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Victoria Smurfit opens up about her divorce: 'It's been a difficult time for me'

Dublin actress Victoria Smurfit has opened up for the first time about her divorce.

The Dracula star announced her split from her husband Doug Baxter after 15 years.

Now Victoria, 40, has said she always looks for the “silver lining” and admitted being cast as Cruella de Vil in ABC series Once Upon A Time, has helped her deal with the break up.

“It’s been a crazy time. It’s been a godsend to have this job at this tough personal time and to play a character who lives behind such an enormous mask.

IFTA Awards 2008, Dublin, Ireland

Split: Victoria and Doug were married for 15 years | VIPIRELAND.COM

“I’m a big believer in always trying to find a silver lining,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter what. In the case of this part, to go dark and evil, particularly at this difficult time in my life, was like going down the rabbit hole.

“It was really nice to disappear into the funny, to find the funny out of the black. To be able to go to that dark, angry, twisty, yet comic place was just heaven. It was really nice to plumb those depths and at times to go maniacal.

vic cruella

Godsend: Victoria is thankful for her new role | ABC

 

“I really went maniacal and you don’t get to do that every day — you don’t get to be that in real life or on that many shows. I got to be ugly,” she explained.

“There are scenes where I ain’t looking pretty — I look like someone who is at the edge of the edge of humanity,” she told the Irish Independent.

“This part was a godsend because of it being such a tricky part of my life, when you’re processing so much on a daily basis, on a minute-by-minute basis, and it was great to have somewhere to put that.

 

“When you’re running a household, you can’t put stuff like this into your daily life. Like I said, I’m a big believer in there always being a silver lining, even if you have to dig for it,” she added.

Guests arrive at the opening of 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' at The Grand Canal Theatre

Family time: Victoria is focusing on her children| VIPIRELAND.COM

The Dublin star admitted that she is enjoying spending time with her children in their Californian home, since announcing the divorce.

“I’m back on Mummy duty and my plans are to do a ridiculous amount of cooking. I’ve been given out to by my 10-year-old, Evie, that if she’s presented with another chicken nugget, she’s going to lose her mind,” she said.

“It’s lovely to be home and to catch up with friends and to do things that don’t involve your alarm going off at 3.30am. As an actor, of course, at the end of every job you’re back at square one.

“I’m back down at the bottom of the snake looking for the next ladder.”

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