Jude Law in The Queen’s Gambit: “I was tired of playing such a dark character”

As soon as he sits down in front of Jude Law, he gives us a smirk and confides that he spent a lot of time in Switzerland in his youth. “It’s magnificent, I was there again a few years ago for a photo shoot,” he adds. The setting is just as charming: a sunny Cannes hotel terrace, perfect for discussing his project: “The Queen’s Game”, which is now available on Blue TV.

In this film by Karim Aïnouz, Jude Law plays Henry VIII, this king famous for having repudiated or beheaded his wives (while only one succumbed to illness). Alongside him, Alicia Vikander plays Catherine Parr, the Tyrant’s sixth and final queen, struggling to survive the intrigues of the court with the help of her ladies-in-waiting. The 51-year-old actor talks about this dark role and his physical metamorphosis, having gained several kilos to get closer to the sovereign with his imposing stature, weighing more than 150 kilos at the end of his life.

What do you like about this very dark film?

I like the potential of the scenario, but what I really appreciated was Karim Aïnouz’s point of view on this story. He wanted to deconstruct it. He wanted to take this subject out of the history books and make it the story of a real couple, humanizing them. Alicia and I didn’t have a ton of knowledge on this topic. So we immersed ourselves in a sort of historical study while seeking to understand the context of the scenario, in order to make it both credible and impactful.

Your physical transformation is impressive. What was the most complicated?

A bit of everything. I didn’t want to wear too many prosthetics, so I tried to embody the character from the inside. Costumes did a lot to shape his physical appearance. I had a talented makeup artist by my side. We changed a lot of things, including my hair, and of course I had a beard. We used certain elements to create visual effects. But in reality, what really helped build this character was understanding his physical and mental state. It was the most decisive.

You limp for more than half the movie. Was it complicated?

It was very hard. I wore weights in certain places and uncomfortable shoes. It was essential to reproduce this handicap perfectly. This ended up playing an important role in understanding the discomfort he was feeling, which I think had a significant impact on the way he acted.

I’m talking in particular about his irrationality, his mood swings, his anger. I think he was furious at being seen as this pious figure that no one dared to question. And yet, his own body betrayed him. To have gone from being this sort of “Golden God”, this handsome and dazzling young man, to now becoming a corrupt and degraded man, almost despicable, must have been, I think, deeply painful for him. Both mentally and emotionally.

Alicia Vikander is incredible as your wife. How did you find your on-screen partner?

You used the right word. She was truly my partner, and we quickly felt like we were safe together. We both knew from the beginning that we had to explore some very dark places, but it was essential to be very physically comfortable. We also had to have humor, because we faced horrible times. So, we laughed a lot, as surprising as it may seem. Karim Aïnouz was able to create a very collaborative and secure environment so that we could go to these difficult areas.

Seeing yourself in the role of the villain suits you quite well. Do you prefer this type of character rather than playing heroes?

(Laughs.) Honestly, I never think of my characters as heroes or villains. For me, it’s not just good or bad. You have to see them as human beings and try to understand all their facets. People are very complex, full of contrasts and contradictions. This is why, for me, trying to understand a human being in their entirety is a central aspect of my work. There were definitely darker areas of Henri compared to other characters, and that was interesting, but also disturbing at times. I was relieved to let him go. In the end, I told myself that I was tired of playing such a dark character. As an actor, it is a very rewarding and rewarding experience to be able to dive into these abysses and return home safe and sound.