Anna Maxwell Martin says she was in a state of ‘financial terror’ following the death of her ex-husband, and feared the impact it could have on their children’s mental wellbeing.
The actress, best known for her roles in BBC shows Motherland and Line Of Duty, was left devastated after filmmaker Roger Michell died suddenly in 2021 – a year after the couple announced their separation.
And Martin, 47, admits her first instinct was to protect their two children, daughters Maggie, 15, and Nancy, 13, as they faced a potentially uncertain financial future.
She told BBC Women’s Hour: ‘My husband died three years ago and things have been very difficult in every aspect of our lives.
“One was that there are many things that come with grief, and one of them is financial terror. And then there are the real practical issues around your children and their mental health, and supporting them, which is your priority.”
Anna Maxwell Martin says she was in a state of ‘financial terror’ after her ex-husband’s death, and feared the impact it could have on their children’s mental wellbeing
The actress, best known for her roles in BBC shows Motherland and Line Of Duty, was left devastated after filmmaker Roger Michell died suddenly in 2021 (pictured in 2008)
She added: ‘Looking back, I was probably in a state of shock, fear and heightened state for a long time, until recently.’
Michell, an acclaimed director whose film credits include Notting Hill, Enduring Love and BBC show The Buddha Of Suburbia, died on September 22, 2021 at the age of 65 from an unknown cause.
But Martin, who is currently promoting new show Until I Kill You, believes losing her father, Ivan Martin, when she was 24 has helped her come to terms with the loss of her former husband.
She said: ‘I’ve tried this path before, from grief and sudden traumatic death. I’ve done it before, and so I was able to pick myself up in a way and do it again.
“It was horrible to see my kids go down that road, but I’m quite gritty, I’m quite strong and I think I’m quite agile, I hope, in navigating life. And I thought, ‘I just have to keep the engine going.’
She added: “When it happened to me [for the first time] and I was 24, I was very lonely. I was very isolated because no one had experienced what I had experienced. I didn’t know those people.
“And when it happened with Rog, I saw it more as, ‘We have to keep it all together for the kids.’
‘I also think there’s something about being a woman in your forties, and by then, if you’re lucky, you’ll have managed to have the best friends and the best people around you.
Michell, an acclaimed director whose film credits include Notting Hill, died on September 22, 2021 at the age of 65 from an unknown cause (pictured with Martin in 2013)
Martin admits her first instinct was to protect their two children, daughters Maggie, 15, and Nancy, 13, as they faced a potentially uncertain financial future
Martin and Michell announced their separation in 2020, before he passed away the following year (photo September 2021)
“You won’t make any more mistakes in that area of your life. And I really did, I had exceptional friends, an exceptional support network.”
Speak with The Sunday times in June, Martin revealed that her and her daughters’ grief was exacerbated by others’ lack of empathy.
The Line Of Duty star explained that acquaintances crossed the road to avoid them and avoided talking about Roger’s death. She said she felt “sorry” for them and that they were “confused” by not showing any sensitivity.
She said: “We make these broad, sweeping statements about ‘We’re much better now,’ but I haven’t found that. Schools are certainly not better.
‘And then there are people who talk to me as if nothing has happened. We have experienced a whole lot of that. The girls are – thank God – very adept at processing it, so they will bring their father into conversation, but even members of Roger’s generation, people my age, can’t have that [his death] named.’
She continued, “People are very bad at acknowledging pain, death, or difficulty. I find it really strange. Is it a cultural thing? I’m really glad I’m not one of those people because when it happens I’m like, I feel sorry for you.
‘You’re worked up. I know you’re scared, but the point is to show care and say to someone, ‘How are you? Was that difficult? How are you feeling?’
Speaking to The Sunday Times in June, the actress revealed that her and her daughters’ grief was exacerbated by others’ lack of empathy (pictured in 2022)
Martin has been in a relationship with record boss Ferdy Unger-Hamilton, 52, since 2022, describing him as ‘very sensible, rocky, level and practical’ (pictured in 2017)
Martin also emphasized the value of talking about a lost loved one after he or she is gone, calling it “so important.” I know – but I still want to hear it – that Roger was important to people and an incredibly talented person.’
She added how important it was for her daughters to still be able to view the vast amount of archival footage of their father.
She said: ‘It’s very important. With my father I quickly forgot what he sounded like, but after 20 years I found a recording and heard his voice again. It was a shock and very hard.
‘Missing my girls [their father] all the time, but they don’t want that “Oh my God!” moment – they can see him whenever they want. I go on the Internet and listen to Roger often.’
Martin has been in a relationship with record boss Ferdy Unger-Hamilton, 52, a millionaire, since 2022.
Martin is perhaps best known for her starring role in the hit BBC drama Line Of Duty (pictured)
The actress is currently promoting her new TV show Until I Kill You (pictured, with co-star Shaun Evans)
