As I said in my review of Hedda, available now on Prime Video, when Tessa Thompson and director Nia DaCosta get together, “expect reinvention, reimagining, an attempt to mine something new.” That certainly applies to their new take on Henrik Ibsen’s classic play. First, having the already-complex Hedda Gabler as a Black woman in 1950s English society changes the story fundamentally, and again by casting Nina Hoss as Eileen Løvborg, a gender swapped version of Hedda’s former lover. This adds a queer dynamic as Hedda explores complicated feelings about her sexuality, her place as a woman in a male-dominated society, her jealousy over the lives others lead while she remains stuck in a marriage of convenience.
All of this is just the tip of the iceberg for a film that I call a “tempest in a teapot”, a storm of devious schemes, deadly secrets, and bigger rivalries brewing in a tense party thrown at a gaudy estate. This Hedda is endlessly exciting and continues to establish Thompson and DaCosta as one of the best actor/director partnerships in the business right now.
When the opportunity arose to speak with Tessa Thompson, Nia DaCosta, Nina Hoss, and Tom Bateman about Hedda, it was a no-brainer to accept. We talked about DaCosta’s love of the source material and desire to bring something new to it. Thompson, Hoss, and Bateman spoke about the understanding they had of their characters’ darker impulses, weaknesses, and hidden strengths that made them human.
You can check out my Hedda interviews below. I hope you’ll check them out and consider subscribing to the YouTube channel for more!
