It’s fitting that in the nearly two decades since its release, The Time Traveler’s Wife has had multiple lives. First was Audrey Niffenegger’s hit novel—about a man, Henry, with a condition that allows him to leap, not always conveniently, through time and space and the woman, Clare, attempting to maintain a relationship with him—in 2003. Six years later, a movie adaptation of the story, starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana, was released. This month, HBO premiered its new series, starring Rose Leslie and Theo James, which tells the story over the course of six episodes. (Not enough for you? Later this year, a stage version of the story set to music by Joss Stone and Dave Stewart will be staged in England.)
A story about the power of love, however, is always right on time—at least that’s how Leslie describes the enduring appeal of Niffenegger’s tale. Here, she tells T&C about the enduring appeal of affairs of the heart and her own time-travel wishes.
Rose Leslie plays Clare Abshire in The Time Traveler’s Wife, airing now on HBO
This is a series based on a novel that was also made into a movie. A lot of people love this story. What did you know about it going into the project?
I remember when the audition came through, I got very excited about the prospect of a beloved book being adapted by Steven Moffat. I felt like that was a fantastic opportunity to pursue. But in regard to knowing the tale, I was oblivious. I don’t know how, but the book passed me by on its release, despite me knowing that friends had read and really loved it. So, when I read the pilot, I straight away was pulled in by the humor and knew that I’d be chancing fate just a bit too much if I were to read the book then. I only read it once I knew I’d landed the role.
Did reading the book change anything for you?
The impact was what a phenomenal love story this is, and how fantastical the out-of-sequence marriage is, and I used both to shade in Clare’s background. In the adaptation Steven undertook, there’s a bit more backbone to Clare in regard to her fate and free will, which she believes for a while she’s been robbed of. I leaned heavily into the adaptation, wishing to do Steven’s Clare justice. In another bizarre way, I’ve never seen the film, so I can’t draw any comparisons from that.
Rose Leslie, shot for T&C in February 2018, stars opposite Theo James in The Time Traveler’s Wife, an adaptation of the bestselling novel.
What makes now feel like the right time for revisiting this story?
The foundation of this story is that love transcends death. It’s a reminder of that and plays with memory and how we end up using it to highlight a point of perfection beyond reality. The retelling of this story, especially since it’s done episodically, gives us room to delve into the characters and their realities. Really, we get to recognize that being in a supportive relationship allows one of flourish and become the person who your partner already sees you as being.
Logistically, how difficult is it to film a series where you’re playing a character at various ages, in various places, and at entirely different moments in her life for each episode?
For most projects, you never film chronologically. There’s always bouncing back and forth because of locations and what you’re able to do when. This was complicated because there was chaos in my own head about the age my character was and where she was at in her relationship—I was checking a lot with the script supervisor to stay on top of things. But that mean embracing the mania of their lives also.
"The foundation of this story is that love transcends death."
If you yourself were able to travel through time, where would you go first?
I would love to go back and meet my mum and dad before they had children. I’d want to get a sense of who they were prior to becoming parents, and particularly to sit with mum and learn who she was before she became the person I know.
Adam Rathe
Deputy Features Director
Adam Rathe is Town & Country's Deputy Features Director, covering arts and culture and a range of other subjects.
