It’s no secret that Emma Mackey has a knack for playing complexfemale characters. In fact, they’re kind of her personal brand. Whenshe first caught the public’s eye it was as
’s pink-haired, Riot Grrrl-loving Maeve, who battles slut-shaming in her school anda turbulent family life with nothing more than an acerbic tongue and“fuck the world” demeanour. When it first aired in 2019, the seriesbecame an instant classic, exploring issues that had rarely been seenon screen before, from revenge porn to queer coming of age, withnuance and integrity.
Speaking over the phone, Mackey is quick to acknowledge the impactthat Maeve has had – both on audiences and, personally, for her asan actor. “It’s a gift to play that kind of character, ” she says. “I thinkthere’s something very powerful about her and I’m only sort ofrealising now, with a little bit of a distance, how much of an impactshe has had on people.” Not only did playing Maeve lead to Mackeyreceiving her first Bafta nomination, it placed her in the middle ofcultural conversations, with her character’s experience of unwantedpregnancy opening up new ways of thinking about how abortionshould be depicted on screen.
Emma Mackey Confirms She Won't Be Returning For
Bookish and introverted, Mackey isn’t the big personality you wouldexpect from a trailblazing actor, but she has something else going forher: the quiet power of someone who doesn’t need to be the loudestin the room to get noticed. Thoughtful and sincere in conversation, she offers up honest answers rather than reaching for platitudes, andis unafraid to delve into stickier, more complex emotional territory– including her mixed feelings about
. For all thepositivity that the show has added to her life, Mackey is grappling withthe series’ inevitable sell-by date as she stares down her late twenties.“It’s a complicated thing to me. Sex Education is so momentous asa concept, as a show, and the cast are phenomenal. I genuinely careabout them all a lot and I made lifelong friends. We’ve kind of grownup together, ” she says. “But the bittersweet nature of it is that I alsocan’t be 17 my whole life.”
No one can, which is why Mackey has already begun to look at life, and empowered heroines, beyond Moordale High. In the years sincethe show debuted, she has crossed over into cinema, appearing in themoody Irish thriller
Emma Mackey Biography
, in which she plays Victorian novelist Emily Brontë. With Deathon the Nile set in the 1930s and Emily taking place in the 1800s, whatis it that attracts Mackey to women of the past? Well, as it turns out, these roles are something of a personal feminist mission for her. “Wedon’t learn enough about women in history and often, when you readhistory books, the only facts and figures you have about [women]are who they married and how many children they had or didn’thave. That’s really sad – you’re chipping away whole identities andwhole lives from the history books, ” she says. “It’s quite nice to bein a position to be able to reinvent and reimagine and actually fleshsomeone out who really existed.”
For Mackey, acting is serious business – not in the sense that she’sbiting my hand off to talk about her process. Rather, she is keen tospeak about the importance of “transmission and transmittingsomething” through her work. In practice, what this translates tois choosing roles that bring more knowledge to viewers: whetherit’s about the lives of history’s forgotten women or the progressivesex education embodied by her breakthrough role. “There is a hugedimension of acting that is about legacy. Most of us want to leave amark – hopefully, a good mark – and use our time well, because that’sthe only currency we have control over, ” she says. “[When choosinga role] I think, ‘What is it that you want to give your time to and is itgoing to bring joyto people or help people?’ Not that I’m a missionaryor anything.”
, released onthe other side of the channel later in the year. Revolving aroundthe construction of the Eiffel Tower and the love life of its visionaryengineer, it’s as emblematically French as they come. For Mackey, whowas raised in Le Mans, it represents a chance to reintroduce herself toher country people. “I was definitely at a point where I really wantedto kind of reconnect with that [French] side of myself and it felt likethe Frenchest film possible, ” she laughs. “It’s a very Romanesque andromantic story about the Eiffel Tower, which is a symbol of Paris andFrance across the world.”
Emma Mackey On Channelling The Spirit Of Emily Brontë For Frances O'connor's Not Quite Biopic
Characterhaving been dubbed for the French market by someoneelse. “I was really angry, ” she says, uncharacteristicallyforthright as she discusses the moment of realisation thatanother actor would be voicing her translated French dialogue.“I spoke to [the
Team] as well. I was like, ‘You knowI can do this.’ And they said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, ’ then dubbedthe voice. I’ve always been really upset about that, but it’s just one ofthose things.” For an individual who is so creatively and intellectuallycurious, it seems like the acting job description – essentially bringingsomeone else’s vision to life – might be beginning to grate. “Whenyou’re an actor, you don’t really have that much of a creative stake inwhat you do, which is quite an odd thing, ” Mackey says. “I’ve sort ofrealised that you’re a vessel for someone else’s dream.”
