Sophie Turner says being a single mother is 'such a struggle'

The 28-year-old British actress plays notorious jewel thief Joan Hannington in new ITV drama Joan, which follows her multi-faceted life in the 1980s as a criminal and mother trying to get her daughter back from social services.

While filming the series, Turner and pop star Joe Jonas announced their separation after four years of marriage.

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner separate after four years of marriage (Doug Peters/PA)

It was reported earlier this month that they had finalized their divorce, ending a separation that briefly became acrimonious.

Turner told the Sunday Times Culture magazine that she doesn’t know if she could have brought the “same energy” to the role of Hannington if she hadn’t been a mother.

She said: “It’s so hard being a single mother. Joan doesn’t go about it in the best way – but it’s amazing to see her really fight for her daughter.

“It is also very important for children to see how hard their parents work for them. »

The actress, who rose to fame as a teenager playing Sansa Stark in HBO’s hit fantasy series Game Of Thrones, also reflected on the judgment mothers make.

“There is so much shame that comes with motherhood,” she said.

“You go to work, you’re ashamed. If you don’t go to work, you’re ashamed.

Turner and Jonas, who have two daughters, married in May 2019 in Las Vegas after the Billboard Music Awards.

According to documents obtained by the Associated Press news agency, Jonas filed for divorce in Miami-Dade County Court in Florida, saying the marriage was “irretrievably broken.”

Turner also sued Jonas to obtain their children’s passports, but later allegedly reached a temporary custody agreement.

During a stint where her children were separated from her during filming, a crew member who became a friend stayed with her.

“She ended up staying with me, because I didn’t want to be alone,” she said.

“The team was really supportive and I never went home alone at the end of the day.”

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The six-part series was written by Anna Symon based on Hannington’s memoir and The Thief was consulted during the writing process.

Nicknamed The Godmother, Hannington was one of Britain’s most notorious criminals who made off with millions of pounds worth of diamonds.

Turner said portraying Hannington changed her “a lot” as a person.

She added: “Out of total despair comes so much will and ambition.

“The series came at a time in my life where I had to be ambitious and have such willpower and fight against the forces.

“She gave me a lot of strength.”

Turner, originally from Northampton, also starred as Jean Gray in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse and 2019’s Dark Phoenix.

Jonas, born in Arizona, rose to fame with his brothers Nick and Kevin in the band The Jonas Brothers which debuted in 2005, and in a later Disney Channel series.

The first episode of Joan airs on ITV1 on Sunday.