No, I don’t mean the film, wild horses and a man with a gun would struggle to get me to walk away from this script, the title refers to watching films with young actresses in. When I want to relax, I find myself looking for films about an older generation, or with an older cast, just so that I don’t look for ‘My Vera’. Caitlin and I get sent so many suggestions for our lead role, that it’s like a sport, the ‘can you find Vera’ games!

So what will we look for? It’s difficult to explain really. Obviously she will have to show us a complete range of emotions, to reflect the journey that Vera went through in this period of her life, but it’s more than that. I have often said that Directors need to prepare for an audition too, not just the actor. The director needs to be open and ready to feel something. I want an actress to get inside my head, to make me feel, to make me experience and most of all, to make me cry! I don’t mean cry as if this torment will ever end, but there’s a beauty in someone doing something well, wholeheartedly and being complete in what they do. That’s when you feel the emotion and experience that the actor is giving you.

So who is Vera? I don’t know yet, it’s simple. But when she grabs my attention, makes me feel, drags me into her world, then that’s the Vera we need.

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