The Performance: Sally Hawkins, ‘Made in Dagenham’

British actress Sally Hawkins felt a real kinship with her busy, down-to-earth character Rita in the new film “Made in Dagenham.”

Directed by Nigel Cole (“Calendar Girls”), the indie ensemble film opening Friday tells the true story of 187 seamstresses at a Ford factory in Dagenham, England, who went on strike for equal pay in 1968. The strike led to the introduction of the Equal Pay Act in 1970. Rita, a wife and mother, is a popular worker who is thrust into the spotlight as spokeswoman and leader for the strike.

Two years ago, Hawkins found herself suddenly in the limelight thanks to her endearing performance as the optimist Poppy in Mike Leigh’s “ Happy-Go-Lucky.” She won a Golden Globe for lead actress in a comedy or musical and other critical honors.

“You are being pushed here and there and everywhere and suddenly talking to lots of people,” said the 34-year-old Hawkins, recalling the “Happy-Go-Lucky” publicity blitz. “I never in my wildest dream thought the U.S. would embrace the film that way.”

Hawkins is cut from the same working-class cloth as Rita. “My grandma worked as a seamstress in a comparatively small factory: She was making and mending clothes,” said the actress. “A very early memory of mine is going to pick her up with my mom. She worked very hard every single day. I am so grateful that I have that work ethic in my blood and my DNA. That is what spoke to me most about the project.”

No one can accuse Hawkins of lazing about. Her voice was horribly strained on a recent Monday afternoon following two performances the day before on Broadway in the revival of George Bernard Shaw’s “Mrs. Warren’s Profession.” She flew the red-eye to Los Angeles for a whirlwind day of publicity, and was flying out from LAX that evening so she could appear on stage Tuesday night.

She acknowledges she’s tired, but said: “It’s great that people are interested in the movie and want to speak to you, rather than the other way around.”

Rita is a composite character based on several of the women who went on strike 42 years ago. As part of her research, she met three of the seamstresses who were involved in the event.

“Ironically, they weren’t able to benefit from the equal pay until 1982…. because of so many loopholes,” said Hawkins. “What I took away from these women is that they weren’t afraid to speak up, and I think that it’s important to remember [women] still have that responsibility even today. It’s always exciting when films that touch on issues [from the past] are still relevant.”

Cole, who has worked with such accomplished actresses as Oscar winner Helen Mirren in “Calendar Girls,” said he felt very close to Hawkins during the production. “I think the headline about Sally is it’s hard to find an actor who is more determined to be good than she. She absolutely refuses to give up. Most actors, they kind of peak around Take 8, 9 or 10. Sally was always better every take. I felt sometimes I could give her 100 takes, and take 100 would be better than 99.”

susan.king@latimes.com