Hostage: Matt Charman and the lead cast address if the Netflix thriller reflects real world politics and female politician stereotypes

Hostage is one of the newest Netflix thrillers that focuses on the world of politics. But it doesn't limit itself to just that and extends to exploring the idea of women in power. It knows exactly how to pull you in from the very first episode.

The series follows Abigail Dalton, played by Suranne Jones. She is a British Prime Minister caught in a crisis when her husband is kidnapped. The country is thrown into a complete mess right from the beginning, with medicine shortages and political unrest. Every decision she makes comes at a price. It is that tension between duty to the nation and duty to her family that drives the drama forward.

The story comes from Matt Charman, who also co-wrote Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. It shows his flair for writing as he seamlessly blends the suspense of a thriller with political themes. In Hostage, he creates a world where personal and political duties come to a head in ways that feel too real. Abigail Dalton is a woman in power who is forced to make impossible choices and still judged in ways men hardly are.

Suranne Jones brings a strong yet vulnerable side to Abigail. And in doing so, she becomes more than a mere politician on screen. The show lets us see her strength as a leader as well as her tenderness as a mother. We also see her struggle as a wife left without answers. Hostage is a story about resilience, sacrifice, and how women in power are often viewed through a different lens.

Hostage: Matt Charman and the lead cast on politics, women in power, and stereotypes

Hostage explores the duality that a woman in politics must live by. Abigail Dalton has to juggle being a mother, a wife, and a leader of a nation all at the same time. There cannot be any compromise. She has to show up for her family and still perform her duties at work. Whether Hostage reflects real-world politics, Suranne Jones said in a recent BBC interview:

“We're entertaining and we're in the political world, but it's in no way a reflection of the world we live in. It's political with a small p - there's enough that roots us in the real world but the world is too complicated to link it directly and I think it would be inappropriate."

Julie Delpy agreed with Jones, adding:

“Things change every day. It’s impossible to be in the political moment because tomorrow is something else.”

Delpy plays Vivienne, the French president. As Hostage progresses, our opinion of her changes. She seems helpful in the beginning, but when she is blackmailed, she has to back off. Her character shows how even leaders with good intentions are forced to make difficult choices.

Matt Charman, the writer of the show, also addressed this, saying:

"[It's] impossible to write a show that exists in the climate we live in that doesn't end up feeling that it's in dialogue with it. If you wrote a show that isn't connected to our world it would feel weird, but I hope the show does have the ability to exist in its own oxygen."

He also spoke about the theme of women in power:

“What was exciting was the idea of women in power and how we explore that. There's a double standard for women, so giving full dramatic freedom to that was very important."

Jones added:

“A female politician is used to dealing with men, so it’s interesting to see how it plays out when it’s two women.”

Delpy said:

"We made sure not to play into female politician stereotypes. What I like is that these women actually have some things in common, like they both want change and came into office hopeful.”

Hence, Hostage goes beyond being just a political thriller. It’s a story about the challenges women face in power and the tough choices they have to make. With Matt Charman’s writing and strong performances from Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy, the show captures that tension realistically and engagingly.

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