Warning: This article contains graphic content. Some readers may find the content of this article upsetting and/or distressing.
Vanessa Kirby has recalled her experience of filming the devastating birth scene in Netflix's Pieces of a Woman, admitting she "sobbed for 10 minutes" afterwards.
In the film, Vanessa plays Martha, who - at the start of the movie - gives birth to a baby daughter, who tragically dies shortly afterwards.
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Viewers see Martha give birth during a one-take, 24 minute scene showing the birth and the traumatic death that followed.
You can watch the scene below:
"The first time we shot it, I was literally sobbing for 10 minutes afterwards. I couldn't get out of it. My brain was telling me it wasn't real, but my unconscious didn't know the difference, especially with having a real baby in my arms," Vanessa told Harper's Bazaar.
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To prepare for the scene, Vanessa watched a woman give birth for seven hours.
"I remember every single second of it. I was there, glued to my seat, for seven hours, not even a loo break!" She continued.
"I was just amazed, in awe. I saw a woman completely surrender and go on this spiritual journey, which involved indescribable pain, clearly, but also ecstasy.
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"It gave me a whole new respect for women and how powerful they are, and a new empathy for men, because they feel so helpless.
"And obviously, seeing the baby come out was the most incredible thing in the world I've ever seen, by far. After he was born, all of the mother's colour returned, she looked like an angel, she had a kind of holy glow."
Viewers were blown away by the scene, with hundreds praising Vanessa's performance.
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One wrote: "Vanessa Kirby deserves all the awards for the birth scene in pieces of a woman omg."
While another added: "Vanessa Kirby deserves every single award for acting after that birth scene in 'Pieces of a Woman.' I'm in actual tears."
"Watched Pieces of a Woman on Netflix and still amazed by Vanessa Kirby acting. The scene when Kirby was giving birth was breathtaking and unbelievable. The Academy should land a gold statue of her hand this year," added another.
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Meanwhile, the film's cinematographer, Benjamin Loeb recently discussed the opening scene with Movie Maker.
"Through numerous conversations, touching on our own personal experiences at the births of our own children, we decided that the right approach was to aim for a single take that compressed and expanded time without cuts," he said.
The April issue of Harper's Bazaar is on sale from 03 March 2021.
For support and advice on stillbirth and neonatal death, visit Sands.org here. For support and advice on miscarriage, visit Tommy's here.
Topics: Film News, Celebrity News, TV and Film