To play Putin, Jude Law became an 'obsessive' observer
What's the story
British actor Jude Law, who plays Russian President Vladimir Putin in The Wizard of the Kremlin, has said he became an "obsessive" watcher of the leader to prepare for his role. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday, is directed by Olivier Assayas and explores Putin's rise from a former intelligence officer to a political powerhouse.
Preparation details
'You're looking for ever more, newer material'
Law, who bears a striking resemblance to Putin, said he watched a lot of footage to prepare for his role. "There's a lot of footage one could watch and, personally, when I start going down that rabbit hole, it becomes sort of obsessive," he told journalists. "You're looking for ever more, newer material."
Role challenges
Capturing Putin's deadpan expression was a challenge
Law admitted that the biggest challenge was capturing Putin's famously deadpan expression. "The tricky side to me was that the public face that we see [of Putin], we see very, very little," he said. "There's this mask." He credited his likeness to an "amazing makeup and hair team."
Film overview
What is 'The Wizard of the Kremlin' about?
The two-and-a-half-hour film takes a deep dive into Putin's career, focusing on his tactics to silence political opponents, control oligarchs, and enrich his inner circle. The story is narrated through the eyes of a fictional political advisor, Vadim Baranov (played by Paul Dano), and is based on a best-selling book by Italian author Giuliano da Empoli.
Festival participation
It is competing at the Venice Film Festival
The Wizard of the Kremlin is one of 21 films vying for the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, a prestigious platform for international premieres. The festival runs until Saturday and has already seen mixed reviews for the film. Most critics have praised Law's and Dano's performances, but given lukewarm reviews to the overall film.