'I Am Mother' actor Clara Rugaard was drawn to her character 'Daughter' and her unique upbringing
Towards the end of Netflix's sci-fi thriller 'I Am Mother', one is left with an unsettling feeling. The movie doesn't end on a good note — or for that matter, doesn't feature as twisted an ending as the audience was hoping for. But the surreal end to 'I Am Mother' is what perfectly encapsulates the movie.
Set in an apocalyptic age, 'I Am Mother' follows the story of an anthropomorphic robot called Mother (voiced by Rose Byrne) who is in charge of 63,000 human embryos after an accident wipes away humanity. From those 63,000 embryos, Mother chooses one embryo, naming her just 'Daughter' (played by Clara Rugaard) to "give humanity a second chance". But the pair's unique relationship is threatened when an injured stranger (played by Hilary Swank) arrives at the bunker and plants doubt in Daughter's heart, which makes her question everything that she has been told about the world so far.
This situation, where a young girl is raised by a robot in an underground cellar for 18 years, is exactly what intrigued actor Clara Rugaard to take up the role of Daughter.
Speaking exclusively to MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), Rugaard tells why and how she chose the role. "I think the main reason I was interested in Daughter is that I wasn't able to relate too much to her. Her situation is so unique —who is raised by a robot, underground for 18 years? There is not a lot of research to be done around that," she says. This challenge provided the incentive for her to take up the role since it made her wonder: "To what extent are your mannerisms affected by who you have been raised by?"
In addition to this, the entire premise of the film was a selling point for Rugaard. "I was very intrigued by an AI trying to optimize humanity and what would that look like." Being cast as the protagonist for 'I Am Mother' came with a responsibility that Rugaard made the most of. "It was a huge responsibility and at first, it was very intimidating. You put a lot of pressure on yourself but it [the movie] turned out just great. Everyone was lovely and the crew and cast —it was a beautiful experience, to be honest."
'I Am Mother' premiered on Netflix on June 7, 2019, and is directed by Grant Sputore. It was first screened at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year as an independent film. The movie also stars Rose Byrne and Hilary Swank.
You can watch the entire interview with the stars of 'I Am Mother' here: