"I would vote for her" Suranne Jones on stepping into Abigail Dalton in Netflix's Hostage

Hostage could have very well been a typical political thriller. But by choosing two women to lead, the show diverges from being just one thing. It becomes a political thriller that examines women in power and the sacrifices made for such a position.

Its main focus is not action or conspiracy. Rather, it likes to dig deeper into what power costs on a personal level. What happens when someone at the very top of politics is forced to juggle their role as a leader with the most personal fight of their life? This question lingers throughout the show and makes for a watch that goes beyond what a typical political thriller or drama is like.

Abigail Dalton is not without faults. Neither is she a larger-than-life figure. She lives in a humble home and shares a loving bond with her family. She is a woman who hardly complains and deals with everything at hand. She is expected to make decisions that could save millions. Yet she cannot ignore what is happening inside her own home. This makes her one of the most relatable yet most complex characters we have seen in a thriller like this.

Every choice made by Abigail is shadowed by fear for her family, and she cannot allow herself a break. The way she balances humanity and authority makes her a character that stands out in Hostage.

Hostage: Suranne Jones on becoming Abigail Dalton

Hostage may only have five episodes, but in that short span, it manages to pull you into a lot of drama and nail-biting tension that you can hardly sit still. No surprise that as soon as it dropped on Netflix, it climbed the charts with ease. It even overtook some of the biggest names on the platform.

The story of Hostage is also a social commentary as it delves deeper into what it means to be a woman in power. Unlike men, women are often judged on a completely different scale. For example, when her husband is kidnapped, people immediately question Abigail Dalton's ability to lead. Her own colleagues push her to resign because they think she is distracted by her personal life. But instead of giving in, she refuses to step down. This shows that her duty to the nation comes first in Hostage.

Playing such a role was never going to be easy. Suranne Jones admitted just how complex it was to embody Abigail, telling the Huffington Post:

"I’ve played a lot of strong female characters, but with this, the stakes are so high, and the balancing is so interesting. As a person, she’s so different to Toussaint, as well. But I feel like she’s got hope. She’s a hopeful prime minister. And I feel like I would vote for her. Would you?"

When asked what politicians of today could actually learn from Abigail Dalton of Hostage, Jones had the best response. She laughed and said:

"Oh god! Abigail wants to have an open, truthful conversation with her people, with the public. I think that’s the thing that drives her. And I think that she has to learn that you can’t do that, because you terrify everybody. And also, you can’t control… she’s one person, but she’s not. There are many [parts to her]. I think it’s such a difficult task, but I like the hope [she has, and] that that’s what she wants, to be able to be truthful – which is a huge theme between [Dalton and Toussaint], as well."

So, Hostage, casting two women in the lead roles, reflects the modern-day woman’s duality in fulfilling her duties at home and at work. Thus, it becomes much more than a political thriller. It is about the human side of leadership and the impossible choices that come with it.

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