Oscar winner Anna Paquin returned to the red carpet for the promotion of her new film "A Bit of Light" after more than a year away from the limelight.
Amid reports of health issues, the 41-year-old actress was seen on the red carpet with a cane to promote the latest movie directed by none other than her husband and “True Bood” co-star, Stephen Moyer. The actress revealed it’s been “difficult” over the last two years as she deals with an undisclosed health issue that has affected her mobility and speech.
Anna was only 11 years old when she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in her very first film, "The Piano." She has appeared in a number of movies over the years, and in the latest film, "A Bit of Light," she portrays the role of Ella—a mother who falls on hard times and loses custody of her children to their father and his new partner. Forced to move back in with her own father (played by Ray Winstone), Ella is seen navigating through the challenging phase in life.
Anna Paquin returned to the red carpet to promote her new film, "A Bit of Light," directed by her husband, Stephen Moyer
Image credits: Theo Wargo / Getty Images
"Not everyone ends up having the journey with motherhood that they have hoped or had planned," Anna told People about her character, Ella. "We're all flawed and imperfect, and Ella is kind of on some level repeating some sort of familial patterns as far as stuffing feelings down."
"It's very relatable because there's so many ways that people can get in their own way, or sort of learn to cope with trauma," she added.
The actress admitted the last couple of years have been "difficult," as she deals with health issues
While speaking to the outlet about needing a cane for support, Anna said, “It hasn't been easy,” but she feels fortunate to do what she loves.
"My first love was independent filmmaking," Anna told the outlet. "That's how I entered the film industry. I was working with people who were all about telling stories and telling them with integrity and truth."
The actress spoke about starring in "A Bit of Light," directed by her husband, and said, "He's my favorite person to play with."
Anna Paquin said she's not "sentimental" when it comes to acting and joked that she wouldn't have starred in "A Bit of Light" if she didn't believe her husband was a great director
Image credits: Stephen Moyer
She joked that she wouldn’t have worked with him if she didn’t believe in his abilities as a director.
"I'm not sentimental when it comes to work," she laughed and said.
Anna and Stephen met when they were costars on True Blood, which aired from 2008 to 2014, before they turned into real-life lovers. The couple exchanged wedding vows in August, 2010, and became parents to twins twins, Poppy and Charlie, in 2012.
Poppy and Charlie joined siblings, Lilac and Billy, Stephen's children from previous relationships.