‘Women remain grateful to have careers’: Rosamund Pike says women's employment as the 'default parent' is too easily derailed

Rosamund Pike has made some really important points about feminism, women's careers, and how easily women can find their work life "sabotaged."

During an appearance on Weekend Women's Hour, the actress spoke to host Anita Rani to discuss her role of Crown Court Judge Jessica Parks in the National Theatre’s hit play Inter Alia, one that explores motherhood and masculinity.

Many women watching the play resonate with the themes it depicts, surrounding pressures on women and the difficulties they experience as working mothers that men do not.

Rosamund shares that the play speaks to women because they see their life reflected back at themselves when they watch it.

The themes also resonates with those who haven't seen the performance, because as Rosamund points out, "The play is about any professional woman going about her day until something else sabotages the narrative."

She continues, "Whether it's her child who has lost his football boots, or husband who is calling in sick, or somebody is helping with childcare and can't make it, or any professional hiccup happens that means your day is derailed."

As the "default parent," it's easy to visualise the many women who will nod their heads in agreements at having to reschedule their entire working day because of such issues, when men don't have to.

In the play, her character, Jessica, suggests she is "living in the cracks of other people's needs." Of this line, the actress says, "It spoke to me and it'll speak to other women too."

Describing a modern woman's life as "frenetic," Rosamund says poignantly, "However far we've come with feminism, women still feel grateful to have careers, and we feel we have to pretend we don't have other obligations as well, but we have to do them."

Host Anita Rani points out that many women will believe they were "sold a lie" about what it means to "have it all," which will also ring true for many.

In the play, Rosmund's character not only has to deal with being the default parent, but also with her husband's ego - this becomes especially challenging when she earns more than him.

The actress reveals that women have spoken to her privately to reveal they've had to hide the fact they earn more than their spouse, also to protect fragile egos. "They don't want to take their bonus, because they're worried it will create an awkward dynamic," she shares.

"It's so interesting that as women, we're still uneasy about owning power," she says. The actress was also interested in what her role had to say about raising boys, as Jessica is a mother to boys.

"In all the discussion about violence against women and girls, which is something very close to my heart, and something I'm shocked by the figures and underreporting, we have to be conscientious about what kind of men we're raising," she says.

Of the importance of the role on her life, Rosamund shares, "Characters leave a mark on you," and in meeting female judges while researching the role, she's come to realise they are "the most phenomenal, thoughtful, kind, clever, wise people," who she is completely in awe of.

Inter Alia is showing at Wyndham's Theatre from 19 March until 20 June 2026.