Sheridan Smith is being praised for her powerful performance in I Fought the Law, a new ITV drama based on the real-life harrowing story of a Brit who fought for justice after her daughter’s murder
Sheridan Smith has left viewers reaching for the tissues with her latest role in ITV ’s new drama I Fought the Law.
The four-part series, which started airing tonight (August 31), tells the harrowing true story of Ann Ming – the woman who changed an 800-year-old law in her fight for justice following the murder of her daughter Julie.
Smith, who has become the go-to star for bringing real-life figures to the screen in acclaimed dramas such as The C Word, The Moorside, Four Lives, Mrs Biggs and Cilla, is being called one of the best British actors in existence for her role in this show.
She gives viewers a glimpse of what Ann may have gone through from the moment Julie went missing in 1989 until the end of her 15 year campaign to overturn the ancient British double jeopardy rule that was keeping her daughter’s killer out of jail.
Audiences were stunned with the actresses’ portrayal of a parent’s worst nightmare in episode one as Ann fought with indifferent police after her daughter vanished, eventually resorting to chasing leads on her own before making the heartbreaking discovery of Julie’s body 80 days later.
One fan took to social media to share how touched they were by the performance, writing: “Just finished watching #IFoughtTheLaw Sheridan Smith utterly fantastic in the role of Ann Ming. I’m in bits tbh. What a wonderful achievement in changing the double jeopardy law to finally get justice for Julie.”
Another admitted: “Just binged every episode! Horrific crime. Disgusting policing. Outstanding woman. Sheridan is amazing as always. It’s a must watch. Cried my eyes out. Lots of love to Julie’s family.” A third chimed in: “This is so tense. You can feel the panic.”
The series is adapted from Ann’s memoir For the Love of Julie and written by Jamie Crichton (All Creatures Great and Small, The Last Kingdom).
Unlike a traditional whodunit, the show reveals the culprit early on, and spends most of its runtime on Ann’s long legal battle to overturn double jeopardy after her daughter’s killer was acquitted despite compelling DNA evidence.
Ann Ming’s campaign eventually led to the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which created an exception to the double jeopardy rule.
This paved the way for a retrial of William Dunlop, who had confessed to Julie’s murder. In 2006, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Sheridan Smith was almost unrecognisable on screen after spending hours in the make-up chair every day ahead of playing Ann. Her costume included a wig that demonstrates her aging as the episodes progress and years of campaigning and grief take their toll on the mum.
The actress admitted that she barely recognised her own reflection during filming, explaining: “I couldn’t even see myself in the mirror. It just wasn’t me, and I didn’t see where I was. So it was a magic shoot.”
The star also said that playing such a weighty character came with a deep sense of responsibility. Smith told The Hollywood Reporter : “I felt such responsibility to do her story justice, because she’s trusted these guys to tell her story. At the end of the day, it’s her real life. It’s not just a TV show, it’s her life and her family, and it matters.”
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