Jude Law transformed into Vladimir Putin for the world premiere of The Wizard of the Kremlin at the Venice Film Festival, revealing that he did not experience anxiety or fear repercussions while embodying the Russian president. The film, directed by Olivier Assayas, debuted Sunday to significant interest from industry insiders.
Law emphasized that his approach to playing Putin was neither naive nor provocative. “I felt safe in the hands of Olivier,” Law mentioned, highlighting the director’s intention to handle the story with “intelligence, nuance, and consideration” rather than courting controversy for its own sake. His portrayal included wearing prosthetics to achieve a physical transformation, but the actor stressed that Putin was conceived as “a character in a much larger story,” not an attempt to define the real person behind the politics.
The Wizard of the Kremlin adapts Giuliano da Empoli’s bestselling book, chronicling Putin’s ascent to power through the eyes of a fictional adviser, Vadim Baranov, played by Paul Dano. The narrative spans from the early 1990s post-Soviet chaos to 2014, focusing heavily on Baranov’s political maneuverings. Dano’s character draws inspiration from Vladislav Surkov, a key architect of Putin’s controlled political system, who resigned from government in 2013.
Jeffrey Wright also stars as the journalist whom Baranov confides in, lending the film a reflective dimension. Wright made a pointed remark about the film’s relevance, especially for American audiences, suggesting that the loss of belief in progress and utopian ideals parallels the dark political realities depicted. The film’s North American release date has yet to be announced.
This portrayal and adaptation offer a compelling, nuanced exploration of Putin’s power dynamics without resorting to sensationalism, anchored by Law’s measured performance and Assayas’s thoughtful direction.