Anna Maxwell Martin's teen daughters 'deft' at processing grief after family tragedy

Anna Maxwell Martin is currently starring in BBC murder mystery Ludwig alongside fellow beloved TV star, David Mitchell.

The 47-year-old is also known for her roles in Motherland and Line of Duty, but away from her successful career in television, her personal life has been tinged with sadness.

Anna was previously married to director Roger Michell, who was best known for directing Notting Hill, Venus, and the BBC's 1995 film adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion.

© Tristan Fewings

The former couple wed in 2010. During their time together they welcomed two daughters, Maggie and Nancy, both now in their teens. However, in 2021, the year after they split, Roger died suddenly at the age of 65.

The Ludwig star shared how after his death, those close to her struggled to "show up" and support the family during the harrowing time.

Chatting with The Mirror, she also shared that her friends hadn't always shown empathy and understanding to grieving family.

"We make these broad, sweeping statements about, 'We're much better now,' but I haven't found that. Schools certainly aren't any better," she explained, stating that people are "very bad at acknowledging pain or death or difficulty".

Anna added: "And then there are those who talk to me as if nothing's happened. We've experienced a whole load of that." 

The mother-of-two continued: "I'm really glad I'm not one of those people because when it happens I think - I feel sorry for you. I know you're scared but it's about showing care."

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Anna Maxwell Martin's rare comments on daughters

Anna explained that Maggie and Nancy had dealt with their father's death in the best way they could, explaining that they were "deft" at processing it. 

© @annamaxwellmartin/Instagram

Anna also shared that Roger is, understandably, missed tremendously by the family but feels glad they can honour his memory and legacy by watching his work.

"It's really important. My girls miss him all the time... they can see him whenever they want. I go on the internet and listen to Roger often."

In 2022, the actress reflected on how, despite their separation, Roger and Anna had remained close and she viewed his death as losing a best friend. "We didn't have grudges. I don't operate like that, Roger didn't really operate like that," she told The Guardian.

"It's very sad if you separate, it's devastating, and you hope you'll come back around, after some time […] When Roger died, I lost one of my best friends. I see it as that."