Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe Initially Hesitant to Play Romeo and Juliet
Despite starring as two of literature's most iconic lovers, Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe have openly admitted they rolled their eyes when first offered the roles of Romeo and Juliet. The Shakespearean tragedy, one of the most adapted stories in history, is being revived at London's Harold Pinter Theatre with the young actors taking centre stage.
Initial Skepticism and Director's Vision
In a sultry photoshoot for Tatler magazine, Noah Jupe confessed he was hesitant to audition when initially approached about the role. 'When I first got the audition through, I was like 'Romeo and Juliet, again?'' he revealed. 'Everyone's done it so many times.' However, his perspective changed dramatically after speaking with director Robert Icke about his 'fresh and new' interpretation of the classic play.
Sadie Sink, best known for her role in Stranger Things, shared similar reservations about tackling Shakespeare. 'Before I met him, I wasn't really interested in doing Shakespeare,' she admitted. 'It wasn't like Juliet was a dream role of mine.' She expressed concerns about there being a perceived 'right or wrong way' to perform Shakespearean roles, a common anxiety among actors approaching classical theatre.
Modernising Shakespeare's Classic
Both actors credit director Robert Icke with changing their perspective through his innovative approach. 'Rob has such a great way of modernising Shakespeare in a way that just enriches the original text,' Sink explained. 'In re-reading it, but also reading it under the lens of Rob and his vision for it, I felt like this is actually something that I want to do and feel like I need to, right now.'
Jupe echoed this sentiment, noting how Icke's direction made the centuries-old text accessible. 'Within five minutes of speaking to Rob, I was like, 'No, this is going to be completely fresh and new.'' He contrasted this with traditional Shakespeare productions that can feel 'very intellectual and detached' to modern audiences.
Career Crossroads and Scheduling Conflicts
The production comes at significant moments in both actors' careers. Noah Jupe earned critical acclaim for his heartbreaking performance in Chloe Zhao's Hamnet last year, a film that received multiple Oscar nominations and a historic win for co-star Jessie Buckley. However, Jupe revealed he was unable to attend the Oscars ceremony as it coincided with the eve of Romeo and Juliet's opening night. 'When it came out that we got nominated, there was a small question of 'Would you?' and I was like, 'No way, no way,'' he said.
For Sadie Sink, this marks her West End debut following the conclusion of Stranger Things, the Netflix phenomenon that made her a household name. Reflecting on the show's finale, she told British Vogue: 'It feels more like a relief that it's complete and just such a joy to share it with people. Or maybe my brain's so scattered that I can't actually even think about the fact that it's over.'
Building Chemistry and Regency-Inspired Promotion
The actors admitted they're still establishing their working dynamic, having only rehearsed together twice before beginning the production. 'We did a chemistry read together and that was, what, like an hour?' Sink revealed. 'And then the second time we met.' Jupe added that their second meeting involved 'a full-on photoshoot for it,' referencing the promotional posters now displayed across London's tube stations.
Despite the production being a 21st-century adaptation, the pair channelled the doomed lovers' famous history with a Regency-inspired Tatler photoshoot. The play, which began performances on March 16, is scheduled to run until June 20 at the Harold Pinter Theatre, with Sink preparing for a three-month stay in London for the engagement.
The full feature appears in the May issue of Tatler, available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday, April 9th.
