When Miller signed on for the show, which airs on October 1, she had read only the first episode. Instead, she was drawn to the creative team, including writer-creator George Kay, whose previous work—think: Lupin, Criminal, and Hijack—made an impression. Taking on the role of Carla was a leap of faith; she discovered the character as filming unfolded, gradually getting to know her contradictions. “It was complicated because she isn’t lovable, but then vulnerability creeps in,” Miller said. “Sometimes that’s the way it goes when you’re making something, and I’m curious how people will react to her.”
Sienna Miller and Dominic WestDave Allocca / Starpix
If Carla was emotionally complicated, playing her was surprisingly freeing. Despite the character’s animosity toward her ex husband, Miller found the role less emotionally taxing than expected. “She doesn’t spend energy making anyone else feel comfortable, which is what I spend the majority of my energy on on any given day,” she said. “So I actually had reserves.”
There was another factor at play: Miller was three months pregnant when filming began—and mere weeks out from her due date by the time it wrapped (a fact artfully concealed by the costume department.) Last week, Miller attended the London premiere alongside her 14-year-old daughter, Marlowe Sturridge. The teen hardly ever sees her mom on-screen, but was curious about this latest gig. “She doesn’t really watch my work but she came because she wanted to see it, which was very nice,” Miller said.
Videos of the mom-and-daughter duo quickly went viral, too. “Marlowe hugged me for five seconds on the red carpet and it was a big deal,” Miller smiled. “We are now going to lock her up until she’s 18 and have her live under a rock with mum.” All jokes aside, the two share a close bond—and a mutual appreciation for each other’s wardrobes. “She raids my closet and now I raid hers. She has the best tracksuits,” Miller said. “They’re huge so I can borrow them. She nicks all of my jeans and wears them low—and everything looks amazing. She’s incredibly clever, funny, and sweet. I’m very proud.”
Following the screening, the evening continued downstairs, where guests gathered at Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson for drinks and light bites. The restaurant was transformed, with bare mountain laurel branches draped in lichen moss, burning bush, and dahlias lending the space an autumnal feel. The bar hummed with conversation as attendees tucked into curry chicken salad, steak skewers, and salmon-and-cucumber canapés, alongside specialty cocktails, including one aptly named The Prenup.
Miller slipped away from the reception to return home to her baby boy, while West made the rounds, catching up with his former The Wire co-stars who came out for the occasion. As the night wound down, waiters passed out hats emblazoned with “I Was Served”—a playful nod to the show’s plot. Attendees also received chess sets wrapped with the tagline, “Take sides. Take everything.”
For Kay, however, beneath all the secrets, backstabbing, and lavish lifestyle trappings lies something unexpectedly familiar. “Even though we start off with a set of devious characters, relatability is the thing I want audiences to take from the show,” he said. “It’s a very high-end, aspirational, glamorous world—but there are themes that we can all tune into.”
