The National Geographic original scripted drama Killing Lincoln, adapted from Bill O’Reilly’s best-selling book and narrated by Academy Award winner Tom Hanks, chronicles the final days of President Lincoln (Billy Campbell) and the plot devised by one of the most notorious and complex villains of all time, John Wilkes Booth (Jesse Johnson).  Booth viewed Lincoln as a tyrant eager to eradicate the Southern way of life, and took matters into his own hands, which resulted in a murder that shocked the nation.  Executive produced by Tony and Ridley Scott, the film also stars Geraldine Hughes, Graham Beckel and Shawn Pyfrom.

During this recent exclusive interview with Collider, actress Geraldine Hughes, who plays Mary Todd Lincoln, talked about how she came to be a part of this film, what she did to recover from the emotional exhaustion once she was done with the role, how she viewed Mary Todd Lincoln, what it was like to wear these costumes, and how surreal it was to relive such a historical moment.  She also talked about how she originally became an actor, what she looks for in a project, and the experience of doing her one-woman show, Belfast Blues.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.