As the second season of mega HBO tv series Big Little Lies airs, its director, acclaimed filmmaker Andrea Arnold, talks exclusively about living locally, making films, her dog Sharon – and dancing

By Ben West

Greenwich resident Andrea Arnold has the world at her feet. Legions of actors, producers, broadcasters and film companies want to work with her, and she’s offered fantastic projects on an almost daily basis. Yet you’d never guess, from her completely unassuming manner and love of the simple life. Not for her donning designer dresses to attend glitzy Hollywood parties and film premieres, she’d much rather put on a cosy jumper and jeans and be walking her dog, or catching up with a good friend over a cup of tea.

The last words of her 2005 Academy Award acceptance speech, which she won for her stunning short film, Wasp, were characteristically down to earth: “As we’d say in England, this is the dog’s bollocks. Thank you very much.”

No doubt the striking film, about a single mother struggling to care for her children while also meeting a man she fancied, made such waves because it was so believable, being set in a world Arnold knew well. Her own childhood was spent on a Dartford housing estate, and her single mother had Arnold aged sixteen, and three more children by the time she was 22.

After her Oscar win, Arnold directed a sexually-charged revenge story set on a Glasgow housing estate, Red Road, a gritty coming-of-age movie, Fishtank, a groundbreaking adaptation of Wuthering Heights, and the road movie, American Honey. These triggered stacks of further awards, including BAFTAs and three Jury prizes at Cannes.

Her highly individual, instantly recognisable filmic style is exceptionally realistic, brutal at times, beautiful at others. Her films are centred around impoverishment and deprivation, and nature always features in her work. She has used both very established actors, such as Michael Fassbender and Shia LaBeouf, but has the courage to give leading roles to complete newcomers to acting, such as Katie Jarvis (Fishtank) and Sasha Lane (American Honey), whom she stumbled upon by chance.

She has also directed episodes of the American television series I Love Dick and Transparent, and most recently helmed the second season of Big Little Lies. Broadcasting from June, the huge multi-million dollar juggernaut of a project was filmed in Los Angeles, Malibu and Monterey in California, and took around 18 months of Arnold’s time. It has a phenomenal cast that includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz, Laura Dern, Alexander Skarsgård and Meryl Streep.

BW: Your life has been a huge journey, exceptionally varied and exciting. It’s ranged from
expeditions exploring the nature around your childhood homes in Dartford to
directing some of the biggest stars on the planet, in Hollywood. From hanging
out at the Blitz Club with Boy George to being a dancer on Top of the Pops. From an earlier career being a TV presenter on shows such as No. 73, to living in the wilds of Africa as a documentary film-maker. If that wasn’t enough, you have become one of the world¹s top film writers and directors. What have been the high and low points, and what qualities do you think you have to have enabled a life like that?

That’s such a big question. Yes, all those things mentioned have been highs. Lows are not earning enough and struggling to pay my way for many years.

How did you end up in Greenwich?

I worked here one day and saw a lot of Greenwich in a day and loved the park
and the heath and the river and the woods.

What do you like about living in Greenwich?

The park and the heath and the river and the woods. And the people. I live
in the best street and I love my neighbours, who are from all walks of life.
We all look out for each other and can ask for help when we need and no walk
to the shops is without several meetings and chats. It feels like a
community. Not many people have moved in all the many years I’ve been here.

What don¹t you like about living in Greenwich?

All those thousands of new flats that are being built suddenly on every
scrap of spare land. I understand we need more housing but wish there was
more mixed housing or council housing in those buildings. It’s mostly
middle class professionals. My area is quickly becoming a monoculture.

Where did your love of dance come from?

My first memory of dancing is at primary school. The teacher made us dance
to a piece of music in the school hall and I was about seven. She told us
just to move around the room. Somehow I could just let go. I flew around the
room. It was so liberating and empowering. So many of the other kids were
shy and awkward and I just wasn’t. I’m still like that. I still fly round
the room. Dancing is the best medicine.

What things are most important to you concerning your films?

That they get made? That they are made with care and thought for all the
people involved. That they get seen by as many people as possible.

What have been the influences on your work?

