Gillian Anderson breaks silence on 'The Salt Path' controversy: “It sucked, and continues to suck”

Highlights

• Gillian Anderson has addressed the controversy surrounding Raynor Winn’s memoir The Salt Path, which inspired the film.
• The actor said the allegations emerged at a difficult time for the film’s US release and described the situation as something that “sucked”.
• Jason Isaacs has also defended the film, saying “much of it is still completely valid”.

Gillian Anderson has spoken for the first time about the controversy surrounding The Salt Path, admitting that the allegations surrounding the memoir were particularly frustrating as the film was preparing to find its US audience.

Anderson, who plays author Raynor Winn in the film, said the production had been doing better than expected in the UK when questions about the accuracy of the memoir emerged. The film, also starring Jason Isaacs as Winn’s husband Moth, is based on Winn’s 2018 book about the couple’s journey along the South West Coast Path after losing their home.

Anderson says controversy “sucked”

Speaking to Radio Times, Anderson said the film had been performing strongly in the UK before the controversy surfaced.

“It’s very unfortunate. The film was doing really well in the UK – beyond my expectations,” she said.

Anderson revealed that the timing was especially difficult as the team had been close to securing its US distribution deal.

“I think we were about to sign with Sony Classics for the United States the week when the article came out, so it sucked, and continues to suck,” she said.

However, she stressed that audiences had continued to connect with the film despite the questions surrounding its source material.

“A lot of people were enjoying it, regardless, and it is special in its own right,” Anderson said.

She added: “I hope people are able to experience it as its own entity, separate from what may or may not be true or whatever controversy there is.”

What sparked the controversy?

The controversy followed an Observer investigation that questioned parts of Winn’s memoir, including the circumstances surrounding the couple’s loss of their home.

In The Salt Path, Winn describes the couple becoming homeless following a failed business investment. The report alleged that the circumstances were different and linked the loss of their home to an accusation that Winn had stolen thousands of pounds from an employer.

The investigation also raised questions about Moth’s diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration, citing medical experts who expressed doubts based on his reported symptoms and apparent ability to recover from some of them.

Winn has rejected the allegations. In 2025, she shared medical documents on Instagram which she said showed that Moth had been treated for CBD/S for years.

She described the claims about his illness as “heartbreaking” and said the couple had been left devastated.

Jason Isaacs also stands by the film

Isaacs, who plays Moth, has also acknowledged the questions surrounding the memoir while continuing to support the film.

Speaking on the Kermode On Film podcast, he said he had asked whether the cast should still take part in publicity for The Salt Path following the controversy.

He ultimately supported the decision, describing the film as “beautiful” and stressing that “much of it is still completely valid”.

“Obviously, some of the things have been questioned. It’s going to be an interesting experience,” he said.

Penguin has also defended its handling of the memoir, saying it carried out the necessary pre-publication checks, including a contractual warranty from Winn concerning factual accuracy and a legal review. The publisher said it had not received concerns about the book before the Observer investigation.

The Salt Path, which was released in the UK last year, is now due to reach US cinemas on September 4.