British actress Ruth Wilson unveils a new film, Real Things, premiering online this Friday. The feature, born from a collaboration with her former partner Jude Law and inspired by Deborah Kay Davies’s short story The Truth About Me, unfolds as a drama about a woman pressed by society to always choose the right path.
Wilson reflects on the role, noting it resonates more deeply than any she has played before. With more than thirty years in the industry, she has repeatedly confronted the pressure to appear normal. Women are urged to conform—to have a child, form a partnership, maintain what is deemed a conventional relationship. Speaking from her London home during a wide-ranging discussion, she describes how these questions come from everyone, from close friends to strangers, as if society nudges women toward a single standard. The exertion of this pressure shapes much of her work, echoing themes she has explored in performances like Jean Eyre, the acclaimed series that earned multiple Emmy nominations in 2007.
The narrative threads through influences from serial dramas such as Event and Luther and follows Wilson’s broader exploration of female protagonists. Real Things centers on Kate, a vulnerable, misfit woman who teeters on the edge of a metaphorical cliff while navigating relationships where odds never seem to be in her favor. Everyone expects a perfect partner to arrive, but the reality rarely aligns with that expectation.
Kate longs to fit in. She longs to mirror the life of her friend Allison or the expectations her parents place on her. She ends up with a partner who appears inept and in search of a conventional romance. At first, that superficial security delivers a rush of excitement, a spark of risk, but it quickly proves unsustainable.
Directed by Harry Wootliff, Real Things follows Kate Perkin, a woman in her thirties working in a social services office who craves change from a dull, repetitive routine. One day she encounters Blond, a young man recently released from prison after a petty crime. A connection forms, and she risks stepping into the unknown with him. Yet Blond is not the partner she needs and, although their bond intensifies, it soon spirals into an obsession.
The relationship erupts into a tangled blend of hopeful promises, intense drug and alcohol use, and a reckless invitation from Blond to join him at his sister’s wedding in Spain. The film uses this turmoil to explore self-actualization as Kate uncovers dimensions of herself she had not previously recognized. Wilson describes the arc as a journey toward true self-understanding through a challenging romance.
For Wilson, portraying Kate felt intensely revealing, a truth-telling performance that matched Harry Wootliff’s candid filming style. The process was demanding and illuminating, rooted in a character whose choices feel guided by a deterministic sense of fate that appears to select the moment for major life changes.
Wilson wanted Kate to move with quiet restraint, letting her imagination roam toward what might lie ahead with this man. She avoided overdirecting the portrayal, favoring a subtle, inner life that could carry the weight of the plot. She notes that choosing roles often comes instinctively, and Real Things emerged through a natural, organic momentum rather than a meticulously planned path.
Discussing the casting and the story, Wilson recalls discovering family history that fed the drama about two decades ago. Although she never met her grandfather, stories from her grandmother helped illuminate the narrative, revealing a broader circle of women in the family’s history. The project felt personal, a gift to the family and to the artists collaborating on the film.
Looking ahead, Wilson hints at possibilities that might include more producing or perhaps directing. Timing matters, she says, and the route to the director’s chair will come when the moment feels right. Running a theatre is another dream she harbors, inspired in part by figures like Antonio Banderas and the idea of performing in theatres, potentially in Malaga.
Real Things was partially shot in Andalusia and stands as one of Wilson’s most memorable experiences since the pandemic. She believes the film deserves a theatrical release, even as she recognizes the current distribution landscape favors streaming. Yet she remains a devoted fan of cinema and hopes audiences will enjoy Real Things on the big screen when possible.
Real Things will premiere in Spain this Friday, with distribution through Film, marking a significant milestone in Wilson’s ongoing journey as an artist and storyteller.