Jude Law talks portraying Vladimir Putin in political thriller ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’

English actor Jude Law is stepping into the shoes of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the new political thriller, ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’. The film, directed by Olivier Assayas, is going to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

At the movie’s official press conference, Jude Law shared his thoughts on taking on such a high-profile role. He explained that he never felt worried about backlash or controversy.

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“I hope not naively, but I didn’t fear repercussions,” he said. “I felt confident that Olivier and the script would tell this story intelligently, with nuance and care. We weren’t seeking controversy for its own sake. This is a character in a larger story. We weren’t trying to define anyone.”

 

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The movie is based on Giuliano da Empoli’s 2022 best-selling book of the same name. It presents a fictionalized account of Putin’s rise to power in post-Soviet Russia, along with his relationship with Vadim Baranov, a spin doctor played by Paul Dano.

While Baranov is not a real person, he is inspired by Vladislav Surkov, who is widely popular for helping shape Putin’s public image and political strategies.

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Alongside Law and Dano, the film stars Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, and Jeffrey Wright, all of whom attended the Venice press event.

To prepare for the Vladimir Putin role, Jude Law changed his physical appearance but decided to speak in his own voice, rather than attempting a thick Russian accent.

He explained, “Olivier and I agreed this isn’t about creating a full impersonation of Putin. I wasn’t meant to hide behind prosthetics. We worked with an incredible makeup and hair team, and we studied references from that time in Putin’s life. The goal was to find a sense of familiarity in me. It’s amazing what a great wig can do.”

The actor emphasized that the film is more about storytelling than politics. “It’s not about defining Putin or making a statement,” he said. “We wanted the story to be intelligent, subtle, and engaging for the audience.”