At a time when the fashion world is in a full ’70s swoon, High-Rise, in theaters this Friday, presents a darkly decadent variation on a theme. Based on J. G. Ballard’s 1975 novel about a grandiose apartment building that slides into chaos, the film follows a group of tenants who navigate the vertically oriented class system. Among them, there’s the mastermind architect (Jeremy Irons); the strapping newcomer (Tom Hiddleston); and the Bardot-esque beauty, Charlotte Melville, played by Sienna Miller. “She’s mercurial; she can move between anyone’s floor and is kind of welcomed everywhere,” the actress explained in a recent conversation at New York’s Crosby Street Hotel. And in the tower’s increasingly unhinged, party-fueled dystopia, that fluidity is essential to survival.
Miller’s seamless shift into character—complete with a lofty brunette shag, past-perfect winged liner, and metallic nails—is just the latest example of the actress as a convincing on-screen chameleon. “People used to try to keep me looking more like myself in films, and I now am really rebellious against that,” she said. “One of the biggest compliments is people saying, ‘I didn’t know that was you.’ ” And while that thirst for transformation will manifest itself in a wide array of fresh projects, including Ben Affleck’s forthcoming Live by Night, it’s all quite a few notches up from the low-key cool that suits her dual life as an actress and mother of 3-year-old Marlowe. Miller spoke with Vogue.com about her beauty icons, SoulCycle’s decidedly un-British positivity, and why the right contouring makes all the difference.
How did your character’s Bardot-esque beauty look come about?
She, to me, is the epitome of beauty, Bardot. But what I liked about Charlotte was that she had the eyeliner, but it’s all a bit smudged. She’s slightly falling apart; it’s always a little bit the day-after-the-night-before with her. And we liked the idea that she was more ’60s in the way that she did her hair and her makeup because it was the ’70s now—that, when she was growing up, those were the girls she idolized. So there was something sweet and a little bit tragic about her clinging to what was not necessarily the fashion of that day.
Did you undergo any physical transformations for the role, whether hair color or fitness?
None. It was a wig. I was actually shooting Burnt at the same time, so I had to go back and forth from being a chef with an undercut to Charlotte. And I don’t think she could have looked like she worked out because girls didn’t then. There’s nothing worse, to me, than a period film with someone with guns.
Wrapped up as she is in glamour, Charlotte is quite detached as a mother. How did that resonate with you?
Charlotte’s desperately clinging to the pre-mother version of herself and, as a result, is pretty useless and negligent—meaning well, but selfish. But in the ’70s I feel like there was a style of parenting that was just much less attached. There were no baby monitors—kids were probably crying and no one could hear—and everyone was smoking and drinking while they were pregnant. It was just a different era and fascinating to explore. It’s encouraging how far we’ve come. I still think we’ve got a long way to go in terms of prejudice and the way that women are treated once they have children and [have been] sort of spat out a little bit.
Have you sensed that in your own career?
No. I think there’s this great deception about motherhood—that, as women, your child is born and you’re instantly in love and there’s this bubble that you exist in. That’s a story we kind of tell ourselves because the reality is, it’s exhausting. The greatest thing that’s ever happened to me is having my daughter, but at the same time it was definitely a struggle at the beginning. Balancing a career and motherhood—the guilt was really consuming for a while. There’s no manual that comes home with the baby. But you find your equilibrium. I definitely feel in the last year that I’m in a place where I’m much more comfortable navigating the sea of my life and the different hats of work. My kid was on set for this whole film, and she gets to be in these crazy environments with these mad people in funny clothes, and for her it’s inspiring.
Who do you consider to be your beauty icons?
Beauty icons—there are so many! I love Katharine Hepburn and those women of that era. Grace Kelly, Jane Birkin, and Bardot. Today, we’re so inundated with it because of social media and the culture that we live in, but Alexa Chung is so gorgeous, and I saw Emily Blunt today—she’s pregnant and just radiant. I do think it’s a really exciting time for women, and I feel a sense of solidarity and shift in the last couple of years—in my own self, in the way that women are valuing themselves, and the camaraderie between us. And I suppose [we’re] on the brink of potentially an American president who’s a female. That must be an exciting moment for this country.
With a nonstop schedule and an almost 4-year-old, what are your go-to beauty tricks?
There’s a Burberry shading stick, which is really useful for light contouring on your nose and [cheekbones] and temples. I don’t really have big eye sockets, so I do it there. I always look better with a little bit of a tan, so sometimes I’ll just cheat and put fake tan on. There’s a Sisley one that’s really good, and I’ve got a Bobbi Brown one and a La Mer one. I just think beautiful skin is the best thing. I’m trying to be better at having facials and maintenance. I don’t want to have surgery, so I just think you have to try and take care of what you’ve got.
Do you have a favorite facialist in London?
Yes, there’s this woman called Dr. Nigma [Talib]. She does an ultrasound facial, which boosts your collagen. Yvonne Martin is much more classic. She does aromatherapy and lymphatic massage; I really like those kinds of things. And here [in New York], Joanna Vargas is really great.
What about fitness?
I’ve done SoulCycle a few times when I’m here. Sometimes I cringe a little bit at the motivational aspect of it, but that’s just because I’m English and we’re not used to saying, “You see your dream! Go get it!” A part of me wants to sob and feel emancipated from my British roots. [laughs] And I do yoga three times a week in London, more because I’m just searching for some equanimity. It’s very easy to feel exhausted by these schedules and time zones. I’ve got a yoga teacher who comes to the house—she’s a friend of mine—and there’s Jivamukti, which I go to in London. I really genuinely believe that you can do all the healthy eating and all the exercise in the world, but that people look their best when they are content in some way. So the focus maybe should be less aesthetic and more like, How do I feel good and balanced and happy?
You trained in the kitchen for Burnt. Is healthy cooking a focus for you?
Cooking is a focus for me, but I wouldn’t say healthy. I really would love to be better at doing that stuff, but I’m more of a home cook: roasts, some Asian food, pastas and sauces and soups. In terms of, like, chia seed and whatever grains, no. I’m like, fried eggs and Marmite toast!
Sienna Miller leads a completely normal life. We swear:
