Snowden isn't just the story of how Edward Snowden became the world's most famous whistleblower — or most wanted American traitor, depending on who you ask — it's about how Snowden made the decision to become a fugitive and leave his job, his home, and his girlfriend of many years. This girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, features prominently in the film from director Oliver Stone and is played by Shailene Woodley. But while Snowden himself has been actively supporting the film, Mills has stayed out of the spotlight. So, what does Lindsay Mills think of Snowden ?
Ever since Snowden shared the NSA documents, Mills has been somewhat of a curiosity. When Snowden fled to Hong Kong and later relocated to Russia, Mills was immediately thrust into the spotlight. But Mills didn't seem to be interested in her 15 minutes of fame. Photos and videos of her dancing went viral, and yet, Mills herself kept her distance from the press. She never gave interviews or told her side of the story, so it's not surprising that now that she's about to become immortalized in a major motion picture, we still haven't heard from her.
Despite having a presence on Twitter and Instagram, Mills has steered clear of broadcasting any personal opinions on Snowden , but she was involved in the film in a small way. Mills hasn't been promoting the film with joint Q&As like Snowden, but the dancer and photographer did agree to meet Woodley on set during filming. Mills met Woodley three months into the four-month production. Unfortunately, Woodley revealed in an interview with WENN, it was too late into production for her to incorporate what she learned from the meeting into her performance. Instead, Woodley relied on all of Mills' social media.
If you're hoping to get more of a Snowden reaction from Mills after the movie comes out, you're out of luck. Mills doesn't speak to reporters on the record, and her personal blog, lsjourney.com, is mostly composed of self-portraits, photography, and poems. Occasionally she'll share a photo of herself with Snowden.
There is a chance we might one day hear from Mills what she thinks of Snowden, and that's if the movie is nominated for any Academy Awards. Mills discreetly appeared at the 2015 Oscars when she accepted the Best Documentary Oscar alongside filmmakers Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy, and Dirk Wilutzky, for the Snowden documentary Citizenfour. Maybe she'll return to the stage to celebrate Snowden, if the need arises.
Images: Open Road Films
