Abhiroop Das
Prime Video’s ‘The Girlfriend’ is a psychological thriller that follows two characters, Laura Sanderson and Cherry Laine, whose battle for control triggers a downward spiral. Laura’s life is perfect, but when her beloved son, Daniel, introduces her to the love of his life, Cherry, the pot begins to simmer. Behind Cherry’s calm and wit, Laura sees a closet full of skeletons, but that works both ways. As the two characters’ paths begin to cross more frequently, a rivalry silently takes form, with both sides vying for David’s submission. Before long, their conflict begins to affect others around them, creating an uncontainable sense of chaos. Helmed by Andrea Harkin and Robin Wright, the series explores how mistrust and paranoia can potentially bring the worst out of people, affecting even the most enduring relationships.
The Girlfriend is an Adaptation of Michelle Frances’ Fictional Novel
‘The Girlfriend’ is driven by a fictional narrative that serves as an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Michelle Frances. It was penned for the screen by the writing team that included Gabbie Asher, Naomi Sheldon, and Polly Cavendish. Both renditions of the story use a carefully crafted set of characters to explore the various forms of friction in family dynamics. While that may be the case, the author also found some inspiration from the real-life cases of domestic disturbance that she encountered during her writing and research process. Frances stated in an interview with My Book Abyss that her motivations involved examining the idea of two women who are pitted against each other due to a mutual connection. In particular, she was moved by a radio programme that featured women speaking about the difficulties of living with their new daughters-in-law.
In a Goodreads Q&A session, Frances explained that one of the women dialed in the radio to discuss how her son had completely excluded her from his life, to the extent that she did not even know that he was married with two children. This incident went on to reinforce the author’s interest in understanding and exploring kinship dynamics. Additionally, the writer went the extra mile in providing a balanced take on the subject, creating inventive methods of conveying both sides of the potential conflict. Frances, who has also worked as a screenwriter, put her experience of writing television scripts to use, making the most out of the dramatic beats of the story. While she has not pinpointed a single event as the central inspiration, it is probable that several real-life cases of familial strife informed her work.
The Girlfriend Brings Several Real-Life Anxieties to the Surface
Alongside its close look into family politics, ‘The Girlfriend’ also draws from a host of recognizable, real-world issues, and neatly integrates them into the characters’ lives. Actor Olivia Cooke, who essays the role of Cherry Laine, spoke about her connection to the role in an interview with Who What Wear. She brought up the social commentary of the show, stating, “I love anything that taps into the British class system—rich and poor—and how that sort of eats itself.” Her statement applied not just to her role, but to the show’s very creative fiber, as the growing divide between the various strands of society has made itself very visible over time. Laura and Cherry represent both ends of the spectrum, which in turn creates room for an enriched discourse on the topic.
Cooke also connected to the character on a personal level, stating, “All these sorts of microaggressions you feel as someone who might be working-class—you often have to just bottle and swallow. For me, feeling that slight deficit, and also being a woman in an industry (…), it was freeing to play someone like Cherry who wears her emotions on the surface and isn’t afraid to scream out her frustrations. Because of that, I got to address my own frustrations in a safe environment.” In the show, Cooke’s character is a bold, intelligent presence who doesn’t step down from a challenge. This adds to the story’s nuances, helping the cast and crew take a universally observable phenomenon and add their own creative touch to it.
Actor Robin Wright, who plays Laura Sanderson, has her own reference point for the role, particularly drawing on her personal experience as a mother. In an interview with US Magazine, she connected her work in the show to a personal anecdote, sharing: “I felt like that with a couple of girls my son brought home, where I was, like, ‘No, this is not going to work.’ And it didn’t work, thank God (…) You’re always going to have that intrinsic mummy radar.” The actor’s account bears a striking resemblance to Laura’s character arc in ‘The Girlfriend,’ and likely informed her performance. Additionally, Wright, who also worked as director on the show, explained her desire to challenge the moral and psychological pulse of the show, and used her experience to make the imagined story equal parts grounded and exciting.
Read More: The Girlfriend Ending Explained: Is Laura Dead or Alive?
