'Spotlight' reporter Pfeiffer reflects on her life in film

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[February 19, 2016]  LOS ANGELES - Since premiering at the Venice film festival in September, "Spotlight", about a newspaper investigation into Catholic Church sex abuse, has scooped awards and become one of the favorites to win this year's Best Picture Oscar.

Sacha Pfeiffer is one of members of The Boston Globe Spotlight team of journalists who worked on the reports that won the newspaper a Pulitzer Prize. In the film, she is portrayed by Rachel McAdams, who is in the running for an Oscar for the role.

"All along the process, I'd hear from her by phone, by text, by email. Even on set sometimes, I'd get text messages saying 'Now, would you have taken notes in a notebook or by typing on a computer?'" Pfeiffer told Reuters in an interview.

"So all along the way I got an inside look at how much she cared about the details, how much she wanted to be accurate and it was a window to me on to how hard really good actors work."

In the film, audiences see the reporters dig up information that would eventually have a deep impact on the Catholic Church. But Pfeiffer said there are still many questions unanswered.

"I think the question of why they did what they did is the hardest to answer and the one I feel we haven't answered to my satisfaction," she said.

Along with the film's cast members, which include Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci, Pfeiffer has been attending this season's award ceremonies.

"I think it's fascinating," she said. "As a reporter, I love that my job often gives me access to worlds that other people don't get access to and I feel like I've gotten access to another fascinating world."

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