An Interview with Connie Nielsen from ‘Close to Me’

Connie Nielsen as Jo Harding in ‘Close to Me’.

Connie Nielsen is a highly accomplished actor that has appeared in countless blockbusters and brilliant independent films over the course of her career, and it just so happens that Connie has a brand-new miniseries premiering on Sundance Now this week entitled Close to Me, and we here at Nerds That Geek had the chance to speak with Connie regarding her new series to learn more about its genesis and its themes.

John Betancourt: Since you are an executive producer on this project, what was it that attracted you to Close to Me?

Connie Nielsen: It was the ability to be part of really making sure that we were going to tell the unvarnished truth of the life of a normal woman going through not just midlife crises, but on top of midlife crises, a very serious brain injury. And the format I thought of the story was so genius, you know, this idea that you just take like your usual sort of genre idea, it starts with a fall and amnesia, right? That's like, a pretty, pretty well-known device. But from then on, nothing is what it appears to be. And I just wanted to be sure that we were going to do, is to really keep that “unvarnishedness” that, that truthfulness, that realism in there, and to really go into the truth seeking, in that psychological sort of detective story, that we go on with Jo, as we start finding out the truth behind what's really happened to her. Not just in the present, but also in the deeper, deeper, deeper past.

John Betancourt: So, speaking of Jo and her journey, what was it that attracted you to playing Jo?

Connie Nielsen: I mean, clearly, it's a dream role. This is a woman who you get to see, you know, going through childhood trauma, dealing with her parents dying, and going into Alzheimer's dementia. Telling, the normal experiences of any woman over 45 right now. You know, dealing with aging parents, dealing with the fact that you are going into menopause and, and changing. And I always say, “Don't ever let a good crisis go to waste.” -laughs- You know, a good crisis is, is worth something, it's important, it will give you something that you didn't have before. And so maybe a crisis is a loss of something, but you certainly will gain something from that. And that's what attracted me to that story. And to that character. She is also incredibly feisty, and the ability as an executive producer to be able to play that unvarnishedness, that realness about her, like showing her sexual fantasies the way they really are for women. The way that you know, Jo, is when she's disinhibited, due to her brain injury in the beginning that she says terrible things that are not the way we idealize women. But also like the fun of her friendships and her, politically incorrectness. When she says things about her kids, you know? Just for me, this really important thing of telling, not an idealized woman's story.

John Betancourt: Now, you’ve spoke to a lot of Jo’s complexities and what she goes through in this story. As an actor, how did you prepare yourself for so many difficult moments?

Connie Nielsen: I don't think you can prepare yourself. I just knew I was in for like, a ride. I knew I was going to have physical and mental stability issues. I knew that I was going to be in isolation almost throughout the whole shoot. That I would go on set and then I'd come home and stay in my apartment in London. And that was it. You know, some rental apartment and that it was really going to be, like a journey into this darkness. But I thought it was just really important to do and a really important story to tell. And you know, I think we're starting to talk more about the role of gaslighting and manipulation. But I don't think we really have shown, like the deep, deep pain that that causes, like the deep, deep wounds that are created from this gaslighting. And as we dive deeper and deeper into Jo's world, we realize that that gaslighting has been going on in her whole life. And I think that it was really important to me also to show just how devastating it is and… I really think it's a social problem, like just how much gaslighting there is. I really do. I think that people are constantly trying to pull one over on each other. And like trying to persuade each other that “no, I've got the truth.” Knowing very well, that you're just trying to pull the wool over someone's eyes. It's like, I wanted to tell those things and show that. In a really personal way, you know?

John Betancourt: Now, without spoiling too much, I did notice that the show appears to be setting up an in-depth look at domestic violence and the resulting trauma from that. Which are taboo topics. What led to the decision to grounding this in such heavy material? And I mean that in a positive way, because I think that is an important conversation to have.

Connie Nielsen: Precisely that, what you're saying. Because I think it's an important conversation to have, I've always been an actor, because I believe in the power of storytelling, I believe that storytelling is central to our ways of creating community. And I believe in continuing to have that conversation as a community about “what do we allow?” Like, why do we allow this violence? Why are we not talking more about why this violence exists? You know, and we need to engage, like, really earnestly sometimes, you know, we do it with a lot of humor in Jo, Jo uses humor and her self deprecation as a way of keeping a grip on herself. She uses humor as a way of also chastising herself, and disciplining herself in a way, but it also shows the mental aspect of a person who has been gaslighted. And therefore, continues to cause this violence to herself, in her mind, all the time. And potentially even to her own body. And, and that's, you know, knowing is that violence, you know, brought from her past? And then now, is she doing that violence? Or who is doing this violence?

John Betancourt: Well, that is the best part of this journey, the discovery.

Connie Nielsen: Well, it is sort of like, she's this detective, but the worst detective on the planet because she's got a brain injury. -laughs-

John Betancourt: Now, we’ve talked a lot about messages today and so far, out of all the underlying messages in this series… which one means the most to you?

Connie Nielsen: That, you know, well, first of all, don't step away from the truth. Like here you have a woman who has a brain injury, and she will not stop looking for the truth, she is desperate to find the truth. And I think let's not look away from the truth, let's really, really seek out the truth fearlessly. But to really seek our truth, we have to not have fear. We have to really, truly be courageous and brave, and in a moment where our society is having a really hard time to keep a hold on the perception of what truth is, the understanding of what truth is and how to find that. I think that I, as an artist, at least want to say, “well, you know what, number one thing is, don't be afraid of the truth.” You know, don't be afraid of it. And it may be that some kind of, you know, story is nicer. But let's really, really focus on the truth. The truth is essential to being human. We can't function as a society without truth.

John Betancourt: What are you most proud of when it comes to this series?

Connie Nielsen: I'm really proud of the fact that we've really succeeded in making this incredible story on so many levels, we've painted a true portrait, I think of a normal woman going through things that women go through. Be it the menopause, be it this coming of age, into the second half of your life. And then what does that mean? And to really focus on wanting to reengage with the notion of what women are. I refuse to accept this notion that menopause means women are no longer. And then this whole laundry list of what women were supposed to be in the first place. I refuse that laundry list; I want to say with the story: women are awesome! Whether they can, you know, have babies anymore or not. They are sexy. They are wise. They're smart, and they're fierce. And they are fighters. For, dignity. And that's really what I feel really proud of. That… with this series, we're telling that.

John Betancourt: You’re absolutely right. That’s another great conversation to have. So, without spoiling anything, what are you most looking forward to fans taking away from this series?

Connie Nielsen: I really think that courage, and the role of courage in confronting your life is essential. That courage is often fed by your network of friends and family. And they are really important, and want for you to, to have that courage, to confront the truth about your life and yourself. But I think that courage, I think, is really what I'd like people to take away at the end of the story. That, you know, everybody has traumas and these traumas, they form us, they shape us, but it's never too late to engage with life and yourself. And to right the wrongs.

The series premiere of ‘Close to Me’ will debut on Sundance Now on December 16, 2021. This interview with lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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