You did face some criticism from the victim's families how difficult was that to cope with?

I didn't read any of it because I don't read the press but all I can say is that I am terribly sorry that drama, and if they would like to pick me out that's fine I can take that on board, I can only apologise for any hurt and offence that was not the reasons why we made that drama at all.

I think all the people that have been effected by that were to ask themselves about the judicial system they might think that it needs to be reformed, I'm not suggesting that they let people out early, but life should mean life for some people. It's very topical and all I can do is apologise from the bottom of my heart if I offended anyone from doing my job.

In recent roles you have played strong and interesting women such as Deborah Curtis and Mary Queen of Scots what was it about these multi layered women that interest you so much?

It's funny because last year, no not last year the year before, I played Marilyn Monroe, Myra Hindley, Mary Queen of Scots, Deborah Curtis it was quite bizarre really. To be honest it's about character and about getting my teeth into something and finding this roles, or the project, fascinating like with Longford I was attracted to the idea of social reform.

A project like Mary Queen of Scots it's very exciting because it's a big budget film and you get to wear the dresses, it's like playacting when you were a kid. And I suppose Deborah Curtis is just someone that I admire greatly and having read her book I was blown away by her story and really wanted to play her the diversity makes my life interesting.

And that brings me back to the World of Difference campaign because I'm so lucky I have a very interesting life I get to travel all over I'm really really lucky and there must be people who are bored and dissatisfied and have such a lack of self worth and ding something like this could really change their life.

And what is your latest film project?

The latest film I have coming out is Synecdoche, which premiered at Cannes, and it's Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut, he is a writer he wrote Adaptation and being John Malkovich, and it's with Phillip Seymour Hoffman. So that is the film that I have coming out and I just finished a project last week called The Messenger, with Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster, I play an Iraqi war widow, my husband goes out to fight in Iraq and doesn't come back, so that quite topical and I'm about to start directing my own stuff.

I was just about to ask you about that you are about to make your directorial debut on The Unloved what was the attraction of moving behind the camera?

I tried to get other people to direct it first and they all said no you do it and I thought 'no' and then the years went by and I couldn't stop thinking about it, I used to lie in bed at night and see the shots in my head. I have an incredible producer on board Kate Osbourne and Revolution Films are doing it for me, Michael Winterbottom and Andrew Eaton's Company, so I'm with really great company.

You are a mother of two how hard is it to juggle you career and your parenting commitments?

Really hard and it changes all the time what they need changes and what I need changes so you have to be adaptable and if you remember to put your children first and make sure that the choices that you make are the right choices for the family I think you can sleep at night.

It isn't easy at all, I have an eight year old and a six month old, and the government didn't make it easy for me a long time ago because I needed a have a nanny, because I was a single mum in order to work, and there is no way you could claim but I think now you can so it's been made a little but easier now.

How difficult has it been working for those charities such as Save the Children, knowing that you are a mother, how difficult is it to see all those children in poverty and without families?

Well it's interesting that you say that because I have worked for Save the Children and gone off and seen horrific things but I see things like that here everyday I really do. I think it's how strong you are as a person and, after you get over the initial shock and upset, you must always retain the innocence that you have you can't get numb to it you can't get cold to it because then it doesn't get that fire in your belly to change things and I always try to keep that going.

In regards to being a mother I work with a very supportive group of people and we are all working together for the same cause I sometimes need to be briefed in what they need me to do but we are all here for the same cause.

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FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

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