Sophie Turner plays a diamond thief who fights for her child in ‘Joan’

Sophie Turner returns to the small screen with sparkle in “Joan,” a new drama about a jewelry thief so prolific she became known as “the Godmother” in Britain’s criminal underworld. But despite her knack for stealing wigs, diamonds and fake accents, “Joan” is as much a story about the lengths a mother will go to for her child (played by Mia Millichamp-Long) as it is a heist.

It was that motherly love that Turner, who has two young daughters of her own, most strongly identified with when she was first approached about the project. Ahead of the series’ debut in Britain (on ITV from September 30) and the US (on The CW from October 2 and BritBox on December 5), she sat down to chat with Variety about the most challenging aspect of filming ‘Joan’, meeting the real-life diamond thief who inspired the series and whether she would ever return to the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe.

How did you come to the project?

I auditioned for it because she’s so different from anyone I’ve ever played. It came through my agent, and I did one audition when I was quite heavily pregnant with my second, and then a second audition a few days after I gave birth. But it was kind of a good time to do it, because of the subject matter of “Joan” and what she has to go through. I had that motherly cruelty in me and I think it benefited my audition.

You met the real Joan – what is she like?

That was probably a week before shooting started. She was just phenomenal and such a force of nature. She brings so much life to a room. I enjoyed meeting her.

How does she reflect on her experiences?

When we met, we didn’t really talk about her life. By the time I met her, I already had the character in my head and so my meeting with her was purely out of sheer curiosity. And now we talk about the most mundane things. She’s into interior design, so that’s the bulk of our conversations, and obviously fashion and all that stuff. So we talk a little bit about the things that Joan would be interested in. I think she has to relive so much of her past by watching this show and doing these interviews and being a part of it, I kind of want to give her that sweet feeling of relief to just chat about the jewelry she’s wearing. [Laughing] Like, “Where did you get that?”

What was the most challenging part of filming the show?

Probably the scenes with [Joan’s daughter] Kelly. The emotional core of the show is Joan and Kelly, and every scene is just heartbreak. And I’ve developed such a close relationship with Mia, who plays Kelly, and she’s phenomenal. So it just made everything 10 times harder to implement. I mean harder in the sense of emotionally harder, but actually easier, because of what a great actress she is.

You were also going through a rough patch personally, including a divorce, around the time you filmed “Joan.” Did that contribute to the role at all or were you able to keep it out?

“Joan” was ending around that time, so by then I had shot all my scenes with Mia. But I mean, I was just the mother of my second child when I started taking photographs, so there was already a kind of fighting for my children in me. And yeah, it felt like an interesting time with that topic. It was still at the forefront of my mind. I mean, if you do anything for your children, you would die for your children, and so I understood Joan completely – completely understood.

The show also explores that balance between being a mother and remaining a woman with your own identity on your own. Did that resonate?

It was interesting because there was this talk of “maybe she’s just excellent at compartmentalizing.” Maybe that’s her thing. And the more I thought about it and the longer I was a mother, from the time I got the job to the time I started, it’s pretty much this… — I find that if you allow yourself to be in your twenties, and to meeting people, going out, work in general is so important for the child. So it’s all for the good of this person. I’m so happy that they grow up and say, “Oh look, mommy’s going to do this” and it’s so she can come home and we can spend more time together at the end of the day… I think it’s important for them is to see that I’m going out and seeing friends and that I’m not isolating myself. I used to be a big insulator. I had issues with my mental health, and now I know how important it is for them to see me manage friendships, because they learn all their attachment styles from you. And so, of course, Joan’s work isn’t necessarily the best kind of work, but it all comes down to Kelly.

Absolute. And on a lighter note, the 1980s fashion in the show is epic. How involved were you in styling Joan?

I didn’t know any better than our costume designer, Richard Cook. He brought in some sort of vintage Mugler from the 80s and made completely new outfits with his hands. Those guys lived in the ’80s, so I trusted them. I wasn’t alive then. But I mean, all of us got so immersed in this 80s world and the music we were playing was 80s when we were getting ready, and gear-wise, everything became 80s.

What was the nicest disguise you got to wear?

A Scottish woman, and she was just fun because she was so sweet and innocent. All the characters Joan played were high-achieving women or someone from the upper class, and this one was a little sweeter and more innocent and needed some help. And that was fun to do – and fun to do with a Scottish accent.

You put a lot of emphasis in the show! Have you worked with a dialect coach?

I did. I was given some grace by the fact that Joan is not an expert at doing accents and I thought, Thank God for that. She’s not an actor. But she grew up admiring this life from afar, she saw ads on her little old TV when she was young and so I think she does exaggerated versions of ’80s Dallas style glamour, and that was real fun to do.

Before we wrap up, I have to ask about “Game of Thrones.” Could we ever see the return of Sansa Stark?

Maybe. I mean, it would have to be the exact same cast and the exact same crew, otherwise I wouldn’t go back and that would just be season 9, and I don’t think we’re going to do a season 9, but… I mean, I liked it wonderful to play Sansa, and I often wonder what she would do next. Where would she be five years later, what would she be doing? Would she still be Queen in the North? Would she be a good ruler? Would a different kind of terrible war have taken place? I’d like to see it.

You also played the iconic X-Men character Jean Grey. Was there any talk of you making a cameo in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’?

No, I mean, I think, I think there’s something at the end where they used a clip from “X Men.” I remember signing some kind of contract. But no, I think that part of my life is definitely over. I mean, maybe not – I like doing superhero-type action stuff, but I think Jean Gray’s storyline for me probably is. It has had its time.

What’s next for you?

I was doing a TV show that I had just finished and then a new project came along with Kit Harington called ‘The Dreadful’. It’s a somewhat Robert Eggers-esque horror set around the time of the War of the Roses.

Do you feel like you’ve been away for a while and now you’re at a point where you’re leaning more on your career?

I definitely had a quieter patch. I was starting to have a bit of a family and wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. And now I want them to see me at work. And for me, I also want to get back on my feet and do what I love because acting is really what gives me fulfillment in my life. Whenever I can be on a set, I’m so happy. I am so lucky that I can balance the two things that give me the most satisfaction, which are being a mother and acting.

This interview has been edited and condensed for space and clarity.