Telling the incredible tale of Anna Politkovskaya has taught me one thing: I could never be that brave | Maxine Peake

She faced endless opposition and threats to her life. This has become a reality for far too many journalistsMaxine Peake is an actor who appears in the new film Words of WarWhat drives someone to become a journalist? A good journalist, someone whose keyboard is a tool for exposing injustice, a truth-seeker who would risk life and limb to report their experiences back to the world? I know I couldn’t do it. I’ve interviewed people for a research project and was hopeless. I found myself shying away from asking the really difficult questions. There’s no way I could confront a corrupt official, or race to file a breaking story before a hostile regime tried to silence me, possibly for ever. I like to think of myself as the kind of person who would speak truth to power, but would I really, if my life was in the balance?One of the many privileges of being an actor is that it affords you the opportunity to dip your toes into other worlds and experiences from the safest possible distance. In the upcoming film Words of War, I have the honour of portraying the Russian journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya – a woman with immense courage and integrity who, despite numerous threats to her life, continued to be a blazing beacon of truth in a time and place where speaking truth was extremely dangerous. The film, which was partly inspired by Politkovskaya’s obituary in this newspaper, allowed me to delve into her remarkable life and work. The experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the journalists who risk everything to tell the stories that inform and shape our world. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

AI versus women: the artist showing how tech 'corrects' female bodies

Comments

Similar News

What Facing Cancer Taught Me About Fear

‘The Interview’: Isabel Allende Understands How Fear Changes a Society

‘I made one of Netflix’s most popular shows – it’s changed people’s lives’

How motherhood changes the way women listen: An extract from Alice Vincent’s new book

Singer Amy MacDonald: '18 years and this will never feel normal'

Sister Europe by Nell Zink review – all the ideas Trump deems most dangerous

Trisha Goddard clears up a major misconception about her terminal cancer

Gregg Wallace says he contemplated suicide after Masterchef allegations

Brian Tyree Henry talks shirtless Smokey Bear and the fine art of playing a tree

‘Beyoncé and Solange tell me off all the time’: Tina Knowles on raising superstars, surviving cancer and growing up under segregation

Sex and the City made me leave my loveless marriage

TV tonight: Danny Dyer gets the ultimate grilling in this genius show

Daisy Ridley on life after Star Wars: ‘I was 20 years old and suddenly standing in a spotlight’

11 actors who regret some of their most famous movie roles

Is this river alive? Robert Macfarlane on the lives, deaths and rights of our rivers

Jeremy Clarkson says ‘it would be sad if Top Gear never came back’ following Flintoff crash

Normal People 5 years on: Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones’ meteoric rise to fame

Philip Lowrie, original Coronation Street star, dies aged 88

Edinburgh Festival Fringe warns event is being 'taken for granted'

Culture

AI versus women: the artist showing how tech 'corrects' female bodies

Britain’s Got Talent semi-final ‘goes to pot’ as two acts derail live performances

Britain’s Got Talent reveals first two finalists after truly chaotic semi-final launch

Anne Robinson reveals the moment she wanted to ‘shut Rachel Riley up’

David Tennant says he bears JK Rowling ‘no ill will’ as he doubles down on support for trans community

Doctor Who: what exactly is the monster from Midnight? Unpacking this week's big twist

Wrexham promoted for third season in a row

Genetic medicine can leave people with rare mutations behind. But there's new hope

'Wait Wait' for April 26, 2025: With Not My Job guest Brian Tyree Henry

Trisha Goddard clears up a major misconception about her terminal cancer

Netflix viewers baffled by Tom Hardy’s accent in new action thriller: ‘Will never not be funny’

Katy Perry mocked for dance moves on Lifetimes tour: ‘Shockingly bad’

Kneecap US tour dates still scheduled amid new visa process

The moment Celebrity Big Brother’s JoJo Siwa knew her relationship was over

FBI Seattle field office seeking public information on laser incidents against planes

The end of the Vietnam War was also a turning point for protest songs

New tribal national park in North Dakota aims to preserve rugged and scenic landscape

Farmstand chic? Decor is awash in fruit and vegetable motifs

Thousands gather in New Mexico for the largest powwow in North America

Student gospel singers take stage at New Orleans festival known for celebrity acts

WWE star uses fan’s prosthetic leg as a weapon in ‘craziest match ever’

Christine McGuinness ‘ready to move on with men or women’ after Paddy split

The Netherlands is turning orange to celebrate King Willem-Alexander's birthday

George Lucas reveals why Yoda talks backwards in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Bowen Yang calls JD Vance ‘a pope killer’ sending The View hosts into hysterics

Kanye West joins streaming service Twitch — gets banned after seven minutes

Jojo Siwa dumps ‘humiliated’ partner at Celebrity Big Brother party after Chris Hughes row

A closer look behind the scenes of New Orleans' annual Jazz Fest

Lana Del Rey sings ‘I kissed Morgan Wallen’ during festival performance

Ryan Reynolds in ‘awe’ of Blake Lively as she ‘alludes to Justin Baldoni legal fight’

Philip Lowrie, original Coronation Street star, dies aged 88

Jojo Siwa parties with Chris Hughes after partner flees Celebrity Big Brother party alone

Amazon Prime viewers have just days left to binge ‘absolute masterpiece’ TV series

The real winner of Celebrity Big Brother won’t be Jack P. Shepherd

Singer Amy MacDonald: '18 years and this will never feel normal'

DJ warns working class are being 'priced out' of culture

Built on a rich coffee history, Yemeni cafes find U.S. success and new challenges, too

'Chooch Helped' this author and illustrator win the 2025 Caldecott Medal

2 Books for Cluttered Minds

John Whaite blasts ‘insulting’ Waitrose after being dropped with no warning

These Australian twins have gone viral after speaking in synch

This new rule won't fix the Oscars — but it's a step in the right direction

What Facing Cancer Taught Me About Fear

‘The Interview’: Isabel Allende Understands How Fear Changes a Society

Where Mexican Modernism and Orchids Come Together

A Look Back at the Guerrilla Girls, 40 Years In

Museums Renovate to Enhance the Experience of Art Through Nature

In ‘Hmong Capital,’ Refugees’ Stories Are Told in Tapestry

In Miami, Wynwood Walls Museum Evolves Along With Street Art

Rosa Barba Lights Up MoMA With Her Love of Cinema

When Kristen Kish, ‘Top Chef’ Host, Hits the Mute Button

Netflix’s bizarre reason for Twister’s rating and 9 other odd trigger warnings

Thousands attend Pope Francis' funeral, a ceremony he helped reimagine

Gregg Wallace says he contemplated suicide after Masterchef allegations

11 actors who regret some of their most famous movie roles

Kneecap call out ‘coordinated smear campaign’ after denouncing Israel at Coachella

Hunger Games readers react as fan favorite actor cast in key Sunrise on the Reaping role

How director Ryan Coogler’s historic Sinners deal with Warner Bros could change his life