Podcast Summary: What Should I Read Next? Ep 513 – Maggie O’Farrell

Host: Anne Bogel
Guest: Maggie O’Farrell
Release Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This special episode centers on Anne’s conversation with acclaimed novelist Maggie O’Farrell, whose book Hamnet was adapted into a critically celebrated film. With eight Oscar nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay (co-written by O’Farrell and director Chloé Zhao), the conversation dives into the process of adaptation, the collaborative world of filmmaking, and the emotional core of Hamnet—both novel and film. The episode also touches on O’Farrell’s wider body of work, her insights into craft, and the unpredictable ways audiences engage with stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anne’s Journey as a Maggie O’Farrell Completist (05:15 – 19:30)

• Anne shares her personal connection with O’Farrell’s writing, recounting the origins of her fandom and the unique resonance O’Farrell’s novels hold for her.
  • Anne reflects on reading This Must Be the Place on a sleepless night:

    “I grabbed a blanket and went into the bathroom and tried to make myself comfortable on the cold tile floor and settled in to finish my book...” (13:10)

• Discusses how emotional and situational resonance in O’Farrell’s stories align with her own reading preferences—particularly novels about families in complicated situations.
• Anne describes her gradual journey to reading O’Farrell’s entire body of work, culminating in her “completist” status.

2. Hamnet’s Adaptation & Oscar Buzz (22:03 – 22:20)

• The episode was recorded just after Hamnet received eight Oscar nominations.
• O’Farrell expresses her excitement:

  “It’s not something I ever thought would happen to me, but I’m just enjoying the ride. It’s a bit of a wild ride.” (22:12, Maggie)

3. Moving from Novelist to Screenwriter (22:45 – 23:57)

• Maggie had not envisioned herself as a screenwriter but was persuaded by Chloé Zhao’s passion and unconventional approach.
• She describes her first Zoom with Zhao:

  “Chloe was ... had salty, wet hair because she'd been surfing and she was wearing a hoodie, and there were just lots of dogs in the background. So I thought...maybe this is my kind of person.” (23:16, Maggie)

4. Creative Collaboration vs. Solitary Novel Writing (25:49 – 26:59)

• O’Farrell discusses the difference between writing alone and collaborating on a screenplay, highlighting creative synergy despite her and Zhao’s differing backgrounds and strengths.
• The challenge and excitement of distilling a 360+ page novel into a 90-page screenplay:

  “Chloe came to the project initially with a very clear idea of ... how she wanted to disassemble the novel and reassemble it for the screen.” (26:39, Maggie)

• O’Farrell’s contribution was ensuring character motivations and narrative cohesion as they condensed and rearranged the story.

5. Adapting Structure and Emotional Core (27:42 – 29:02)

• Discusses the decision to center the film on Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife, just as in the novel.
• The film shifts the novel’s fractured narrative into a mostly chronological order, but the emotional arc remains:

  “I think of the film as a non-identical twin to the book, which is exactly as it should be.” (29:01, Maggie)

6. Book vs. Film: Companion Pieces (29:02 – 31:51)

• O’Farrell believes book and film versions must be distinct: “A film version will sit alongside the book...the book is my baby and always will be...the film is Chloe’s vision.” (29:20, Maggie)
• Lessons learned: economy in storytelling and trust in collaborators:

  “My natural instinct as a novelist when I was writing a scene was to write, you know, interior, a house...all that descriptive, all those lovely adjectives...But I would look at the version that Chloe had written … and she just wrote ‘interior house’ straight into the dialogue.” (30:16, Maggie)

• The collaborative “magic” of seeing set design, costumes, and performances restore nuance excised from the text.

7. On Set: Surreality and Joy (33:53 – 36:28)

• The experience of seeing her story physically manifested felt surreal for O’Farrell but did not override her internal vision of the original book.
• She loved observing the film crew’s technical artistry, from animal wranglers to costume dyers.

