The actress, 49, shares daughters Maggie, 16,and Nancy, 14, with filmmaker Roger Michell, who died suddenly of a heart attack in 2021 aged 65.

Anna Maxwell Martin has reflected on the death of her ex-husband and the father of her two children in 2021,as she opened up on how she navigates work and motherhood while grieving.

The Motherland star explained that she put all her energy into working and being there for her daughters, saying 'Grief is grief, isn’t it? I’ve just got to navigate it, parenting, earning a living, doing life, helping the girls thrive as best I can.. That’s the focus.'

Anna's family: a 'really good, optimistic little unit'

Despite the huge loss they had suffered, Anna said that their family were 'a really good, optimistic little unit', adding: 'I love having two daughters and I love how funny and tenacious they are.'

Anna previously shared how she feared going broke after Roger’s death , while worrying about the implications it would have on the mental wellbeing of their kids.

Choosing parts that balance work and motherhood

Anna makes sure she gets enough time with her kids, jetting back to London to see her daughters whenever there was a break in filming for her critically acclaimed role on Until I Kill You.

'It’s not good for the environment,' she conceded. 'Being a mum is my priority and so a lot of choosing parts comes down to how it balances with that side of my life.'

Anna's grief journey: an echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

Anna's experience of navigating work and motherhood while grieving for her ex-husband, filmmaker Roger Michell, echoes the story of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up, where a family's grief and loss were compounded by the sudden death of a loved one .

Anna's story highlights the importance of prioritizing family and finding ways to balance work and motherhood, even in the face of grief and uncertainty.