Sian Clifford, best known for playing Claire, the uptight older sister in “Fleabag,” takes on a very different role in “Lady,” a mockumentary about an aristocrat desperate to become an internet celebrity.
Clifford plays Lady Isabella of Ravenhyde, who sees herself as “the aristocracy’s answer to the Kardashians” and decides to document her life in the hope of becoming a social media star. The character’s obsession with attention is almost the opposite of Clifford’s own relationship with fame.
“I’m very introverted, so I find fame very difficult,” Clifford said during an interview in New York.
Directed by Samuel Abrahams and co-written with Miranda Campbell Bowling, “Lady” follows Isabella as she hires struggling filmmaker Sam, played by Laurie Kynaston, to document a regional talent competition at her Norfolk estate.
Sam initially wants to abandon the project, prompting Isabella to demand that he “never stop filming me.” The increasingly chaotic production becomes a satire of the modern obsession with being seen.
A character driven by loneliness
Abrahams was inspired to make the film after seeing a YouTuber constantly recording her life for an almost nonexistent audience.
Clifford said the idea reflected a broader cultural obsession with putting oneself in front of an audience.
“It’s almost vampiric in our culture right now,” she said.
Despite launching a Substack in 2024 focused on slow living, Clifford largely avoids social media herself. She said the constant stream of content can become overwhelming, particularly in the entertainment industry.
Clifford also recognized something deeply human beneath Isabella’s often outrageous behavior. “I loved Lady Isabella immediately,” she said, explaining that she could understand the character’s desperation and loneliness.
From ‘Fleabag’ to the spotlight
Clifford’s breakthrough came with “Fleabag,” which remains one of the defining roles of her career. The show’s success was overwhelming even for an actress who had spent years struggling with performance anxiety.
When “Fleabag” won Outstanding Comedy Series at the 2019 Emmy Awards, Clifford fainted backstage.
The fame that followed brought professional opportunities but also made her uncomfortable. She said the scale of the show’s success was difficult to comprehend and that being recognized in public sometimes led people to cross personal boundaries.
Her performance as Claire nevertheless attracted the attention of filmmakers, including Abrahams, who believed she could bring complexity to a character audiences might initially dislike.
“She has that innate quality, to be able to deliver something that could be unlikable, yet we would still fall in love with her,” Abrahams said.
A friendship that began at drama school
Clifford’s connection with Phoebe Waller-Bridge dates back to their time at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The two met during orientation week and quickly became close.
Waller-Bridge later wrote the role of Claire in “Fleabag” with Clifford in mind, although she had to push for her friend to receive an audition because Clifford had previously worked primarily in theater.
Clifford initially believed she had failed the audition. The producer, Lydia Hamson, however, was convinced by the chemistry between Clifford and Waller-Bridge and ultimately backed her for the role.
Waller-Bridge has continued to praise Clifford’s ability to combine comedy with emotional depth, saying she instinctively understood Claire without needing lengthy discussions about the character.
Making ‘Lady’ on a tight budget
“Lady” was shot in just 15 days with a crew of around 10 people at Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk. Clifford’s costumes were largely borrowed vintage pieces, ranging from traditional British aristocratic styles to 1990s-inspired outfits.
Finding Isabella’s look proved crucial to understanding the character. Clifford said that once she put on a tweed suit with an Hermès scarf and oval sunglasses, the character immediately came into focus.
Even after years of professional success, Clifford remains highly self-critical when watching herself on screen. She said she would probably change much of her performance in “Fleabag,” but feels more satisfied with her work in “Lady.”
“With ‘Fleabag’ I’d probably change 80 percent of my performance, with ‘Lady’ I’d change maybe 40 percent,” she said.
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