Claire Danes

The American actress – who met British spouse Hugh Dancy, 34, when filming the 2007 drama ‘Evening’ – said being in the same profession means the couple can pass on tips, especially when one of them is due to start work on a particularly challenging role.

She said: “He did play an autistic person six months prior to my doing ‘Temple Grandin’, which was a really odd coincidence. And it was very convenient for me, because our bookshelves were already stacked with all of the required reading. It was a great gift to have him understand what I was doing in such an intimate way.”

The 30-year-old star – who plays the title role of autistic author and animal behaviour expert Temple Grandin in her new film – said she was so desperate to get the part just right because the writer is still alive and she didn’t want to “disappoint” her.

She explained to the USA Today newspaper: “I read some of her books and started exploring who she was and became enraptured. It was totally daunting, because she’s wired and organized in such a fundamentally different way from myself. She’s alive and would ultimately see it, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.”

Claire spent an afternoon with the author as part of her research and was delighted to gain her approval.

She said: “She really liked it, which is a profound relief. She was the only critic I cared about. Once I had her validation and her appreciation, I felt very, very good.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The actress – who wed her ‘Evening’ co-star Hugh Dancy at a secret ceremony in France in September – is content with her relationship and believes other people should tie the knot in order to be as happy as she is.

She said: “It feels wonderful. I’m recommending marriage. It’s still very new but there’s a kind of deep security that I’m really enjoying. My parents have been happily married since they were 21, so I have been lucky to have them as a model.”

The 30-year-old actress is currently starring in ‘Me and Orson Welles’ alongside Zac Efron, where she plays career-hungry production assistant Sonja Jones, and admits she was in awe of the opinionated character.

She said: “I admire her focus and her determination to succeed. I think it’s very brave for a woman to be so honest about wanting to do well and being hungry for success in any era, but especially then when women have few choices.”

While being in awe of her on-stage persona’s drive, Claire has started enjoying life more as she’s got older.

She explained: “I’m happier than ever. I have a deeper understanding of who I am and I’m more comfortable in myself. I know my needs and I know how they can be met. I hope that trend continues.

“But it’s still a bit of a shock when I’m at the gym on the treadmill and I have to punch in my information and I go, ‘Oh God, I’m 30’. It feels very old, but I like adulthood a lot.”

Source: BANG Showbiz