IN CONVERSATION WITH MIA MCKENNA-BRUCE

interview by JANA LETONJA

Few actors have moved as decisively and fearlessly into the spotlight as Mia Mckenna-Bruce. Since winning the BAFTA Rising Star Award for her devastating, Cannes-lauded performance in ‘How to Have Sex’, the British actress has emerged as one of the most compelling talents of her generation. With upcoming roles ranging from Agatha Christie’s ‘The Seven Dials Mystery’ on Netflix to the real-life drama ‘The Lady’ on ITV/BritBox, and a striking turn opposite Matt Dillon in Claire Denis’ ‘The Fence’, Mia is building a career defined by range, risk, and emotional intelligence. As she moves fluidly between prestige cinema, major franchises, and auteur-driven work, her rise feels both inevitable and thrilling to witness.

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earrings CARTIER

The past two years have been extraordinary for you. How does this moment feel personally and professionally?

I don’t really know how to find the words honestly. Everything still feels so surreal and I’m really trying to find moments to be present and process that I’m really getting to live out my dream right now, with the work I’m getting to be a part of, the people I’m getting to work with, all at the same time as being a mother.

Winning the BAFTA Rising Star Award can be career-defining. How did it change your confidence or sense of direction?

I think the BAFTA Rising Star Award not only got me into more conversations and rooms I wouldn’t have necessarily been in before, but it also gave me a new kind of self-belief, that if other people have this level of faith in me, then I should to.

coat DRIES VAN NOTEN
shoes JIMMY CHOO
jewellery TIFFANY & CO

‘How to Have Sex’ sparked vital conversations about consent and agency. How do you reflect on that role now?

I will forever be so grateful for everything ‘How to Have Sex’ gave me. I grew up so much personally in doing that job, and it taught me the power of film, that it really can make a difference to people. 

You’re stepping into the Agatha Christie universe as Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent in ‘The Seven Dials Mystery’. What drew you to the character, and what can the audiences expect from this project?

She’s a young girl in the 1920s that will not allow herself to be put into the box that society is pushing her into. She’s feisty and fun, and has a deep care for the people in her life. That’s what drives her throughout the series and I feel incredibly lucky that I got to play her.

Portraying Jane Andrews in ‘The Lady’ is a very different challenge. How did you approach telling such a complex, real-life story?

It certainly was a different challenge, and that was for many reasons. In terms of telling a real-life story, my aim was to just use the material from Debbie O’Malley’s brilliant script, not search for the story elsewhere. In my first meetings, it was evident the wonderful people at Left Bank and ITV were putting a lot of care and time into this story, so I just wanted to put all my focus into bringing the script to life in the best way I could.

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What responsibility do you feel when portraying someone whose life is still remembered and debated?

There’s a responsibility that comes with it. As an actor taking on any role, I was to pass no judgement and no bias. I just try my best to exist as that character in those moments.

Your roles span trauma, mystery, romance, and history. What guides your decision-making for the roles you take on?

I try to choose roles that were different from my last ideally. But ultimately, it’s nothing overly specific. If I love the script and the team and think I can do that character justice, then it’s something I’d love to be a part of.

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necklace SWAROVSKI

You’ve also become a notable presence in fashion spaces, including Saint Laurent and Paris Fashion Week. How does fashion intersect with your identity as an actor?

It’s been so fun discovering the world of fashion more over the past few years. I find myself being drawn to pieces that represent what I’m either promoting or have been recently working on. It’s a really fun extension and bridge between who I am as a person and the character that I have been playing.

With projects ranging from Netflix and ITV to major cinematic events ahead, how do you stay grounded? 

Surrounding myself with my friends and family always brings me back to why I want to do this work in the first place. It’s to tell stories that matter to people. 

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When you imagine your career five or ten years from now, what do you hope it stands for?

I hope I’ve had the chance to tell more stories that say something and spark conversation, and I hope people see me as playing real and grounded characters.

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TEAM CREDITS:

talent MIA MCKENNA-BRUCE
photography LEE MALONE
styling DELANEY WILLIAMS
makeup ZOE TAYLOR
hair CARLOS FERRAZ at Carol Hayes Management
styling assistance NADIA OUALNAN
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial direction and interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN