Mia Wasikowska Plays Mennonite Woman In 'Lawless'

by UInterviewMay 22, 2012, 12:00 am >

In Lawless, a new western outlaw film screening at the Cannes Film Festival, actress Mia Wasikowska (The Kids Are All Right) plays Bertha Minnix, a peaceful Mennonite woman who catches the wild eye of bootlegger Jack Bondurant, played by Shia LaBeouf. Mennonites, for those who don't know, are a group of Christian pacifists known for their plain style of dress and belief in adult baptism.

The Australian-born Wasikowska, 22, recently opened up to reporters about how she was able to identify with a character with such a strict upbringing. "What I liked about Bertha was that she grew up with a very specific way of life, and the fact that she sort of had the independence of thought to look beyond it and question the way that she had been brought up," Wasikowska told reporters at the Cannes Film Festival.

Wasikowska, who won rave reviews for her roles in last year's Jane Eyre and Albert Nobbs, demurred when asked about her secret to getting into character ("I’m never in character all day or anything"), but did admit to enjoying a skillful collaboration with the costume designer. "The costume always helps me a lot," she said, adding: "And when everybody finally agrees on the look, it’s like, OK, that’s who it is."

But wasn't it hard to play an independent girl in Bertha's dowdy, Mennonite garb? "It was OK, actually," Wasikowska said. "It’s not as restrictive as English period costumes."

Watch the trailer for Lawless, co-starring Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce and Gary Oldman, here: