Versatile Amy

There are few actresses as endearing as Amy Adams – but the star’s latest TV project, Sharp Objects, may be one of her most ambitious moves to date

Amy Adams is particularly upbeat these days. She’s recently completed filming her new HBO series, Sharp Objects, and she is also the proud recipient of the 31st American Cinematheque Award in honour of her body of work. It is quite a distinction, given that Adams is only 43, and she says she feels “very humbled” at the recognition.

In the meantime, the red-headed actress is forging a new identity as both producer and star of Sharp Objects, directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, who helmed Big Little Lies. Adapted from the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), the series runs for eight episodes and is slated to be shown on HBO in July.

Amy plays crime reporter Camille Preaker who was released from a psychiatric clinic and decides to investigate the murder of two children as a way of dealing with her own personal traumas. The case lands her back in her childhood home where her mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson), the town’s seemingly picture-perfect socialite, is hiding a few demons of her own. Her younger half-sister, Amma (Eliza Scanlen), leads a double life as a Southern belle and master manipulator, which causes Camille great concern. If the gripping trailer for Sharp Objects is any indication, this is liable to be one of the most ambitious ventures of Amy’s career.

“I saw this project as a way of putting to use everything I have learnt in the course of my career,” says Amy. “I want to develop projects like this which create work for women. I want to mentor aspiring actresses and give them advice just the way I was given help at various points in my own career.”