This creative frustration is, perhaps, why Mackey’s long-term ambitionsaren’t necessarily in front of the screen. Looking ahead, she vaguelymentions a pivot to farming: “I’m not prescribing a future for myself, butI’ve always loved [the idea of] moving to the countryside. I just want togrow vegetables and work with the land.” Shorter term, she mentionsthat the idea of becoming a writer or director is, “starting to creep into mythought process”, before modestly qualifying that: “I know I’m not quiteready for it.” It’s clear, however, from the passion with which she speaks, that this is a dream that Mackey would readily dedicate herself to if shewere given the chance. “I’m very attracted and seduced by the idea ofwriting a film and conceiving something, being there at the conceptionof a story, working at it, seeing it through and then choosing a team, ”she enthuses. “I think there’s something so amazing about creatinga community of people to tell a story. It is literally getting a town together.”
People Are All Saying The Same Thing After Emma Mackey Is Cast In Same Movie As Margot Robbie
Constantly drinking in knowledge around her and taking newchances to learn, Mackey’s approach to life is one of constant self education– just like for the characters in
And theaudiences learning through them. Unlike many young actors in anindustry obsessed with looks and youth, she’s not afraid of ageingand growing older, instead seeing it as an opportunity to becomemore herself. “I’m actually quite looking forward to it, ” she says.“Having read more, having more knowledge, being more confidentand just being more grounded. Do you know what I mean?” Yes, wedo. And whether it’s as an actor or, in future, as a filmmaker, it’s clearthat Mackey is only just getting started.
Sex Education season three debuts 17 September on Netflix. This interview is taken from our Taking Back Control issue. Order your copy here.
Emma Mackey, Sex Education And Barbie Star, Talks Those Margot Robbie Comparisons
Characterhaving been dubbed for the French market by someoneelse. “I was really angry, ” she says, uncharacteristicallyforthright as she discusses the moment of realisation thatanother actor would be voicing her translated French dialogue.“I spoke to [the
Team] as well. I was like, ‘You knowI can do this.’ And they said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, ’ then dubbedthe voice. I’ve always been really upset about that, but it’s just one ofthose things.” For an individual who is so creatively and intellectuallycurious, it seems like the acting job description – essentially bringingsomeone else’s vision to life – might be beginning to grate. “Whenyou’re an actor, you don’t really have that much of a creative stake inwhat you do, which is quite an odd thing, ” Mackey says. “I’ve sort ofrealised that you’re a vessel for someone else’s dream.”
This creative frustration is, perhaps, why Mackey’s long-term ambitionsaren’t necessarily in front of the screen. Looking ahead, she vaguelymentions a pivot to farming: “I’m not prescribing a future for myself, butI’ve always loved [the idea of] moving to the countryside. I just want togrow vegetables and work with the land.” Shorter term, she mentionsthat the idea of becoming a writer or director is, “starting to creep into mythought process”, before modestly qualifying that: “I know I’m not quiteready for it.” It’s clear, however, from the passion with which she speaks, that this is a dream that Mackey would readily dedicate herself to if shewere given the chance. “I’m very attracted and seduced by the idea ofwriting a film and conceiving something, being there at the conceptionof a story, working at it, seeing it through and then choosing a team, ”she enthuses. “I think there’s something so amazing about creatinga community of people to tell a story. It is literally getting a town together.”
People Are All Saying The Same Thing After Emma Mackey Is Cast In Same Movie As Margot Robbie
Constantly drinking in knowledge around her and taking newchances to learn, Mackey’s approach to life is one of constant self education– just like for the characters in
And theaudiences learning through them. Unlike many young actors in anindustry obsessed with looks and youth, she’s not afraid of ageingand growing older, instead seeing it as an opportunity to becomemore herself. “I’m actually quite looking forward to it, ” she says.“Having read more, having more knowledge, being more confidentand just being more grounded. Do you know what I mean?” Yes, wedo. And whether it’s as an actor or, in future, as a filmmaker, it’s clearthat Mackey is only just getting started.
Sex Education season three debuts 17 September on Netflix. This interview is taken from our Taking Back Control issue. Order your copy here.
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