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How did you approach her mind-set?
It was actually quite a big thing to think about.
But I think how it reads on paper and how it plays out onscreen is slightly different.
Obviously that [previous] night Briannas been such a roller coaster of emotions.
So I wanted to play it more that its just sort of a relief finding Jamie.
He accepts her in a way that Laoghaire puts in her head that he wouldnt.
I know they share blood, but she doesnt know him.
As if in that moment, she viewed Jamie as a protective father figure.
I think that night [of the attack], it would be almost a reflex.
Its like, c’mon just nobody touch me.
But I think with Jamie, she knows that she can trust him.
She knows that shes safe now.
And also, I do think in that moment shes kind of numb from anything anyway.
Thats where that [touch] comes from.
Why the hell didnt I fight him?
Claire assures her it wasnt her fault.
How important was it for you and Caitriona to get that across in that scene?
I would have fought harder.
I would have done this, I would have done that.
Women who go through that then have PTSD, because they then experience the trauma later.
I could have done this.
Its actually Bree thinking that she didnt do enough.
Seeing Brianna beat herself up about it, its just as heartbreaking almost as everything else that happened.
So that was a really important moment, and I do love that scene.
I think thats a really special mother-daughter moment.
The majority of the assaulthappened behind a closed door.
The same night it somehow makes it even more gut-wrenching.
We actually did film the whole rape scene.
Obviously in the time period that were talking about, it did unfortunately happen a lot.
Obviously a lot of the [shows] fans are not book readers.
But Briannas is so important because you do follow her and her PTSD through the rest of the season.
I think that was quite an interesting move for the writers to make.
And having it happen that same night.
Its interesting that it does that complete turn in one night.
How did you see that fight escalating so intensely and so quickly?
What was the psychology behind them both baiting each other?
Like, Ill go if you want me to.
Well, no ones stopping you.
Well, thats the thing: I think theyre always testing each other.
So shes like, Well, Im not stopping you.
If thats whatyouwant, then you do that.
Theyre both too stubborn to put their heart on their sleeve and say, No, no, no.
I want to stay.
Or, I want you to stay.
And thats one thing that I do think is interesting about the rape then happening that evening.
In that moment [of Bree and Rogers fight], I think Bree just feels a bit betrayed.
Theres obviously not time in the season to properly show how long theyve been apart.
They have the handfast, which wed seen that Bree had been sort of pushing against.
Now she feels its a bit of a lie.
What would you do if you genuinely thought that somebody couldnt change the past?
Would you tell them about the article or would you not?
Bree doesnt name Bonnet when she initially tells Claire about the assault.
Lizzie identifies Roger as the rapist to Young Ian and Jamie when she sees him approaching Frasers Ridge.
I think if anything was to be done, Bree would want to do it herself anyway.
So from an acting point of view, I completely understood why she did that.
Were you aware of that?
I knew it was beautiful.
I did know that it was all handmade.
I think its just very reflective of that time.
So it was quite a feat.
We didnt get to see that enough.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
