Vertical Entertainment(NEW YORK) — Most people became familiar with Uzo Aduba when she snagged her first-ever Emmy for her first nomination for the Netflix show Orange is the New Black back in 2014.

The actress ended up winning three Emmys playing Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in the prison drama — with her first two of those wins coming back-to-back.

Now she’s starring in Miss Virginia, a based-on-real life film about Virginia Walden Ford, an impoverished single mother who fought Washington D.C. politicians — and the city’s rough streets — to better the life of her 15-year-old son and underprivileged kids like him. 

Matthew Modine plays a congressman who finds in the formidable woman the fire for fighting the system that he once had. “You know, he’s somebody who…sort of felt gave up in the 80s,” he tells ABC Audio of his character. “You know, he was a politician who wanted to change the world, and then he realizes that politics are so corrupted. And then he meets this this force of nature.

Incidentally, “force of nature” was just how he described Uzo. “It was such a pleasure to work with her and to meet her. I saw the movie the other day and I don’t know whether the performances are coming for female actresses this year, but I think that the race just started for best actress with Uzo’s performance.”

He adds, “You know, it’s a very difficult role to play because of all the things that it is. And she does it with charm and elan and a kind of elegance that that is wonderful. It’s just refreshing to see.”

Miss Virginia is both in theaters and available on video on demand today.

 

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