Kristin Scott Thomas has reflected on her career, her role in Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, and her growing ambitions as a filmmaker after receiving the Golden Nymph Award at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival. Speaking at the festival’s opening ceremony and in a follow-up press conference, the British-French actor discussed how the long-form nature of television has been an adjustment after years of working mainly in film, but said the series has also given her the chance to play sharp, memorable scenes opposite cast members including Sophie Okonedo, James Callis and Sam West.
Scott Thomas plays MI5 boss Diana in Slow Horses, a role that has become a key part of the show’s world as Season 6 approaches and Season 7 has already been confirmed by Apple. She said the character has changed the way she sees herself, admitting that the icy, intimidating quality Diana projects made her realize why some people have described her as frightening in real life. She said the experience led her to be more conscious about smiling and how she presents herself.
The actor also spoke about her work behind the camera. Her writer-director debut, My Mother’s Wedding, starred Scarlett Johansson and Sienna Miller and was inspired by personal tragedy in her own life, including the deaths of her father and stepfather in air accidents. Scott Thomas said she is now developing a second film as writer-director, this time adapting a contemporary novel. Unlike her first film, she does not plan to appear on screen in the new project. She said the script is already written and that she hopes the film will go into production in 2027.
Scott Thomas described adapting a book as a very different creative challenge from making My Mother’s Wedding, which drew directly from her own experiences. She said the new project marks another step in her evolution as a filmmaker and added that she wants to continue exploring directing and writing for the screen.
Looking back on her career, Scott Thomas said she once had the chance to move to Los Angeles after a series of major film successes, but chose instead to remain in France and the UK. She said the decision was driven by her love of European cinema and theater, and she expressed no regret about not pursuing Hollywood more aggressively. While she acknowledged there were moments when she questioned that choice, she said she is ultimately happy with the range of work she has been able to do across European films, theater and more unconventional projects.
