Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson have teamed up for a third film, this time adapting Henrik Ibsen's classic play Hedda Gabler. The pair, who previously worked together on Little Woods and The Marvels, bring a fresh perspective to the notoriously difficult role of Hedda, played by Thompson as a sexy, sultry, and Machiavellian mess.
DaCosta, known for her work on the horror reboot Candyman and the Marvel sequel, was first struck by Ibsen's daring portrayal of women after reading A Doll's House. She found Hedda Gabler even more compelling, describing the protagonist as a woman who does 'terrible, unforgivable things.'
Thompson prepared for the role by studying theatre archives in New York and London, watching performances in Norwegian without subtitles. She drew inspiration from Mae West, which influenced her portrayal of Hedda as a mixed-race, bisexual woman trapped in a stifling marriage.
The film subtly addresses race, with Hedda facing whispered comments about her skin tone. DaCosta notes that while race 'colours everything,' there is no overt speech about it, adding layers to the character's complexity.
