While attending the Sarajevo Film Festival, Emily Watson opened up about her childhood in what she described as a religious cult and how that experience nearly prevented her from starring in the 1996 drama that launched her international career. Looking back, the actor said it took years to fully understand how deeply her upbringing shaped both her life and her work. As it turns out, the Hollywood portfolio that spans classics like Hilary and Jackie, Appropriate Adult, Apple Tree Yard, and many more was all dependent on a simple act of leaving.  

Decades later, Emily Watson can clearly see the connection between her past and the role that changed everything.

Appearing at the Sarajevo Film Festival as the president of the jury and recipient of the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award, Emily Watson revealed that her upbringing in what she described as a "religious cult" nearly prevented her from accepting the role that would ultimately launch her career. According to the actress, when members of the organization learned she had been cast in Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves, they strongly opposed her participation. She recalled being summoned and told in no uncertain terms that she should not make the film, placing her in the difficult position of choosing between the community she had grown up in and a life-changing professional opportunity.

"There is an interesting part to this story that, when I told the people at the School of Economic Science that I was going to do a film and they inquired as to the nature of it, I was summoned and told in no uncertain terms that I was not to do this," she said. 

For the unversed, Breaking the Waves follows Bess McNeill, a young woman living in a deeply religious and conservative Scottish community whose life takes a dramatic turn after her husband's devastating accident. Watson admitted she immediately felt a connection to the character, even before fully understanding why.

Speaking at the festival, she explained that walking away from the organization became a defining moment in her life (via Variety). Although the decision left her heartbroken and separated from a community where she had grown up, she also experienced an overwhelming sense of freedom. According to Watson, that emotional rupture ultimately helped shape her performance in the film.

5 Movies to Watch This Mental Health Awareness Month on Netflix

The actress believes her personal journey became inseparable from the story she was telling on screen.

Reflecting on the experience, Emily Watson said acting ultimately "saved her life". Looking back at Breaking the Waves, she now sees clear parallels between Bess's struggle for personal freedom and her own journey away from the restrictive environment in which she was raised.

Describing that period, Emily Watson said she felt like "a piece of wire being unplugged," comparing the experience to a sudden release of energy and light. She explained that trusting her instincts and choosing the film allowed her to discover a version of herself that had been waiting to emerge.

The actress also revealed that she kept much of her personal history private for years. In fact, she did not tell her Breaking the Waves co-star, Stellan Skarsgård, about her upbringing until they reunited on HBO's Chernobyl in 2016. By then, Watson said she had spent years processing her childhood experiences and felt more comfortable discussing them publicly.

Today, however, Watson views storytelling as a powerful force for understanding both personal and collective experiences. As she continues her acclaimed career with projects including Dune: Prophecy, Mira Nair's AMRI, and the recently released Hamnet, alongside Mackenzie Crook's Mars Express, the actress remains grateful for the role that not only launched her career but also helped her find her own voice.

Oscar Front-Runner Jessie Buckley’s 'Hamnet' Finally Gets a Streaming Release

What do you think about Emily Watson's reflections on Breaking the Waves and the impact the film had on her life? Let us know in the comments.