaigns. She points to alarming rises in online grooming and children sharing explicit images. Despite advice to build a social media presence after *Game of Thrones*, Dormer chose not to, valuing her privacy and waiting for technology companies to take more responsibility.
Many of Dormer’s roles involve women constrained by their times who either use those constraints strategically or break free, often with tragic consequences. In the upcoming film *Audrey’s Children*, Dormer plays a pioneering paediatric oncologist who challenged sexism in the 1960s. She will also portray Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, in the drama *The Lady*, showing another woman wrestling with societal expectations.
Dormer says her choice of roles depends on the quality of the part and the creative team but acknowledges recurring themes in her work. She notes that scripts for women have evolved greatly over her 20-year career, allowing more complex and flawed female characters, which she sees as a revolution.
Asked about working with Madonna on the 2011 film *W\.E.*, Dormer laughs but says she cannot share details due to a strict NDA. She reflects on how far she has come since childhood, when she dreamed of acting while playing with her dressing-up box. Standing on stage at Chichester with her image on the posters is still a surreal experience.
Dormer admits she used to be hard on herself but has learned compassion, helped by therapy. She understands that how she treats herself sets an example for her children. Immersed in Russian literature, she reflects on Tolstoy’s message that life is fleeting and encourages savoring the present moment.
