'I was a shaking mess': Sheridan Smith reveals emotional toll of I Fought The Law role
Sheridan Smith has revealed that she was left an emotional wreck after playing double jeopardy law campaigner Ann Ming in the new ITV drama I Fought The Law.
Sheridan Smith was left a "shaking mess" after working on I Fought The Law.
The 44-year-old actress stars in the upcoming ITV drama as Ann Ming - a mother who fought a tireless campaign alongside her husband Charlie to overturn the 800-year-old double jeopardy law preventing people from being tried for the same crime twice in Britain following the 1989 murder of her daughter Julie - and admits that it took a deep emotional toll on her.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz and other media at a screening for the programme, Sheridan said: "I was trying to embody Ann and feel the trauma for real but I can only imagine and think of my child. It was emotionally taxing for nine weeks and by the end of it I was a mess, I was a shaking mess."
Sheridan has forged a close bond with Ann and explained that she was desperate to do her story justice with her performance in the drama.
The Cilla actress said: "I get mad at myself if I don't feel the actual pain or trauma.
"I constantly had Ann in my ears, like I could hear her talking and stuff. I just wanted to make her proud and give her story the justice it deserves. I kept thinking about Ann, I kept watching her and thinking about how she must have felt. It was important to me."
Sheridan explained that the fact that she would be going home to her son Billy, five, - who she has with her former partner Jamie Horn - kept her going during gruelling days of filming heavy scenes.
She said: "The difference for me is that I get to home to my son. What I kept thinking was, 'This is nine weeks, I'm not living like Ann, I'm here to act it.'
"Just knowing that I was doing it, not only for Ann, but knowing I would be getting home to my son and it wasn't real, that kept me going.
"Now I'm finding new ways, yoga and meditation."
Sheridan confessed that she was unaware of Ann's story when approached about the show but was "honoured" to take on the part.
The Gavin and Stacey actress said: "When I got the script, I didn't know Ann's story so I got online and Googled and watched all the documentaries, read her book For The Love of Julie. I just thought, 'How has this story not been told?'
"With Jamie (Crichton's) incredible script and the team on board, I was just really honoured. And Ann okayed me to play her."
