Ruth Negga Says It Was 'Very Important To Film 'Loving' Where The Historical Events Took Place

Ruth Negga is opening up about playing Mildred and Richard Loving with co-star Joel Edgerton in their much-buzzed about film Loving, which follows the story of the historical interracial couple whose marriage defied the anti-miscegenation laws placed in Virginia.

“When you see footage of things, when you see history, it’s very distant,” the 34-year-old actress recently expressed (via LA Times). “I think to walk in their footsteps, to see the walls that they were contained in, the walls that they had to plead guilty in, it sort of brings it all so much closer. Makes everything so much more urgent and specific.”

“I really think that there was a potent energy in Virginia where we were filming” Ruth added. “I think it was very important for Jeff [Nichols] to film there. It was super helpful for us. We were treading in their footstep. You could feel that energy. You could feel the reverence from everybody, the cast and crew, for this place, because of this couple.”

Ruth and Joel, 42, attended the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and InStyle‘s celebration of the 2017 Golden Globe Awards Season last night (November 10) alongside Moonlight stars Naomie Harris, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes, Armie Hammer and his wife Elizabeth Chambers, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and his wife Sam Taylor-Johnson, Octavia Spencer, Linda Cardellini, Constance Zimmer and Carly Chaikin at Catch LA in West Hollywood, Calif.

FYI: Ruth is wearing a Valentino dress. Naomie is wearing a Ralph Lauren Collection dress paired with Nicholas Kirkwood pumps.