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Emily Watson Reveals Strict Religious Cult Upbringing and How Acting Helped Her Escape
🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Emily Watson Reveals Strict Religious Cult Upbringing and How Acting Helped Her Escape

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Actress Emily Watson revealed she grew up in a "very strict religious cult" associated with the School of Economic Science in London.
  • Watson stated that her acting career, particularly her role in Lars von Trier's "Breaking the Waves," helped her understand and overcome her childhood experiences.
  • She described leaving the group as a profound moment of both heartbreak and incredible freedom, realizing her "true self" was guiding her.

During her acceptance speech for an honorary award at the Sarajevo Film Festival, acclaimed actress Emily Watson shared a deeply personal account of her upbringing. Watson revealed that she grew up within "a kind of very strict religious cult" connected to the School of Economic Science in London, an institution she attended.

Some parts were very happy and others very strange.

— Emily WatsonWatson described her childhood experiences growing up in a strict religious environment.

Watson explained that while her family was loving, the environment she grew up in was highly unusual. She described her younger self as "very devout" and deeply invested in her faith, which initially made it challenging to find her own path. However, she found that acting became her salvation, particularly after portraying a character in Lars von Trier's 1996 film "Breaking the Waves" who experienced a similar restrictive religious upbringing.

"Some parts were very happy and others very strange," Watson commented on her experience. She noted that the film, which earned her first Oscar nomination, served as a pivotal moment, allowing her to re-examine her childhood from a new perspective. "I knew I had a certain affinity with this character," she added, highlighting how the role resonated with her personal history.

I knew I had a certain affinity with this character.

— Emily WatsonWatson spoke about her connection to the character she played in Lars von Trier's film 'Breaking the Waves,' which mirrored her own upbringing.

Watson also recounted the moment she informed the School of Economic Science that she would be making the film. She was bluntly told not to proceed, with the institution suggesting she leave "with your lack of dignity elsewhere." This confrontation, coupled with the emotional weight of the film's themes, led to a profound sense of both loss and liberation. "I was deeply heartbroken, but I also felt my heart overflowing with freedom. An incredible freedom," she stated, recognizing that this feeling of rupture and exposure was central to the film's impact and her own healing process.

I was deeply heartbroken, but I also felt my heart overflowing with freedom. An incredible freedom.

— Emily WatsonWatson described the complex emotions she felt upon leaving the strict religious group she grew up in.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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