Robin Wright Balances Triple Roles In Amazon'S 'The Girlfriend'

Robin Wright Takes on Triple Duty

Robin Wright, known for her intense roles in dramas like House of Cards, steps into new territory with Prime Video's The Girlfriend. Not only does she star in the series, but she also directed and executive produced it, proving once again her versatility in the entertainment world. At a recent THR Presents panel at the Directors Guild of America, she shared her experiences working on the project.

“I’ve never experienced this,” Wright admitted. “The amount of time and the grind that it’s been – it’s been four years from beginning to end – so I’m going to take some time off for a minute. It was so much fun to make.” Initially approached by Imaginarium Productions to direct the pilot and develop the show's vision, Wright eventually took on the role of Laura, after struggles to cast the part in the series' final hours.

A Unique Storytelling Approach

The series, which stars Olivia Cooke and Laurie Davidson, follows the intricate dynamics of Laura (Wright) as her son Daniel (Davidson) introduces his new girlfriend Cherry (Cooke). The narrative is uniquely shot from two perspectives, constantly shifting between Laura’s and Cherry’s viewpoints. This dual perspective demanded extra agility from the cast and crew, who sometimes lost track of which character's viewpoint they were filming.

“You had to be on your toes,” Davidson noted. “There were definitely times where we’d be rolling and we’d be like, ‘Wait, whose perspective are we doing? Is this Laura or Cherry?’”

Davidson was drawn to the opportunity to explore scenes from multiple angles. “It’s so interesting to tell the same event but from a different side,” he shared. The show dives into themes of trust and perception, reflecting contemporary debates about truth and narrative control.

On-Set Challenges and Editing Decisions

While the series includes its share of intense and dramatic scenes, it was during a seemingly calm shoot that Wright suffered a real-life concussion. Filming a scene in a sauna, a lighting rig unexpectedly fell on her head, causing a significant impact. Despite the injury, Wright was initially determined to continue, requiring the crew’s insistence to rest.

In post-production, some scenes were cut due to feedback from early testing groups. One such scene involved a controversial moment with a spoon, which was deemed too explicit by audiences. Wright explained, “I was obligated in the edit to cut that stuff.” Davidson recalled the awkwardness of filming such scenes with humor, noting the challenging conversations with his onscreen mother and director.

For more insights and behind-the-scenes stories, catch the full interview with the stars, sponsored by Prime Video.