Anna Pavlovna

Played past Gillian Anderson

Anna Pavlovna is a glittering society hostess. Her salon in St Petersburg is the place to be for gossip, scandal and speculation. Single herself, Anna is much more interested in other people's diplomacy. She knows everything about everybody – and is more than happy to help her friends and allies Vassily and Helene in their schemes.

Interview with Gillian Anderson

Had you read State of war & Peace earlier yous took on the role?

I've had the book in my iBooks for a long time, I decided one day to download it, but I had never read information technology earlier starting to work on this. Because I'd heard daunting things said about the novel I approached it with a certain amount of reverence and fear and actually take been pleasantly surprised that it's incredibly readable and interesting. It'southward also fascinating about real history and I feel similar I've learnt quite a lot from it that I didn't know.

Tom (Harper) is encouraging people to study the original and to employ it to further delve in to characteristics of their character.

Tell us about this adaptation…

I of the things that Andrew is peculiarly good at is keeping the bulk of text and maintaining many of the characters. Andrew'south always reverential, he has a great respect for the pieces he takes on and you lot can blot that from the text.

Fifty-fifty though the story is set in the 1800s, there'due south still war and love, romance and betrayal running through it. It's the same as with Shakespeare and other great novels in history, they stand because they are well-nigh relatable subjects. State of war & Peace is brimming full of relatable subjects. In that location'south likewise an extraordinary cast of young, very attractive and talented actors.

Tell united states of america about Anna Pavlovna…

Anna Pavlovna is a socialite and holds salons during the course of the tale of State of war & Peace. A good deal of the action takes place at these salons, particularly matchmaking and politics with a small p. I like her audacity and cheekiness, throwing balls, matchmaking and e'er with something to say.

What attracted you lot to the role?

The chance to work on a piece like War & Peace is boggling in itself. Having it made by the BBC and The Weinstein Visitor, Andrew Davies doing the accommodation and the cast that came together, plus the fact that my office happened to fit exactly in my schedule, was a very big part of information technology. Likewise being able to pop to St Petersburg for a few days of history and fun with boyfriend actors, and to get to work with Tom Harper, all of that actually. It was fun.