Interview With 'Battle Of The Sexes' Star Andrea Riseborough

Andrea Riseborough was brimming with vivacity, humor and charm as she chatted about her role in the new film “Battle Of The Sexes,” which also stars Emma Stone and Steve Carell.

The biopic is based on the legendary 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King (played by Stone) and Bobby Riggs (played by Carell). It centers on the complex lives of the two tennis superstars while also touching upon the larger themes of sexism and gender inequality at that time.

Riseborough, who plays King's love interest, Marilyn Barnett, explained how the film is about so much more than just tennis.

“It’s passionately about love, sexuality, equality and gender rights — set around a bout of tennis,” Riseborough told Patch. “It’s about how to be the ultimate winning machine, being able to cope with your own battles on and off the tennis court.”

In 1973, 90 million viewers witnessed the epic tennis showdown — and all were clueless about the personal issues that both King and Riggs were then facing. At the time, the 29 year-old woman's champion was grappling with her sexuality, while the 55-year-old retiree was immensely missing the drama of the game.

Riseborough said that while King's entire career was on the line during the match, her off-the-courts relationship with Barnett was tender, beautiful and yin-yang by nature.

“Marilyn was liberated and full of heart. She had nothing to lose, and she was a catalyst for Billie Jean to see her body in a different light," the actress explained. “On the other hand, for Billie Jean, the stakes were high, and she could lose everything she worked and fought so hard.”

Riseborough said she found her character to be interesting, fascinating and liberating to play.

“There’s that song verse, ‘Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.' It makes me think of fear and how much I try not to operate as a person in life in a place of fear but rather from a place of hope and faith to be a solution in life,” she said. “Marilyn was at that time not operating from a place of fear. Rules were non-existent for her, and she was really moved by love.”

Critics have been raving about the poignant love scene between Riseborough and Stone, as well as the natural on-screen chemistry the two actresses seem to share. That rapport is something the British actress said exists in real life as well.

“I adore Emma. We made 'Birdman' together," she said. "I just love her, and we have a lot of love for each other. So, it made it really easy for us to be very comfortable doing the love scene."

Watch: Emma Stone Reveals Lifelong Battle With Anxiety

In the end, it’s the message the movie delivers that really matters the most, according to Riseborough.

“Hopefully, people would take away an open-mindedness to change,” she said.

"Battle of the Sexes" opens in limited release on Friday, Sept. 22.

More movie news:

• Movies Out This Weekend: 'Battle of Sexes,' 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle,' 'Victoria and Abdul,' 'Ninjago,' 'Stronger'
• Stars Shine At 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' World Premiere
• Reviews of 'Mother!,' American Assassin,' 'Brad's Status,' 'First They Killed My Father''
• What's New On Netflix: September 2017

Photo: Andrea Riseborough attends "Battle of the Sexes" premiere on Sept. 16 in Westwood, California. (Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight )