Amy Adams welcomes chance to go ‘feral’ in latest role

At age 50, Amy Adams is still leading an enchanted life.

But she didn’t get there alone, and one of her best lessons came from none other than Steven Spielberg.

“Steven once told me, ‘Do not act from here,’ and he touched his head. ‘You act from here,’ and he touched his heart,” the six-time Oscar nominee says. “In life, if I’m stuck somewhere, I stop and start listening to my heart. The answers are always there.”

Adams has a good system in place. It earned her a best actress Golden Globes nomination this past week for her latest role, a ferocious new film called “Nightbitch,” based on Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel of the same name. It’s a magical realism-style drama about an overwhelmed stay-at-home artist and mother who four years into parenthood realizes how much she has changed. That transformation includes her belief that she might be turning into a dog.

The film explores motherhood on a level that’s primal and instinctive. “I read the script and thought, ‘Oh, I get it.’ There was something so relatable about her views on motherhood,” Adams says. “There’s this duality of loving her son and at the same time losing herself. So many complex issues to explore.”

Adams lives in New York with daughter Aviana, 14, and husband Darren Le Gallo. Her good life tips:

Challenge yourself

Adams, whose past projects include “Enchanted,” “Arrival” and “Sharp Objects,” says “Nightbitch” was an exciting challenge on many levels, which is why she also produced the film. “The script had this internal monologue that felt like it reached into the recesses of your mind and said things you weren’t allowed to say out loud,” she says. “Of course, you hear the pitch: ‘She thinks she’s turning into a dog.’ That was exciting to me. I thought, ‘OK, that could be kind of cool.’ It was a great way to explore different ways of storytelling.”

Powerful changes

Adams says her real-life experiences with aging and motherhood informed her performance. “We’re all human and we go through those transformative periods of life,” she says. “I’ve had my own struggles with identity.”

She says motherhood is one of life’s “deepest experiences. It’s the idea of responsibility and connecting with someone. … It can be very powerful and even scary.”

As for transforming into a canine, Adams just smiles: “The part with her turning into a dog never felt out there to me. There was something so feral about it.”

Stay open

Adams is constantly on the lookout for material that gives her a jolt. “I’m always mindful and open to finding things that connect. I want to tell stories of transformation as I transform in my own life,” she says. “The key to new things is just try to stay open.”

‘A true gift’

Adams debuted “Nightbitch” at the Toronto Film Festival this fall. She says seeing the film hit theaters has been eye-opening. “Women come up to me to share their struggles,” Adams says. “They’ve been very open. I’m really grateful that this film makes them feel seen. And now we can talk about it. The words ‘feel seen’ mean everything. It’s a true gift.”

Keep learning

Adams says one of the perks of her job now is spending time with actors of all ages. She has a co-starring role opposite Jenna Ortega in the 2025 movie “Kiara and the Sun.” “I learn more from younger people than they could ever learn from me,” she says. “I forget that I’m 50. I have to remind myself, ‘You are older. You’re not gonna hang with them!’ ”

Look up

“Get off the internet, and don’t read what other people write about you,” she says. “Don’t listen to outside voices. Develop an inside voice. … I don’t participate in a lot of social media. I’d advise anyone to try it. It’s a way to engage in person-to-person conversations without constantly looking at your devices. The real things in life are right in front of you if you look up.”

A good debate

“Talk to people. Everyone is so busy, but stop and have that conversation,” Adams says. “Seek out people with all kinds of ideas. People who are willing to disagree with you and have a good debate. It’s one of life’s joys.”

Set boundaries

Adams says her role model in the working mom/movie star department was Meryl Streep. “I’m happy to be in a position where I can take time to make choices that are best for my family,” she says. “I love to work, but I always look forward to mom time. I’ve also learned to separate work and life, which is a really important lesson. I have clear boundaries. It makes my experience of work that much more important, too.”

Juggling act

“I always say that if you’re juggling a lot of balls, you have to be OK with knowing that you’re going to drop some of them,” Adams says. “So what? The thing is to keep the juggle going at every age. At the same time, try to be flexible and patient with yourself. So what if you drop a ball. Pick it up.”

Share wisdom

What advice does she give young women? “Don’t be afraid to be smart,” Adams says. “Don’t be afraid to be outspoken. Be an advocate to yourself.