Five Oscar Should-Be Winners: Amy Ryan

In this profile and interview from the New York Daily News, Amy Ryan addresses the buzz of her Oscar nomination for “Gone Baby Gone,” remarking that her character, a drug-using woman whose young daughter disappears, gave her a role she sympathized with. The character’s steely resolve and her “unbelievable sense of humor” were key for Ryan.

The best actors do their homework, whether as method actors (Dustin Hoffman is a well-known example), or simply by getting their hands on whatever related material they can, such as the book on which a movie is based. Amy Ryan, in a recent Q&A with TIME Magazine, reports that she read Dennis Lehane’s book, “Gone Baby Gone,” after being cast in the film, simply because she was curious. But it was the descriptive depth that she valued most about the book. When studying for the character of Helene, said Ryan, being able to know “what she’s really thinking,” thanks to Lehane’s long passages, helped the actress see how she could adapt Helene’s emotions to fit the big screen.

This eight-minute clip of Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone” illustrates the complexity of the role and of the audience’s relationship to her.

In USA Today, director Ben Affleck and Ryan sound off on the importance of getting Ryan’s role of Helene just right. Said Affleck, “This role is pivotal to the movie, but it's such a hard part to play. I want you to hate her and understand her and empathize with her … I was feeling nervous and worried because this was one part I couldn't fake. If the part didn't kill, the movie would be mediocre.” Ryan says her upbringing in Queens helped her understand the “survivalist” nature of the role, though her resemblance to the character stops there. In fact, she was slightly nervous about having her parents watch the gritty film.