NEW YORK – In “Hard Truths,” Marianne Jean-Baptiste delivers an exceptional performance that many may have overlooked.

Directed by Mike Leigh, this sharply comedic drama has been somewhat overshadowed this Oscar season. It just hit theaters this past weekend and wasn’t acknowledged by the Golden Globe or Screen Actors Guild awards. Despite this, Jean-Baptiste, 57, has quietly become one of this year’s celebrated actors, making history as the first Black woman to achieve best actress accolades from the New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and National Society of Film Critics.

“For me, it’s very meaningful,” the seasoned actress shares while enjoying green tea on a recent afternoon. “I’ve dedicated a lot of time to this craft, and I value my work immensely. I’d rather decline a role than take a job just for the money and not fully engage. That’s not who I am.”

Marianne Jean-Baptiste was ‘longing’ to collaborate with Mike Leigh again for Hard Truths’

“Hard Truths” marks a reunion between Jean-Baptiste and Leigh, 81, following their collaboration in 1996’s “Secrets & Lies,” which garnered five Oscar nominations, including a nod for her performance as a woman searching for her birth mother.

In this new film, she portrays Pansy, a sharp-tongued cynic who relentlessly criticizes her reserved husband (David Webber) and their adult son (Tuwaine Barrett). As the story unfolds, we discover that Pansy is burdened by unresolved feelings about her deceased mother and her kind sister (Michele Austin), leading her to lash out in order to conceal her own sadness and isolation.

True to all of Leigh’s films, the script for “Hard Truths” was developed after casting had been finalized. Each character was created through in-depth discussions with the actors, allowing for rich backstories and improvised dialogue to flourish.

“I received an email from Mike that read: ‘I’m working on a film and I want you to be a part of it. I’m not sure what your role will be, but we’ll have a blast,’” Jean-Baptiste explains. “I had been yearning for that kind of collaborative experience again: the freedom to help shape a character with someone else. It’s incredibly collaborative and community-focused.”

The actress crafted her portrayal of Pansy by drawing inspiration from several women she knows, although she muses, “It’s so distilled that none of them would recognize themselves in the character.” She explains: “You take a hint of one person’s hypochondria, another’s complaints, and you create a beautiful blend that results in Pansy.”

Embracing the role allowed her to experience a sense of liberation as Pansy lashes out at everyone from unsympathetic doctors to overly cheerful salespeople. While Pansy’s cutting remarks can be overly harsh, they often articulate thoughts many people secretly hold.

“I wouldn’t voice it, but Pansy certainly would,” Jean-Baptiste remarks with a smirk. “We all see a baby and call it cute. It feels taboo to say a baby is ugly, yet, let’s be honest—there are ugly babies!”

On a more serious note, portraying Pansy has led Jean-Baptiste to feel more “empathetic” towards others. After all, we never truly know the struggles others may be facing.

“I feel a deep compassion for her,” Jean-Baptiste reflects. “Even now, when someone is yelling or making rude gestures at me in traffic, I think: ‘What’s going on with them?’ But I try not to take it to heart; I maintain a sense of humor about it. When kindness isn’t an option, I aim to at least laugh it off.”

The actress faced a ‘really difficult’ journey after her first Oscar nod

As the daughter of Caribbean immigrants, Jean-Baptiste was raised in South East London with aspirations of becoming a lawyer (“I really just wanted to deliver a closing statement,” she jokes). She discovered her passion for acting while participating in a children’s nativity play and continued pursuing it through school, eventually attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Just three years post-graduation, she appeared in Leigh’s 1993 stage production “It’s a Great Big Shame.” At that time, Leigh noted, “It was clear that Marianne was a multifaceted character actor with a fantastic sense of humor. She’s nurturing, selfless, and incredibly funny.”

Soon after, she made her mark in cinema with “Secrets & Lies.” She fondly recalls mingling with stars like Lauren Bacall and Muhammad Ali at the 1997 Oscars, where the film was nominated for best picture. “It felt unreal,” Jean-Baptiste reflects. “The Oscar campaigning back then seemed much more genuine. We were just thrilled to be invited and to discuss the film.”

However, the years that followed were “really challenging,” she admits. Despite receiving an Oscar nomination, she found it tough to secure leading roles or projects that matched Leigh’s quality: “You’d think it would at least provide some upward momentum.” Instead, “it felt like they said, ‘Forget that you did that, and you have to start fresh.’ I had to really hone in on what I wanted and what truly resonated with me.”

Gradually, Jean-Baptiste began to receive more offers in the U.S. and moved to Los Angeles in 2002 with her husband, former ballet dancer Evan Williams, and their two daughters. She became a series regular on CBS’s crime drama “Without a Trace” for seven seasons. Initially, she says, “it’s intimidating to portray a character for that long.” But then you come to think, ‘How can I keep this interesting?’ You look for new ways to push your own boundaries.”

The amiable actress has concentrated largely on television for the past 20 years, featuring in series like NBC’s “Blindspot” and Prime Video’s “Homecoming.” A self-identified homebody, she is passionately devoted to her various hobbies: Although the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted her weekly piano sessions, she remains active in cooking, painting, and gardening.

“I’m quite ambitious,” Jean-Baptiste says with a smile. “I’m eager and always striving for greatness. I find immense joy in creating. Whatever form it takes, I simply can’t get enough.”