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Oh Christ, its her.
Id say hed be ambivalent towards you at best, if he even exists.)
but still caresfor the young women under her tutelage.
I screamed when Sister Michaels full name was revealed as George Michael.I know, right?
The cherry on top, really.
I like to think the man himself wouldve approved.
Think of an Irish twang with a lot more waltzing.
My mind has run rampant with reasons why Sister Michael became a nun.
But I think Sister Michael came out of the womb like this.
Although I dont think shes ever had to fight for respect.
Shes a very unique character.
Within the televisual canon, heres a woman who automatically expects and receives respect.
But the whole point was that this wasnt something she had become over the years.
Shes been like this since day one.
Because then we understand as an audience that youre jaded to a certain extent.
If youre in your late 30s, you should still be excited and want to do things in life.
Shes jaded, cynical, and doesnt want to be there.
Is she more devoted to the Catholic church than we give her credit for?
I often wonder if its a true calling or just a job.I go back and forth on that.
Myself and Lisa initially were very clear that she was not a woman of faith.
She was there for the free accommodation.
If you think about it historically, what wouldve been the alternative?
Its better than getting married, isnt it?
Maybe a librarian?You dont want to put her in a front-facing position as a librarian.
She does care about these girls.
Maybe not individually, but as a collective, and about educating young women in that time and place.
In every season, weve had a moment where you see her in spite of herself provoking the girls.
Theres an educational side to being cheeky.
Shes a natural anarchist.
Shes not an intellectual one, but an instinctive one.
And yet shes furious when Jenny Joyce obeys her.
Shes planting the seeds of boldness, as wed say in Ireland.
Shes bold, shes naughty, and she likes being disobedient.
Similar to anarchy, Sister Michael described the school as not a democracy, but a dictatorship.
How did you interpret that final call with the bishop?
Why didnt he say much?I think she quite calmly and resolutely said her piece.
Five seconds in a room with that woman, and you know shes not for turning.
I dont think even a bishop couldve changed that.
Theres a line in that finale scene with Father Peter that still gives me great joy.
He says something like, Maybe God wants you to have a different purpose.
And she responds, And she said that to you, did she?
Her idea of a divine omnipotent creator could only be female.
She has a disdain for men in power and thinks they really shouldnt be in charge.
Im sure that translated into her conversation with the bishop.
Who would disobey Sister Michael?
Thats what I cant figure out.
With her journey, the final series forces her to grow up a little bit.
Even though shes authentic, she has literally cloistered herself away and remained the same.
But shes now forced to take a stand for herself and make a decision and decide to grow up.
Weve been friends for years and our characters are somewhat modeled on our friendship.
How so?The dynamic.
Sometimes if Im feeling particularly grumpy I talk to him like Sister Michael.
Whats beautiful is that she doesnt realize she has a friend in Father Peter.
Shes irritated by him.
Theres something very optimistic that Peter brings to the character; its almost like eye-rolling at a puppy.
He doesnt notice; hes just happy to be out.
There will be something very cozy and warm and affectionate about it, despite themselves thinking otherwise.
Whats Sister Michaels signature whiskey?Im the worst Irish woman in the world.
Its just horrible stuff.
Even my teeth hurt when I have it.
But for her, its fine whiskey neat.
Can you imagine her supping a Bacardi Breezer or something like that?
No, shes going to drink the hard stuff.
Everybody knows not to ask about the other guy.
Lisa very quickly and elegantly wrote it in with a killer of a gag.
Although I loved that in the reunion episode she gets to frisk everybody with her crutches.
Theres a strong physicality to her.Its always a case of never concealing her emotions.
She would never think of making herself smaller within a space.
Thats why I made sure of her posture.
I have to give praise to our costume designer.
We went for things with big shoulders and pieces that would literally make me take up more space.
Sister Michael would never cross her ankles demurely.
I was like, Thats exactly what Im talking about.
And I said, I think she has a smoking jacket.
We got that into the second series.
We were very much mind-meld.
Which I really hope so.
I really hope there are communities of women all over the world who are just thoroughly themselves.
I wish it was everywhere, just not in convents.
