Jude Law has said he doesn’t “fear repercussions” from the Russian government after playing Vladimir Putin in the divisive new film, The Wizard of the Kremlin, at the Venice Film Festival.
The actor plays the young president in the political thriller directed by Olivier Assayas, which charts the President’s rise to power after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and premieres at the film festival today.
Law, 52, stars alongside Succession star Paul Dano, who plays a crafty, fictional spin-doctor who aids Putin’s efforts in climbing the ladder, from behind the scenes.
The film premieres as the war in Ukraine continues to rage on, just hours after a massive overnight attack was launched on 14 regions of Ukraine.
This also comes after former speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Andriy Parubiy was shot dead by gunmen on the streets in Lviv.
At the festival, Law said he was not worried about the political ramifications of playing the role in a film which could be seen as decidedly critical of the Russian leader.
The star said: “I hope not naively… but no, I didn’t fear repercussions.
“I felt confident in the hands of Olivier [Assayas] and the script and that this was a story that was going to be told intelligently, and with nuance and consideration.
He went on to explain that the film isn’t “looking for controversy for controversy’s sake”, explaining that his role as Putin was “a character within a broader story.”
He added: “We weren’t trying to define anything about anyone.”
Law admitted that prior to playing the high-profile part, he understood “very little” about Russian politics and that starring in the film was a “revelation.”
He explained the difficulties of playing the role of Putin, who he described as “The Man With No Face,” noting: “The public face we see gives very, very little away.”
The actor struggled to name any positives he found in the character of Putin whilst playing the role. With a laugh, The Holiday star said: “Well – I learnt Judo! I took my own positive from that!”
When asked if he believed Russia rules the world, the film’s director, Olivier Assayas, laughed and said: “That’s an easy one – the answer is no.”
“The film is about how modern politics – 21st century politics - was invented, and part of that evil raised from the rise to power of Vladimir Putin in Russia.”
Assayas, 70, expressed his fears of the rise of Russia as the war in Ukraine plows ahead. The director said, “We made the movie about what politics has become, and the very scary and dangerous situation we all feel we are in.”
Also featuring in the film is American Fiction star Jeffrey Wright, who said that the film serves as a warning to US politics under the Trump administration.
Wright, 59, said: “Yes [the US] has had impulses towards fascism, autocracy and all manner of sins.”
“Even within the time frame of the original sins of America - even within that grotesqueness - we had an idea that we could be better.
“If that is lost - as it is now - then we become the thing we see in this film”, he said.
