Amy Adams Enjoyed Playing a ‘Mom Who Went Off the Rails’ in New Movie Nightbitch (Exclusive)

Amy Adams isn’t one to shy away from tougher characters.

When asked about whether she prefers more glamorous roles like in American Hustle or grittier ones like the person she plays in her new film Nightbitch, the Disenchanted star, 50, shared at Variety’s Power of Women event in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 25 that it was no contest.

“Nightbitch,” Adams affirs to PEOPLE. “I’m naturally a bit more of like a, I don’t know, what you call earthy person.”

“So though I enjoy the fun and the festivity of getting dolled up, I kind of like being in my natural state, stepping into the role of a mom who sort of just went off the rails,” she explains.

The actress also notes that she thought it was important to portray the difficulties and challenges that come with motherhood and women stepping into other “transformative” times in their lives. 

“I think that there’s such a common experience in different times of our life, whether it’s puberty or motherhood or menopause women go through so many transformative times, which aren’t talked about enough,” she says. “And so for me, that was really important is to bring the voice of those times of transformation that somehow feel taboo to discuss.”

“So, yeah, that’s so more than just sort of the scope of motherhood,” Adams, who’s mom to 14-year-old daughter Aviana Olea Le Gallo, adds.

Like her character, Adams herself is facing some new experiences, as she recently celebrated her 50th birthday. Last month, she opened up to PEOPLE at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival about how it felt to ring in the milestone.

“I feel wonderful at 50,” she said.

She added that while people typically harp on growing older, she had no complaints, saying, “I know everyone’s like, ‘Oh, it’s 50.’ And I’m like, I feel great. I feel very grateful, just very centered and happy to be here. Really grateful.

Adams’ latest movie is an adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel of the same name. In it, Adams’ character “pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon her new domesticity takes a surreal turn,” according to a synopsis. 

Alongside Adams, who also produces, the movie stars Scoot McNairy, Arleigh Patrick Snowden, Emmett James Snowden, Zoë Chao, Mary Holland, Archana Rajan and Jessica Harper.

Nightbitch is in theaters Dec. 6.