8. Research and Material Detail (36:28 – 38:35)

• O’Farrell worked closely with the costume and set designers, sharing research on period details (like ink made from oak apples) that ended up woven into costumes:

  “Malgosia dyed William Shakespeare’s costume with the same compound. So Paul Mescal, when you see him on screen, he’s literally wearing ink. And I love that. It’s one of my favourite details from the whole film.” (37:32, Maggie)

9. Casting and Character Embodiment (38:35 – 41:33)

• O’Farrell and Zhao always wanted Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal for the leads:

  “Jesse's so perfect for that role...hard to know really where Agnes ends and Jesse begins and vice versa...” (39:14, Maggie) “I always wanted Shakespeare to be Paul Mescal...Even before Chloe was involved, I was kind of Team Mescal.” (39:57, Maggie)

10. Translating Interior States Visually (41:33 – 41:57)

• Chloe Zhao’s strength: rendering internal emotional landscapes in external visuals (e.g., the woods, the glove workshop, the Thames).

11. Heart of Hamnet: Not Bleakness, but Endurance and Transformation (41:57 – 43:17)

• O’Farrell never wanted the book or film to feel exclusive or bleak despite the tragic premise:

  “Obviously, I know the story centers on the death of an 11-year-old child...but I wanted people to understand...there’s an indelible connection between the loss of Shakespeare’s son and the making of Hamlet and actually how Shakespeare explored and celebrated his life by writing this play...” (42:13, Maggie)

• She always intended the ending to focus on creation and legacy, not just loss.

12. Unexpected Audience Responses (43:40 – 45:18)

• Maggie was surprised by audience members not realizing Hamnet’s protagonist is Shakespeare until his name is spoken late in the film:

  “Several people have told me...about 10 minutes from the end...they’ve heard people in the audience go, ‘Oh.’...I was not prepared for people not to realize until that point. But I love that.” (44:37, Maggie)

13. Change, Growth, and Cross-Pollination (45:18 – 46:24)

• O’Farrell discusses how the screenwriting project may influence her future work, though she’s unsure how the experience will manifest creatively:

  “It’s one of those things you don’t really know...but it often comes out sideways. So, we’ll find out, I guess.” (46:03, Maggie)

Memorable Quotes

• On Creative Collaboration:

  “You should challenge yourself to do new things, you know, always through life. … Why not give this a whirl? You know, it would be interesting.” (24:53, Maggie O’Farrell)

• On Adaptation:

  “I think of the film as a non-identical twin to the book, which is exactly as it should be.” (29:01, Maggie O’Farrell)

• On Visual Translation:

  “Every shot, especially the interiors, just look like a Dutch master’s painting… you can almost smell the 16th century, can’t you, when you see those interiors?” (33:09, Maggie O’Farrell)

• On Avoiding Bleakness:

  “I never wanted it to be bleak...the film and the book always had to end with the production of Hamlet.” (42:47, Maggie O’Farrell)

• On Audience Surprises:

  “...about 10 minutes from the end...they’ve heard people in the audience go, ‘Oh.’ … I was not prepared for people not to realize until that point. But I love that.” (44:37, Maggie O’Farrell)

Noteworthy Timestamps

• Anne’s completist journey with Maggie O’Farrell: 05:15 – 16:00
• Oscar nominations and initial excitement: 22:03 – 22:20
• First meeting with Chloé Zhao: 23:02 – 23:57
• Screenwriting and collaborative process: 25:49 – 27:42
• Structural adaptation of Hamnet: 27:42 – 29:02
• Adapting from novel to screenplay: 29:02 – 31:51
• Life on set and emotional reactions: 33:53 – 36:28
• Period research details (“wearing ink”): 36:46 – 38:35
• Casting reflections: 38:57 – 41:33
• Visual language & interior states: 41:33 – 41:57
• Themes of grief, love, and transformation: 41:57 – 43:17
• Audience revelations: 43:40 – 45:18

Final Thoughts

Anne and Maggie’s conversation offers rare insight into the emotional, creative, and technical journey from novel to screen—an exploration of grief, artistry, and the ongoing process of learning and collaboration. Both the book and film of Hamnet offer distinct, resonant experiences, and O’Farrell’s reflections illuminate the joys, anxieties, and deep satisfactions of sharing a story with the world in multiple forms.

For further details, Anne’s “completist” post about Maggie O’Farrell can be found on Modern Mrs Darcy. See the show notes for links to referenced posts, reviews, and film info.