asked what she looks for in a role in BAFTA Guru’s 60 Seconds With… segment, she bluntly states, “non-girlfriend, non wife.” But she advocates for women not just for the pure sake of equal opportunity but because she sees the outcome of pushing women in the industry as mutually beneficial to everyone. “It’s so clear that female fronted, or female driven, or female story based content is not only wanted but it’s needed and not only that but it’s successful and it’s economically successful.” With Merman up and running, Horgan added co-founder to her already extensive resume of writer, comedian, producer, and actress. It’s clear that Horgan is used to wearing many hats in her line of work, which is why her starring role in Military Wives, a comedy-drama based on the true story of a group of women who form a choir while their partners are away in Afghanistan, forced her to charter new territories, even venturing outside of her usual domain in sitcoms. She was surprised at first when she was asked to audition for the role, but after reading the script she realized it would be her next big undertaking, “I knew that it had the potential to be one of those films that kind of brings people together and that would make you laugh and make you cry and that it could sort of lift you.” Most of her work has had a very specific audience, which is great in some ways but naturally somewhat limiting, “it’s really nice to do something that has a sort of wider appeal.” In Military Wives, Horgan took on the singular role of actress, setting aside the creative writer and producer in her for a moment, “it’s nice just to drop into something and work hard and get out, because most of the time, it’s way way more involved than that. Most of the time, you know, in edits, doing notes, you know, being in pre production, all of that sort of more time consuming role and it was nice just to get in and be an actor for a while.” Amongst her many different roles, one that won’t appear on any resumé or IMDb is her role as a mother. With two teenage daugh-
ters at home, this role is arguably one of the more demanding positions for her. As an inspiring and outspoken woman at every career turn, Horgan demonstrates her role in mentoring young women even with her own daughters. She loves to let her children voice their opinions on her work, calling them some of her harshest critics in a recent interview with The Daily Mail. And just like her professional work, Horgan doesn’t shy away from speaking her mind and candidly discusses the effects of social media on her adolescent daughters, “it’s hard enough anyway being a teenager without a constant onslaught of images of what you should look like or what you should be trying to achieve and I find it incredibly fake and unreal and terrible... they [her children] are for me very emotionally cognitive but they haven’t really got the reasoning to sort of cope with their emotions.” She does admit though, She does admit though, that certain platforms have given creative autonomy to young people for the better. And of course, during a global pandemic like COVID-19, Horgan addresses the benefits of technology in connecting her daughters to their friends, school and the rest of the outside world. Typically rather adamant about limiting their screen time, the current situation has temporarily changed her approach, “I’ve just had to wave the white flag and just go: knock yourselves out.” Upstairs in her London home, Horgan finishes the interview before rushing downstairs to help her daughters with the rest of their online schoolwork. But before ending the interview, Horgan makes it clear that she has big plans for the rest of 2020, despite COVID-19. In addition to a huge under-wraps deal she just signed with Apple, Horgan is working on the pilot episode of an upcoming animation show with FOX, as well as a film set to shoot in LA later this year, although currently she is just eagerly awaiting the release of Military Wives in late May. Even with her 50th birthday approaching and a global pandemic at the forefront of her mind, it’s safe to say that Sharon Horgan isn’t slowing down any time soon.
I find it incredibly damaging,
(on social media) “... Photography David Yeo Instagram @david_yeo Website davidyeo.co.uk Styling Frederika Lovelle Pank Hair Hamilton Stansfield Make Up Justine Jenkins
it’s hard enough anyway being a teenager without a constant sort of onslaught of images of what you should look like or what you should be trying to achieve ...”
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