By India McCarty
Natalie Dormer is sharing her admiration of the real-life inspiration behind her latest movie AUDREY’S CHILDREN.
“I could not believe that I did not know already who Dr. Audrey Evans was,” she told Movieguide® in a recent interview.
Dr. Evans was “a trailblazing pediatric oncologist,” Dormer explained, adding, “She was a massive pioneer basically in chemotherapy for children…through her work and creating what we call the Evans Staging System.”
“She’s completely cut mortality rates in half,” she continued. “Survival rates were massively, hugely, vastly improved due to Audrey, and she also co-founded the first Ronald McDonald House.”
Dormer called Dr. Evans “a phenomenal woman who moved the needle in saving thousands and thousands of children’s lives.”
Part of Dormer’s behind-the-scenes work involved speaking with people who had known Dr. Evans firsthand.
“I got to talk to adults who had been child patients of Audrey. That was incredibly affecting,” she recalled, sharing that people would tell her, “Audrey saved my life. I would not be here without Audrey.”
Dormer concluded, “It was a privilege and an honor to play that woman.”
In an interview with The Collision, Dormer spoke about how moving it was to meet Dr. Evans, who sadly passed away two weeks into the filming of AUDREY’S CHILDREN.
“ I was profoundly affected by meeting her,” she said. “To sit there and to hold her hand, and have some very special, quiet moments with her. She was 97 years old, and she was working well into her 80s! She did not want to stop. It was just a privilege to be that close to the individual that you’re portraying.”
Related: Natalie Dormer on Audrey’s Children & Playing a Real-Life Hero!
Dormer also shared her hopes for what audiences take away from AUDREY’S CHILDREN, saying, “Audrey’s story is a testament to what the individual can achieve if they put their mind to it for the greater good.”
“I hope the film does [make a difference to children],” she continued, “[And] that people will be more aware of the fight and funding for cancer research.”
In an interview with Metro Philadelphia, Dormer shared, “If anyone is testimony to the difference that one human being can make, it’s Dr. Audrey Evans. I mean, it’s fable-esque what she achieved, truly…It’s the power of the individual, which is cliche, but it’s cliche for a reason.”
AUDREY’S CHILDREN is already receiving rave reviews, with MovieWeb calling Dormer’s performance “sublime.”
“She portrays Audrey as an unstoppable force with a limitless capacity for caring,” the review continued.
Movieguide® also reviewed the movie favorably, commending its “touching script” and “strong moral worldview.”
AUDREY’S CHILDREN is now showing in theaters.
- Content: +4Share:
- Content: +4