Ruth Wilson on True Things and the Raw Exposing Tension of Obsessive Love

We spoke to actor and producer Ruth Wilson about what initially drew her to adapting the book into the film, True Things, and how it captures a universal experience of infatuation and the idea of possibility in other. She shared with us how she optioned the book after discovering it 10 years ago and how the laugh out loud at the honesty of the book grabbed her. Ruth felt that it was a deep dive into “right of passage” relationships for women and how early stages of infatuation can be both a waking dream or nightmare, with the obsessive love being the narrative tension of her film. Playing the protagonist, Ruth wanted her to see the world in transparency, has vulnerabilities and flaws but not a victim. It was important to find the awkwardness of her humor, and emphasize how she didn’t fit in.

Ultimately, Ruth wanted to create the intoxication of what her character was seeing and hearing through the camera work and performance. Ruth thought of it as a raw and exposing process, as the camera is in close proximity and filming her at all times. Ruth described this as a rare symbiotic relationship between her and the cinematographer, who was also camera operating at the same time.

Watch the full conversation below.

Q&A on the film True Things with actor & producer Ruth Wilson. Moderated by Mara Webster, In Creative Company.

It follows a young woman living on the fringes of society who becomes intoxicated by a stranger who overwhelms her quiet life.