Three Women’s Betty Gilpin Talks About Her Most Important Takeaway From The Book And Why The Real Lina ‘Will Remain Anonymous’

Three Women’s Betty Gilpin Talks About Her Most Important Takeaway From The Book And Why The Real Lina ‘Will Remain Anonymous’

As a voracious reader and dedicated fan of compelling storytelling, I eagerly awaited the release of STARZ’s miniseries, “Three Women.” Based on Lisa Taddeo’s groundbreaking 2019 nonfiction book, this drama promises to delve into the intricate layers of female sexuality through real-life narratives.


In the 2024 TV schedule for fall, you’ll find STARZ’s miniseries titled “Three Women.” This series is inspired by Lisa Taddeo’s 2019 nonfiction book of the same name and delves into the intricate aspects of female sexuality through real-life stories of women from various parts of the United States. Betty Gilpin, one of the main stars, recently spoke to TopMob about her character and emphasized that the source material played a crucial role in her portrayal.

Betty Gilpin Shares Massive Takeaway From The Three Women Book

Similar to how Shailene Woodley’s character, Gia, was portrayed in the “Three Women” series, author Lisa Taddeo journeyed across the United States seeking suitable stories to narrate about women and their sexuality. One of the women she encountered was a suburban wife and mother residing in Indiana who endured an unfulfilling marriage. After conversing with this woman (named Lina in the book and series), her story has been preserved in “Three Women.” This narrative revolves around her struggle to assert her own pleasure upon reconnecting with her high school crush.

As I chatted with Betty Gilpin, she opened up about how reading Lisa Taddeo’s acclaimed novel helped shape her portrayal of her recent character. In her own words:

I think about the way she describes wanting to be kissed and needing to be kissed, and what a priority that was for Lina. You know, I think that so much of Lina is motherhood and trauma have made her a thousand years old, but she’s also frozen at 16 – wanting to be The Princess Bride and wanting to be somebody’s fairy princess and to be kissed, and just the need, the deep surging, pulsing, real bald need and want of just her mouth on someone else’s, and that she’s not even getting that from her husband. I thought about that all the time, that this is somebody who’s living the wrong life and we’re meeting her at the point where she’s saying, enough is enough. I am going to reverse the course of my life, and get what I want.

In the initial episode, it effectively conveys Lina’s emotions through visual means, particularly during a scene where Lina pauses in her shopping trip as scenes from “The Princess Bride” played on TV screens. Throughout the series, Gilpin masterfully portrayed the intense yearning that is expressed in the novel while playing Lina.

Three Women’s Betty Gilpin Talks About Her Most Important Takeaway From The Book And Why The Real Lina ‘Will Remain Anonymous’

Why Three Women’s Real Lina Will ‘Remain Anonymous’

Despite the character Lina being inspired by a real individual, Betty Gilpin revealed during our interview that they chose not to connect with the original person. Now, Gilpin finds herself portraying someone whose story is mirrored in a series based on her life’s events. As Gilpin elaborated:

It’s clear she isn’t called Lina, as she maintains her anonymity, which I respected when conversing with Lisa about her. I find it intriguing how we discuss her without using her real name. Now, I’m not pretending to be Abraham Lincoln, mimicking her every action or mannerism, but I do aim to give this individual the recognition they deserve – a leading role in their own narrative. In essence, I believe we’re achieving that goal, even though her true identity remains undisclosed.

Gilpin drew from a wealth of information about Lina, provided both by the novel and Lisa Taddeo, but it’s important to note that the true Lina is going about her life, unaware that she serves as the inspiration for a STARZ series. Gilpin, fresh from leading the cast of Mrs. Davis following the unexpected cancellation of GLOW, brings an extraordinary sense of authenticity to his portrayal of Lina, making it hard to resist following her story as Three Women unfolds over its weekly episodes.

Start watching the debut episode of “Three Women” right now, available on the STARZ app! Don’t miss out on new episodes every Friday, and stay tuned for additional book adaptations coming soon.

Read More

2024-09-14 06:37