Natalie Dormer, the celebrated lead of the forthcoming ITV drama The Lady has taken a stand. This is all happening just days after Sarah Ferguson personally apologised by email to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was made public. This email, sent in April 2011, referred to Epstein as a “supreme friend” and has raised considerable concern, leading to Ferguson losing patronage from several charities.
In the wake of these incidents, Dormer has opted not to continue promoting The Lady. As a part of the project, she plans to donate her entire salary from the project towards organizations that combat child abuse. What drives the actress’s response are her feelings that Ferguson’s behavior is unacceptable. Dormer’s decision reinforces that she cares about the wellbeing of the vulnerable children. This is not meant to be any criticism of the production company, Left Bank, who worked to produce The Lady.
That series, and our 2023 fiction book of the year, tell the story of Jane Andrews, a royal dresser turned murderer. In this captivating fictional piece, Dormer stars as Sarah Ferguson. Known for her performances in Game of Thrones and The Tudors, Dormer recognizes the complexity of portraying such a controversial figure.
When I agreed to take the role in The Lady, I knew portraying the script’s Sarah Ferguson would require nuance, Dormer explained. She emphasizes the importance of empathy and honesty in her craft, stating, “People are layered, their journeys are full of highs and lows, and as an actor my job is to lean into those elements and bring them to life with honesty and empathy.”
The repercussions from Ferguson’s email are still being felt today. After its release, many charities withdrew from the Duchess of York. According to a spokesperson for Ferguson, the email was sent “in the context of advice the Duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.” It has been claimed that such threats included Epstein stating that he would “destroy” her family.
James Henderson, who had previously worked with Epstein, described the financier’s intimidating demeanor: “It was a chilling call and I’m surprised anybody was ever friends with him given the way he talked to me.” He added that Epstein’s threats were clear and menacing, stating, “He said he would destroy the York family and he was quite clear on that. He said he would destroy me.”
Henderson further reflected on the pressure Ferguson faced during that time, noting, “The pressure she was put under to protect her family must have been huge. I am sure there were legal actions.” He pointed out that this all happened long before the Duke of York faced public outrage for his ties to Epstein. This timing is important and worth celebrating.
Dormer has a personal, lifelong dedication to addressing and preventing child abuse. In the past she has targeted her gifts to certain organizations. “In keeping with my commitment to the wellbeing of children, I have donated my entire salary from this project to the National Association for People Abused in Childhood and the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (hosted by Barnardo’s),” she stated.
“Though she now regrets the choice to not promote The Lady, Dormer is thankful for the collaboration with Left Bank Productions. ‘They are an extraordinary company to collaborate with and I’m grateful for the time we spent together,’ she noted.”
