Jude Law is best known for playing Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts and Dickie Greenleaf in the 1999 Oscar-nominated film The Talented Mr. Ripley, among other roles. The actor most recently starred in Ron Howard’s thriller Eden, which centers around European settlers looking for a change, turning their back on society and starting a new life on a previously uninhabited island in the Galapagos.
Law plays Frederick Ritter, a doctor who lives on an isolated island with his wife, Vanessa Kirby, until settlers arrive. In one scene, Law strips completely nude, which is a creative leap for the role. However, he wasn’t the only one taking a bold risk. During Eden’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, Law spoke about the scene during a Q&A session moderated by Cameron Bailey.
Law explained that the film’s style required the entire team to be cautious and willing to take risks. “We all had to be adventurous”, he said, admitting that he “probably needed a bit more guts” than the others.
She further explained that for her, the most challenging part of the scene was finding fluidity in her movements while walking – especially while nude. However, she credited the camaraderie between her co-stars for helping her create a sense of carefree and nonchalance in her performance. “There was something attractive about being in a group,” she recalled.
He added, “At the beginning we were all asking, ‘How far will we go?’ It’s a lovely and spontaneous game of trust and chance.’” The star-studded cast also includes Ana de Armas, who plays a self-proclaimed heiress, and Sydney Sweeney, who plays German housewife Margarete Wittmer, who relocates with her husband and experiences a bizarre nativity scene while escaping wild animals.
Ron Howard, director of A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code, has high hopes for Eden, which is based on real events. According to Howard, the film is better than any film he has made in terms of style and tone. Apart from being a survival story, Eden explores the complex dynamics of love and family.
He added, “As dark and bizarre as the story is, we prove that survival of the fittest is all about love and family. It’s a family story! From the parents to Eden… don’t you see it?!” Eden is scheduled to release on September 7, 2024.
