Tilda Swinton to take a break from film acting: “I’ve been in a spin cycle for too long”

"I’m going to be sleeping in my own bed again" The post Tilda Swinton to take a break from film acting: “I’ve been in a spin cycle for too long” appeared first on NME.

Mar 14, 2025 - 22:51

Tilda Swinton has said she plans to take a break from film acting, claiming that she needs to take the time to “recalibrate”.

The actor, known for her roles as The Ancient One in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia films, is also considered one of the leading lights of arthouse cinema over the last three decades, thanks to films such as We Need To Talk About Kevin, Snowpiercer, Adaptation and Only Lovers Left Alive.

In a new interview with The Guardian, she opened up about her current state of mind when it comes to her big screen career. “I’m not stepping away from cinema,” she explained. “I’m just stepping away from certain aspects of cinema.”

Tilda Swinton performs with Max Richter on the Park Stage on Day 4 of Glastonbury Festival 2023 on June 24, 2023 in Glastonbury, United Kingdom. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Indicating that she intends to take the extended break to reassess her future direction, she reflected on the importance of staying useful. “You really can’t do that when you’re flying around the world, tied to a big carbon footprint. So I’m happy to say I won’t be travelling for months. I’m not shooting another film this year. I’ve been in a spin cycle for much too long.”

“And here’s the other thing,” she continued. “On the most prosaic level, I’m going to be sleeping in my own bed again. I’ll have a sky and an ocean and human beings around me. It’s not a bunker, it’s home.”

Swinton recently appeared at the Berlin Film Festival to promote her new film The End, directed by Joshua Oppenheimer (The Act Of Killing). The film is set two decades after an environmental apocalypse and follows a billionaire family who seek shelter in a luxury bunker while the world burns around them. She stars alongside George MacKay and Michael Shannon, with the film hitting UK cinemas on March 28.

Last summer, Swinton joined Orbital on stage at Glastonbury, wearing a long white dress with light-up specs. “Focus on a spot and when that spot has your full and complete attention, take a deep breath / let it out and close your eyes,” she said, introducing their song ‘Deeper’.

The post Tilda Swinton to take a break from film acting: “I’ve been in a spin cycle for too long” appeared first on NME.