Louise Linton is a quadruple threat in her new film, “You Me Madness,” for which she starred, wrote, directed and produced.
The 40-year-old actress and wife of former U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke to Fox News about how her husband’s connection to the Trump administration has affected her career in Hollywood.
“Fortunately, he’s not in politics anymore, and I’m happy to have my husband home in Los Angeles [with me],” she said. “I think possibly it does… at times I think because of my association with that administration, people have this preconceived notion about me or I’ve been villainized.”
“In some ways, this character, Catherine, is almost like a parody, a caricature and a satire of that media persona, which I think couldn’t be further from who I am as an actual person,” Linton explained.
LOUISE LINTON PLAYS MURDEROUS, REVENGEFUL EX IN WRITER-DIRECTORIAL DEBUT FILM ‘ME YOU MADNESS’
Louise Linton supports then-fiance Steven Mnuchin at his swearing-in ceremony with former President Donald Trump.
(Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“I think that’s probably the only way that it’s impacted [my career]. But I hope that when people watch the movie, they can see that I’m just a filmmaker and I’m not involved in any politics and I’m very liberal,” the Scottish-born star rationalized.
Louise Linton directing “Me You Madness.”
(Jessica Perez)
In the film, Linton plays Catherine Black, a hedge fund manager with cash to burn and a playgirl lifestyle, who loves to murder people.
“This movie is about love ultimately, and that love can melt even the coldest of hearts. And while Catherine starts off as this diabolical, horrible person, she becomes kind at the end,” Linton described.
It’s Ed Westwick‘s character, Tyler Jones, that helps transform the femme fatale onscreen.
Ed Westwick and Louise Linton in “Me You Madness.”
(Jessica Perez)
“I think this movie is just great fun and entertainment and escapism for people,” he told Fox News. “And then on another level, you know, for the characters, it’s about growth as well, right? I mean, they both definitely grow. I think that’s what love teaches us as well… how to grow.”
Linton revealed she’s always been interested in writing and portraying complicated female characters.
“For decades, these fascinating, diabolical female characters have really thrilled and intrigued us. And I wanted to make [a film] just as slick but self-aware,” she said. “Catherine is such an empowered woman. I wanted to write a character that, you know, runs her own business, can buy her own beautiful fashion.”
Linton, who runs her own production company, Stormchaser Film, has felt a shift in Hollywood in recent years to become more open to women-led companies.
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From left to right, first lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Louise Linton, Vice President Mke Pence and second lady Karen Pence pose at the wedding of Mnuchin and Linton on June 24, 2017.
(Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LS)
“I’d say when I was in my early 20s, I definitely felt like it was a boys club and I felt like people didn’t take me seriously because I was trying to produce as young as 25,” she revealed. “So that’s the reason I went to law school. I wanted to equip myself with better knowledge of everything in film from buying a screenplay to hiring actors.”
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She continued, “I reference this at the beginning of the movie. We women are having a moment right now, a very long overdue moment. And I do feel like the winds of change have swept through Hollywood in the last couple of years. Women are getting a lot more opportunities behind the camera. And that feels good. I have a fantastic team of five girls that I work with and this movie ultimately is about women empowerment.”
“You Me Madness” will be available on Feb. 12 to stream on-demand.
