Sophie Turner Admits It’s a ‘Struggle Being a Single Mother’ and Details Finding ‘Strength’ amid Joe Jonas Divorce

Sophie Turner is speaking candidly about being a single mom.

The actress, 28, admitted that it’s been a “struggle” to raise her two daughters — Willa, 4, and Delphine, 2, whom she shares with ex-husband Joe Jonas — following the pair’s divorce.

Speaking to the U.K.’s The Sunday Times about stepping into the character of jewel thief and single mom Joan Hannington in the upcoming TV series Joan, Turner said, “If I hadn’t been a mother, I don’t know if I would have been able to bring the same energy that I did into it.”

“It’s such a struggle being a single mother. Joan doesn’t go about it in the best way … but it is amazing to see her really fighting for her daughter,” she continued. “It’s also really important for kids to see just how hard parents work for them.”

Turner’s comments come after she and Jonas, 35, recently finalized their divorce after reaching a settlement agreement, one year after the Jonas Brothers singer initially filed.

In her latest interview, the Game of Thrones alum revealed she filmed Joan while in the middle of her divorce. She said playing the character “gave me a lot of strength” during the difficult time.

“Joan changed me quite a lot,” Turner said. “From utter desperation comes so much will and ambition. The series came around at a time in my life where I had to be ambitious and I had to have such strong will and fight against the forces. She gave me a lot of strength.” 

“She also taught me how to do a good ring swap in a handbag,” she then joked.

In the new six-part series Joan, Turner plays one of Britain’s most notorious diamond thieves in an exhilarating and emotional true story following her in her 20s, set in mid-1980s London.

Speaking of the perception of single motherhood from the 1980s to now, Turner shared that, after playing the role, she believes people’s views haven’t changed much.

“There’s so much shame that comes with motherhood,” she told The Sunday Times. “You go to work, you’re shamed. If you don’t go to work, you’re shamed.”

A source told PEOPLE earlier this month that Turner and Jonas are on “friendly” terms and are prioritizing their daughters with peaceful co-parenting after a back-and-forth battle over custody of their girls.

“They turned things around from the initial messy custody battle,” the source said. “They are friendly and great co-parents now.”

Joan is set to premiere in the U.K. in September, before hitting U.S. screens on Tuesday, Oct. 2, on The CW