Frances O’Connor doesn’t sound like a famous person. Speaking from her home in London, the actor, writer and director is softly spoken, laughs often and gives thoughtful answers to questions about fame, creativity and coming home. “I don’t know, what do you think?” she asks at one point when musing over the feminist spirit of her favourite literary heroines.
Speaking with an English-Australian accent, she offers none of the canned answers so common in conversations with stars who’ve been giving interviews for 20 years. Perhaps this is because, as a self-described introvert, she prefers to be slightly out of the spotlight. That hasn’t always been easy, with hit TV shows, major film roles, Golden Globe nominations and a recent directorial debut. But she loves to tell stories, and as she enters a new era of her working life she’s relishing taking control behind the camera while pursuing new challenges in front of it.
“It made me appreciative,” she says of the 2022 film,which she wrote and directed. “It also made me think that I love telling my own story and want to do more. Well, I am. Directing is just another way of expressing myself. I’m really excited about that.”
