With The Wizard of the Kremlin now streaming on OTT, director Olivier Assayas shares insights into Jude Law’s meticulous preparation and transformation for his role as Vladimir Putin. The Hollywood political drama stars Jude Law alongside Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Jeffrey Wright and Will Keen, and explores the world of political power, influence and ambition.
Speaking about the casting process, Assayas explained that finding the right actor for such a sensitive and delicate character was challenging. He was drawn to Jude Law’s ability to transform himself physically and his commitment to research, while also bringing his own interpretation to the role.
"The casting process was difficult for Vladimir Putin’s character. It’s a very sensitive and delicate choice. I considered working with an unknown actor, but when Jude Law came to mind, I was inspired by the fact that he was both a real movie star, in the greatest sense, but also an actor who can transform himself. He likes to research things and change himself physically. He also had to play a character over a 15-year period, so even if we can recognise him, he’s also very different. He had space for poetry and imagination around the character. That was important, because I didn’t want him to imitate Putin. I just wanted him to be credible in the part so that we could seize something about his personality,” said Olivier Assayas.
Assayas also revealed how Jude Law approached his preparation for the role. "He read Giuliano da Empoli’s book and had a Zoom meeting with the author to ask him specific historical questions. Giuliano told me he was very impressed with Jude’s meticulousness and the precision of his questions. They got along very well. After that, he worked with the hair and makeup department to really find the physicality and the way the character changes over time, with makeup, wigs, etc. In the film, we also recreated real archives, like Putin’s interview with Larry King on CNN,” added Assayas.
Based on Giuliano da Empoli’s bestselling novel, The Wizard of the Kremlin follows the rise of a political strategist in post-Soviet Russia, offering a layered exploration of power, ambition and influence.
The Wizard of the Kremlin is now streaming on Zee 5.
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