Everyday life. My life. The life I see every day. I love people. I believe
in the best of people. Despite the shit that is happening right now I
believe in the power of people. We shouldn’t take this place we are in now
lightly. I believe we can turn things around. We are every one of us so very
very powerful.

What processes of making a film (such as writing, casting, directing and editing) do
you enjoy or dislike the most?

I like writing because it’s the place of discovery and revelations, though sometimes painful and hard too. I like prep (casting, location scouting etc) because it’s where you put those things in your head into a kind of reality, and that changes your thinking because they are real and they can’t be like what’s in your head and you have to rethink and good things come from that.

I like directing because it’s so unknown how we’ll get there. There is me and the crew and the actors and every day is a new adventure and we discover things about ourselves and each other. Editing I sometimes find hard because all the compromises you made are there in front of you. But you get nice food and sit on a sofa.

What do you think caused your great fascination in and appreciation of nature?

Roaming in it as a kid from a very early age. I grew up on an estate in Kent on the dog-end of The Thames. It was a mix of urban and rural. The estate was surrounded by huge roads and the river lined with industry, but amongst all that were also fields and woods and wild spaces. I found it comforting to escape to a quiet spot in a field or scrambling along the banks of a chalk pit looking for wild strawberries. I’d go out in the morning and roam all day. Coming back filthy and hungry in the evening.

What do you think are the reasons your films have been so astoundingly
successful?

I don’t know. But I say what I think. I don’t mind if people don’t like what I do. I don’t try to be liked. I just try to be true to me. To the life I see.

How do you get your inspiration for your films?

They usually start with an image or more that I can’t shake off. I then go explore the images to see what they mean. Unravel them and I usually write outwards from there. Bresson said close your eyes to see. That rings true to me. I start with images.

What was it like working on a production like Big Little Lies, and with actors such as
Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman?

I learned such a lot. It was a very long shoot and every day had many challenges so I learned and grew every day. All of the actors I worked with were so talented and passionate. I learned a good deal from them all.

What do you think of Los Angeles?

I spent a year in LA at film school many years ago and absolutely loved it. It was so different to the UK. My life has taken me back there many times and I know it quite well now. It’s fun to visit but I could not live there. Life revolves around the car and that does not suit me. I love to bike and walk and bump into people. Hard to do any of that in LA. And I miss rain when I’m there and moody weather.

What advice would you give to young film-makers?

Be yourself. Do your work. Rely on yourself. Collaborate with good people. Trust yourself. Make what you care about. Don’t pretend. Don’t worry about failing. Be passionate about what you are doing. Get on with it and stop talking about it.

You dislike social media. Why is that?

It’s mostly an illusion. People present their lives in unreal ways. They don’t show their reality. I like reality. I like real interactions with people. I know there are good ways it can be used. Happy to see it used to get people on Extinction Rebellion protests or suchlike but I personally don’t want it in my life. And I see everyone on the train with their heads in their devices and I feel sad that no one is connecting with each other on the train. Who are all these people we share the journey with? No one looks you in the eye. Even gazing out of the window is a good thing. Time to ponder your life. I’m getting rid of my smart phone and getting a dumb phone.

Do you ever enjoy the glamorous side of the film industry?

Do you mean red carpets and all that? It’s such a brief part of my life. I’ve quite enjoyed it when my films have been shown at Cannes. Its such a crazy experience. Cannes put small films at its heart so they give them attention which small films much need, so I roll along with it there. Generally though I think red carpets should be phased out and become a thing of the past. Why are we so fascinated with people on red carpets?

You have a dog. What is your dog called and why? How did she come into your life?

She’s a little brindle staffie called Sharon Rihanna (love Rihanna) and I met her on a train from Greenwich to Cannon Street. A young lad from Woolwich was taking her to Battersea. I took her home intending to find her a home but every time someone came to see her I resisted and ended up keeping her. She’s the best dog. A real character.

What do you like about the film industry?

That there are people in it who want and believe they can make the world a better place and don’t stop trying.

What is your next film project?

Not telling.

What are your greatest regrets?

My mistakes have taught me the most, so no regrets.

What are your future ambitions?

To choose love over fear as best and as much as I am able.

@benwestwriter