The Affair is currently airing its final season on Showtime and Sky Atlantic. However, the fifth outing is now without two of its major stars and in their place is a focus on Noah Solloway (played by Dominic West) and his ex-wife Helen Solloway (Maura Tierney). Alongside this, another storyline is explored as the grown-up version of Joanie Lockhart (Anna Paquin) is introduced, despite viewers having previously only seeing her as a child. Here’s what viewers need to know about her character and the actor who plays her.
Who is Joanie Lockhart in The Affair?
WARNING: This article contains spoilers for The Affair season 5
The final season of The Affair has begun airing weekly on Sky Atlantic and Showtime.
After the shocking death of Alison Bailey (Ruth Wilson) in the previous series, the latest instalment picks up with Noah and Helen.
But it also marks the absence of another major character, Cole Lockhart (Joshua Jackson), who played Alison’s on-screen husband.
In their place, is the storyline of their daughter Joanie Lockhart (Anna Paquin) as an adult.
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Throughout the first episode of the show, viewers are introduced to Joanie’s life, including her husband Paul (Lyriq Bent) and daughter Madeline (Mykal-Michelle Harris).
There were some reveals in the first episode, including that her daughter is adopted, the trauma she had suffered after her mother’s death and she has severe anxiety.
While viewers only got a brief insight into her life in the season opener, the trailer implies we will be seeing more of her.
In the clip, viewers could hear Joanie being told: “If the lesson you take from your mother’s death is not to try that’s a real tragedy.
“She knew she was on borrowed time. If you learn how to stay and fight, you got that from Alison.”
The promo hints that Joanie will be trying to deal with the events surrounding her mother’s death throughout the season.
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Who is Anna Paquin?
In the latest season of the show, Joanie is played by Oscar winning-actor Anna Paquin.
The New Zealand-Canadian star first won acclaim when she played Flora McGrath in Jane Campion’s film The Piano in 1993.
She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress thanks to the role at the age of just 11.
Fans will probably best recognise the star for her role as Rogue in the X-Men franchise of films alongside Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).
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She also played the lead role of Sookie Steakhouse in HBO series True Blood from 2008 until 2014 alongside her now-husband Stephen Moyer.
Most recently, viewers will have seen her in television series Flack as ruthless PR executive Robyn.
Next, Paquin will be co-starring with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s Netflix film The Irishman.
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Speaking about casting her in the show, The Affair creator Sarah Treem explained to Deadline: “I think Anna is a unique and brave actress and unusual in that she’s not afraid of darkness and going full hog into that kind of a world.
“She just seemed like a spiritual fit for the show and I think she would say the same. I wanted Anna Paquin from the beginning when we started the character arc, so it was a lucky thing she said yes.”
Just what this darkness in her character will be is set to be further explored as the series continues to air.
The Affair continues every Sunday on Showtime and Tuesday on Sky Atlantic.