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Sonya is good-natured and endlessly patient. As a young girl with no money, she was taken in by the Rostov family and has grown up with her cousins Nikolai, Natasha and Petya. Over time, she has fallen in love with Nikolai. But she knows that without a fortune behind her she is far from Countess Rostova’s first choice to marry her son.

Tell us about Sonya?

I read in the book that she starts off like a lovely kitten, but by the end she’s like a withered tree. She’s also described as selfless. I don’t know if she is completely selfless, but she certainly has a profound belief that everything will come good with Nikolai.

Sonya is the orphaned niece of Count Rostov and Countess of Rostova. Does she feel accepted by the family?

Not entirely. She joins the family when she’s very young but she still feels “other.” It’s a horrible feeling for her to live with – she is never fully invited into the family.

Why does War & Peace continue to strike such a chord?

Some people say the characters in period dramas felt emotions in a different way from us. But I think that’s a real mistake. Humans have always been humans. People didn’t access their emotions in a more polite way just because they lived hundreds of years ago. Modern audiences will relate to this because it covers the eternal themes of love and loss and heartbreak. Those themes are infinitely fascinating.

How does the drama help us understand the horror of war?

By focusing on individuals. It’s much easier to feel sorrow for an individual than for thousands of people. You can’t connect so easily with the fate of so many. But focusing on these individuals in the war makes it very real.

Have you enjoyed immersing yourself in this period?

Yes. When, for instance, you see all the soldiers in their uniforms, it looks beautiful. It blows your mind. And the Summer Palace in St Petersburg was like stepping into a dream. It’s so far from what I know. I couldn’t imagine living back then. We have so many things to distract us now – we can be on our phones for hours. I have no idea how they filled their time!

Has it been fun filming in Vilnius?

Yes. It’s a very funny cast – Adrian in particular is hilarious! We all got on so well and made each other laugh all the time. Also, Vilnius was a wonderful place to be. It’s really beautiful!

What has been the biggest challenge for you on this production?

Reading the book! I’d never have read it otherwise. But I loved it. I was very surprised that Tolstoy was able to access so many characters’ emotional landscapes in such subtle detail. He is capable of tapping into loads of different psyches. There is a real joy in that. Who isn’t fascinated by other people’s interior lives? I absolutely understand now why people say you must read War & Peace before you die!