Yahoo Movies Joy stars respond to surprisingly timely Netflix release
Joy lands on Netflix this week to tell the remarkable story of how three scientists made the scientific breakthrough of IVF.
The British movie has been in development for around 10 years, but has arrived at an unexpectedly timely moment where women's right to choose and the use of IVF is at risk in some US states.
And while it was never planned like that, the stars of Joy – talking to Digital Spy in October 2024 ahead of the US election – do hope that it could highlight the importance of IVF and its effect on peoples' lives.
"We are unfortunately in a period of confusion and there are sinister forces at play which are threatening the progress that has been made over the last 50 years," James Norton explained.
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"It was never intended to be a politically motivated or ideologically motivated movie. It is a very pure celebration of three good people doing a good thing for the greater good and doing it selflessly and making great sacrifices in order to get it over the line.
"That said, I feel incredibly lucky to be in this country right now where women's rights to choice, control over their reproductive rights, abortion is intact. It's terrifying how fragile those rights are and as we are seeing in other countries, particularly America right now.
"So if this film will be a catalyst for important conversations and will remind people of the importance of this science and how much joy it brought about to the world, the idea of in any way threatening the science is absurd."
Bill Nighy agreed with his co-star that Joy has potentially become an important conversation starter.
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"It's become that, even more so since we made the film. The film wasn't made in response to that, but yes it has, and I think it's great now there is a dramatised version of these events, which hopefully will help people clarify their thinking about it," he noted.
Thomasin McKenzie added: "It's a conversation that is relevant everywhere, but it just as relevant then as it is now."
Ahead of Joy's Netflix release, Norton also spoke to Digital Spy about what he wanted to avoid in his performance, while McKenzie reflected on whether it could mark a career change for her.
Joy is out now in select UK cinemas and is released on Netflix on November 22.
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